The times., 1899-10-29
A story of the Revolution.


Janice Meredith" by Paul Leicester
Ford author of The Honorable Peter
Stirling" is a novel Of Revolutionary
times, and has been heraIded somewhat
eXtravagantly as the great American his
torical novel" Mr. Ford and Nj Winston
Churchill may justly be considered as
rivals in this field for Richard Carvel"
and Janice Meredith are certainly the
two books Of the year which may make
definite claims as historical fiction. The
former treats Of old Maryland, the latter
Of old New Jersey.
Comparisons are odious, and it is both
discreet and wise not to make any in this
case, for both books are good Janice
Meredith is a willful. bewitching maiden,
the daughter of a stout old Tory: and she
has. in the course Of the story, no less than
three lovers. to whom she is more or less
engaged One is a country gawk, one
traitorous and titled Englishman, and one
a bOudseTyant of her father, who subse-
Quently becomes one OF Washingto1's S
aides. Il is not necessary TO state which
eventually wins her hand but the com
plications from which the three lovers
and the young lady are successfully eX-
tTicated are worse than any evolved by
the fertile brain Of novelist in some years.
The book is calculated TO make the inde-
pendent damsel Of the present day rejoice
that she was not born at a time when she
would have been forced to dispose of her
hand in the way which might best suit the
interests Of her father. IN the fortunes
OF war these interests changed with such
Kaleidoscope rapidity that Janice herself
might not have been able 10 say, without
some thought, to just which lover she was
al any one moment engaged. To her
credit be il said that she never is be-
trothed TO more than one al a time though
the incident moves so rapidly that her love
drama now and then resembles the ar
rangements of Box and Cox.
The true charm OF the book lies in its
pictures OF colonial life, especially in
those chapters which do not deal with
the camp. There is a pretty sketch OF
Janices home in the opening chapters,
and the reader sees very vividly the life,
thoughts, and surroundings of a real girl,
in the year of our Lord one thousand
seven hundred and seventy five. Again,
We have quaint letter, written by the
/ heroine 10 a girl friend from Philadelphia
( during Howe's sojOuru there, when Gen
/ eral Lee was held a prisoner in the Brit
sh lines Miss Janice, with her father
. and mother were the guests Of the treach-
erous British lover at theatre party.
and the letter describes this festivity with
most charming giTlish naiyete The play,
by the way, was given by the English
officers, these amateur actors taking wo-
mems as well as mems parts.
An extract from the letter, which sounds
as if 1t might be copied from some old
one among colonial records, may serve as
Ia glimpse OF the heToines character, and
when one has secured that, one has the
best OF the story though the slight sketch
Of General Washington is very well done:
Only to think Of it, Tibbie! We are to have
PLAYS given by the officers and weekly dancing
assemblies, and darling dadda says J 10 60
TO both; and all my gowns being uonstrous
uugEiug and iTumpish, he told m0mmy 10
that ] had q one, though where the money
came from (for though ! did every stitch myself,
i cost a pretty pcHHy-B0 less than seventeen
pounds and eight shiIIings, Iibbie), ] have puz-
ztd not q little TO fancy. fear me / cannot
describe il Justly 10 you, but ! will do my
endely0ur. j. is . black velvet, with pink satin
sleeves and stOmschcr, ana pink satin petit
coat over which is d fan Of white Grape: the
sides open in front, spotted all over with grey
embroidery. and the edge OF the coat and skirt
trimmed with grey fur. Oh Tibbie, I is the
most elegant and d8shy rObing that ever wasl
Pray Heaven I don't dirt il, for il is 10 serve
for the whole winter, Peggy has three
1 fTocks, and Margaret Shippen four, but mine is
the pretyiest, and by tight lacing (though no
smaller than either. In addition ! have a nabob
Of grey tabby silk trimmed with the same fur
which has such sweet and modish air that
could cry at having 70 remove II but for what il
would conceal. intend 10 ask Peggy If (