The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-07-17
MISS BuGGs NEW STORIES.

Miss Leila Hardin. Buggs new book en-
titled 1.-The ProdigaIs Daughter and 9th
er Tales" is a quartet of clever sketches
of United States life in the middle west. 70
which She has given the touch of nature
that makes the locality and character uni
versal; wherever there are hearts to ache
or spites to indulge toward those VINO do
not order their lives according to their
neighbors points of view.
Miss Bugs choice use of English as
tool, independent of the motive, makes
her writings a delight to the reader; but
she has as well the charm of telling the
story, always the story, to the happy end
ing.
In this volume she has more than sus-
tanned the reason for the kind welcome
given to her previous works-that of good
training and close study of the subject,
and ability to idealise a situation.
In THE Prodigaps Daughter" she has
dipped her pen in the same we'll of real
ism as the author of Martin Chuzzle-
wit"
The motive lies in the unhappy life Of
the orphan girl, whose school days ended.
without friends or relatives who take an
interest in her, desires to live in Owing
ton, the only place outside of school walls
where she has ever known home; or
how the social magnates decide that she
is impossible for their set, as one of them
puts it:
Good gracious, what is the girl coming
here for? OF course she couldn't help
her father, but of all places to want 10
live in! She'll find out few things when
she gets here. We can't associate with
everybody; the lines got TO be drawn
somewhere and for one intend to draw
it at girl who used to go barefooted,
heaven only knows where, while her
drunken father was sleeping off spree
or carousing around saloons"
Woman's inhumanity to this woman is
Interestingly told, and how she is finally
rescued from her tormentors by Houston.
the clever young banker who had all
along been helping defeat plans for her
discontinue.
The second sketch, "Westgate's Past.
is a story with a purpose. 1t is on re-
ligious UNCONVENTIONAL lines. 1t is pleas
ant surprise in that, contrary to the ex-
DecIeQ, MS pau was 81 'AAiS e'4'A -
that it could not be surpassed in the
present.
THE Pension Roget the third of the
stories, tells with interesting detail, and
to the life. of the unkindness and injustice
with which a woman is regarded who is,
unchaperoned, the guest of hotel.
1.-THE Major" the fourth and last Of the
sketches. bv his manliness and defense of
the weak against the strong, brings the
reader to lay down the book and, think
ing over il, conclude that in its writing
the author. with ready wit, bright humor
and sometimes unveiled sarcasm, has been
telling US that might is not of itself right
and. when it Expresses and persecutes, is
odious.
The volume abounds with touches like
these: 1.-The honor of an informal morn
ing call brought a beaming smile TO her
rather pretty face, and she started to
meet her friend with a step which would
have been graceful but for her increasing
flesh. Her mind had retained its girlish
lghtness but her body had not, and her
welcome was both ELUSIVE and sincere
to the matron, who received ii calmly as
her due, and shared the pleasure only in
part"
"As she leaned back amid the pillows
so abundantly supplied by the sable por-
ter. whose benevolent impulses had been
deeply touched by a crisp new bank note
she gave no sign of past not in harmony
with the apparent luxury of the present"
THE prevailing architectural epidemic
had apparently struck the city in a pro-
nounced form, and the few houses that
were not Queen Anne were OF hybrid
variety. a cross between the Old Colonial
and the style of the royal dame, which
future writer's on architecture will prob
ably describe as the American Renais-
sance."
But she had not advanced far enough
IN social ethics to understand why play
ing for money that was not needed was
only a gent!emanly amusement. and play
ing for money that was needed, and need
ed pretty badly was a disreputablc act.
that deserved TO entail the disgrace II
did
They were politely curious Is 70 how
she came to be educated at Mrs. Elders
most exclusive and expensive school and
polished of in Europe, for their recoilec-
tons of Matt Morrison had ever been as
ISOLATED with debts and difficulties. and
they. unfortunately. had had no practical
experience as to the result Of the proper
- ~.r-qr
Mrs. Graham, the Windsor Cantatrice.
as Mr. Aston styled her. was widow
with desire of not remaining one. and
a past about which she was retieent
Mt Houston had before remarked that
there was good deal OF talk about draw
ing the lines in Oviuton. and be had no
siced that they we're usually drawn in
curves and angles, Instead Of taking the
shortest distance between tao points; so
that there was no little caprice IN the
exclusions"
For he had been brought up with !
regard for family only little less deep
than his regard for the decalogue"
But All. how ne could play, The yearn-
ing OF the Dutchmsn. the sacrifices Of
Brunhi,de. the majesty % Wo;aB. 5he
eagerness. gladness. tenderness. brought
GU, by the veivety triPiets. the ascending
tonzilty- expressing youth, VITA az Ire