The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1898-03-27
David Christie Murray.

This Little World" David Christie
Murray's latest book, is story whose
title Is rather odd and striking, and of
no particular significance in connection
with the book. The story is that of a
young rustic who, with nothing but
genius for painting, wins for himself a
place in the world and rustic maiden.
who with no weapon but an exquisite
voice and the usual beauty of a novel
heroine, wins for herself also a place in
the world. The story is an interesting
one, well told. and the character-draw-
ing is skillfully done. One of the things
which is limited at but hardly brought
out clearly, is the likeness of the coun-
try village to the metropolis when one
finds the real meaning Of things.
One of the happiest bits of character
drawing in the book is the figure of an
ex-prize fighter, with a unique record
of persistent and constant defeat and
the inability of his tidy, shrewd-witted
old wife to understand the great object
Of her husbands life. Old George and
his wife, Miriam, are two thoroughly
delightful people; English to the core,
both of them and English rustic at that
y Il
Summer morning, as the young athlete
whom old George has taught to box
comes striding up the path to pay them
a visit:
Beside the porch, in Il wooden arm-chair, sat a
portly man OF middle age, with small, round
green table before him. On the table stood a
jug of home -browed beer, with a white head Of
froih bullying from il, and a battered leaden to
bacco box fiauked 10y loose halt-handiul OF
wooden matches. The man in the armchair sat
srifb lT fCgt la JT
/ whose expression 50 strangely resemhled ms own
that they might have been twin brethren. Nei-
ther the man nor the dog was actually pughacIous
for the moment, but each looked ready Tor a
fight at au instant warning. The human crea-
turr had an uverhaneing forehead and under
hanging jaw. and boosted OF half dozen bridges
TO his nose In the loo,ely-cienched fists that lay
/ at rest upon his knees, in his broad shoulders,
his deep chest. his SCARED and battered counte-
nance, he was marked ''pugilist all over. When
he rose from his chair and walked into the house
IN search OF his forgotten church warden Ger
tain alert lOGseness IN the droop OF his shoulder
aud in the carriage Of his arms, a something Of
marked him still further. He was beyond late
/ middle agc-ncaring the sixties and as far away
! from his time il the tide had LETT him high
and dry a hundred years back.
/ Mind We. its like this" says the old gladi-
/ ator, ''whccr thecrs no knowledge o. the sci
/ encc o. hghtin', thecTs no fair plIy-thccr's no
/ courage. Look on at scuiie i the street nova
days Til chaps has took TO usin' sticks an
stones. Yo' read about knives an pistols j. the
} \ a
! douu-things as was nivcr hccrd i my time.
/ Manhood's dyin' out, Mr.. Richard. II all up
| in ode England when Parliament put the ring
/ down"
..We must all learn to march with the times,
/ George" said Mr.. Richard.
Not so fast wi that cried George March
WI the times That's all very well. II sounds
all right but where ye g0in' TO march TO?
! Am / goin' 10 march into gels school an TEX
! in croCher-work? Not for me! As long the
/ times is what they be, Mr. Richard, I'm goin' to
. RIB nm
II wonder" said voice from the doorway, 81
wonder how much longer it'n TEX our George 10
| learn a bit Of WISDOM
little woman stood behind the pugilistic he
ro's chair-a prm little woman of fifty or there
! abouts She was attired in clean fresh print,
and her shining black hair, severely parted in the
middle, and coiled in a knot at the back, after
the early Victorian fashion, and here and there .
sudden streak of silver in it. She had been very
| pretty once upon time, and her dark eyes were
! still bright and youthful looking.
Here's our George, Mr.. Richard turned fifty
seven the 18th of last month, wi no mool
| sense than if he was a child in arms"
That's enough, Miriam said George "anc
enough's as good as n feast. Let it stop theer'
He laid down his church warden as he spoke