The times., 1898-12-25
Old-Fashioned ed stories.

Old-Fnshioned stories.
"Old Chester Tales" Margaret De-
lands latest work, is not an old-fashion-
ed book in the sense that It's style is of
past generation. But It Is full of sweet
old-time fragrances, like lavender and
sweet marjoram and mignonette; full OF
the sunshine of placid country gardens
and the quiet of shady country roads,
All readers of Mrs. Deland's books know
/ Old Chester. 1t was there that Helen
Jaffrey married John Ward, and II was
there that Cecil Shore and her husband
Philip played their parts Ina brief, in
tense drama. II was In that same region
that Sidney lived, and that John Paul
cnurted Kate Townsend. And now and
then, in this book of short storiess one
catches fieeting glimpse of one or an
other of these figures
The real Old Chester is a Pennsyivsnia
town, some miles from the railroad and
| preserving all sorts of before the-war
traditions, as amber preserves leaf or
an insect. .The North has its nte-beIlum
tstraditions as well as the South, and here
and there is a village which has refused
to keep step with the march of progress.
| Old Chester is one of these Despite the
thoroughly individual atmosphere of the
place, however, there is so much human
nature in the stories that one feels they
1 " T.
any country town. North or South. might
have served as the setting for most of
| these little one-act dramas. And nearly
| all of them deal with some problem in
ethics or morals, and in an original way.
These three things are the notable
1 characteristics of the baok-the Old
Chester atmosphere, the strong human
interest, and the fact that they are prob
lem stories. The problem is not ag-
gressively put forth; Mrs Deland never
| thrusts moral under her readers
nose. but II is there all the same and no
one can read these tales thoughtfulIy and
sympathetically without being more
charitable to the world in general and to
some erring neighbor in particular One
| iaiis INTO touch with the temperament of
| that old Dr. Layendar, who figures in two
or three of the stories, and who had n
| good opinion of his fellow-men, growing
out OLA belief that the children of his
Father could not be so very bad after
| ALL"
The stories are of almost equal merit !.
| there Is no slipshod work anywhere. Per-
haps one of the best is Good For The
| Soul, which deals with a problem much
discussed nowadays. Mrs. Deland. dn her
denureiy daring way, ventures on a solu-
tion practically new in fiction. A sober.
good, matter-of-fact. kindly man of mid
| die age marries a little actress whom he
has found overworked. sick and worn
out, in country hotel. AT first she is
too grateful for the chance to rest. the
peace and comfort of his protection. to
think at all. After her marriage how
| ever. she begins to wonder If 1t is her
duty to tell him OF her past life She
devotes every thought, every moment of
her life TO making him happy and sue
ceeds SO perfectly that 1t becomes more
tata tarfoV
he is not aware what she has been FL
naHy she takes the case to DR.. Lavendar,
and he, knowing her to be a good wife
and good mother. tells her that she has
no right to make her husband share her
punishment for old sins. and that it is
not her duty. to tell him of the past
Other people have asked the question,
"Can a woman who has sinned reform
and lead good life?" Mrs. Deland's an
swer seems to be that if she desires with
her whole heart to do so she can, and that
open confession is not always the best
thing for the soul. 1t is one of this au-
thor's peculiarities that she seldom deals
with any case as typical. She lays down
no rules. She shows her readers the in
diyidual. And as all humanity is made
up of individuals. perhaps this is as good
as any other artistic method. At any
rate. after reading the story of Bessie
Day. no one could have the heart TO say
that in keeping silence about her pas,
she did anything but what was wise, low
irg and unselish.
sally is the story of one OF those ex-
tremely aitruistlc women who foster self
ishness in everyone around them THE
Child's Mother is another story with a
most original ending. A worthless woman
deserts her child. which is adopted by a
lonely. loving-hearted spinster and
brought up tenderly and carefully. When
the child is ten years old the mother re-
appears, having married and become '.re-
spectacle" and demands her daughter
1t rests with Dr. Lavendar to say whether
she shall be told where the little girl is
Nine people out of ten would have stood
stanchly by the claim of blood and would
have declared that the mother had the
first right. no matter what her influence
over the child's future life might be. DR.
Layendar thought differently. He refused
to recognize that right. And whatever
may be said about ordinary cases OF the
fsort, after reading this story. no one car
deny that in this particular case 1t would
have been ruin to the child. body and soul
to have been given to its mother
There are eight stories, and the book II
a daihtHy illustrated by Howard Pyle. (New
York. Harper 6 Bros $1.5o)
English Military Life.
Social Life in the British Army q
thin. red covered book. whose author Il
named only as "a British Officer" is a