Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-05-28
Notices of New Books.


currents of a Big City. BY Randall
Irving Tyler. illustrated by Kaufman.
The Stuyvesant Publishing Company,
New York. Cloth ST. Paper SOC.
In this story we find a good murder
mystery, which was evidently suggested
by the now celebrated Adams poisoning
case in New York. The heroine receives
a handsome bottle-holder, in which is
vial purporting to contain a headache
cure, but which in reality holds
a deadly poison. This her father
and gentleman friend drink by
mistake, and in few minutes
both die in agony. The peculiar cir
cumstancos incident 20 their death cause
the, arrest of the heroine and an exem-
plary young man who becomes entangled
in the web of circumstantial evidence.
The scenes at the Coroner's inquest and
trial are wildly portrayed. and the au-
thor, after almost hopelessly involving
the prisoners, gradually brings into view
the actual murderer, who is a dashing
adventures. To condense the story of
the plot or to synopsize the many rami-
fications connected Herewith would al
most be impossible in short space, but
we can unhesitatingly assert that Mr..
Tyler has produced n most interesting
story. 1t is needless TO say that the
young man and woman first suspected
fall in love, and, after many vicissitudes.
finally come together" and make their
final bows most happily.
1.-THE Blind Goddess" is the kind of book
to make one burn the midnight oil and
neglect the sterner duties Of life until it
is finished. We cannot commend its lite
rary style, which is only mediocre, but
the story is apparently designed only to
amuse and not to elevate.
THE FOWLER. Our Soul Is Escaped,
Even as a Bird Out of the Snare Of the
Fowler" BY Beatrice Harraden, Author
of Ships That Pass in the Night" &c,
&c. New York: Dodd Mead & CO. 1899.
Cloth. Pages, 945. Price, $3.50.
This work displays more force and more
art and possesses a deeper interest than
"Ships That Pass in the Night" and yet
its main feature Is rather painful to the
reader.
The Fowler" Is one Theodore Bevan, a
young man of unprepossessing physique,
but Of very strong mentality, and sinis-
ter purpose of subjecting women TO his
will. He was hated by nearly every one
except his victims.
The birds who escaped his snares were
sweet anG innocent girl, Madge Carson,
and a noble. gifted. and highly-cutured
woman, Nora Penhurst After Bevan had
deserted Madge and captured Nora be
tried to ruin Madge because she had
warned Nora against him, and well-nigh
succeeded. when she was rescued by the
kind nursing Of Nora herself.
Nora, despite the opposition OF her IA
Their and all her friends, rejected the love
Of the successful historian, Bryan Up
bingham. and engaged herself TO Bevan.
and the time of their marriage was draw
ing near. Her grand old father weaken
ed by his anguish on account of her
estrangement, one day tainted in his own
ROOM whilst Bevan was in the house
waiting for Noras return. When she
came back she was summoned 10 her ia
Their. and when he had recovered enough
10 recognize her the scene between them
was affecting to an extreme, which might
have caused her with the aid Of the faith
full Nurse Isabel" 20 cast off Bevan.
But at that time he had lost his villain
Gus private journal. and had looked for 1t
had included 1t in a bundle of books
which he had sent to her. Such was the
fact. and she had already read II and
been made aware of the trap which he
had been setting for her AS soon as she
could leave her father she boldly faced
the Fowler and offered him his pre-
cious journal. She discarded him, but 1t
was long time before she was self-re-
stored.
Did she read that entry in the journal
which showed what he might have done
If he could have consummated his vile
scheme without lawful matrimony? One
day he wrote in IL as follows: II have
drawn her TO me against her own will,
separated her from mental contact with
all her old friends, placed an Invisible
barrier between her and her father. be-
tween her and her would-be lover. be-
tween herself and her life's work. She is
drifting towards me. because she cannot
resist my power II I choose, she will
become my affianced wife, because she
cannot resist my power. II choose, she
will Weld herself TO me and forego the
name OF wife" &c.
Nora came to Lower California and re-
NAMED some time. On her return to Eng
land she accepted the true and constant
love of Uppingham, who had long done
all he could to befriend and comfort her
father
There are other admirable characters
and interesting incidents in this excellent
work. The word hypnotige does not occur
in n: but Madge Carson does say that
Beyan mesmerized her.
ECHOES AND OTHER POEMS. BY u.
A. Wingard, u. d., Pastor OF ST. Pauis
Lutheran Church, Columbia, s. c. LII
theran Publication Board. Newberry, ..
C. 1899. Cloth, with Silt top. Pages 10y.
This unconquered Confederate lends MS
muse heartily 10 the cause OF CUBA, the
Beautiful: Cuba. the Free!" He Is almost
savage for peaceful preacher, when ne
sings OF avenglng "The Dead of the
Maine" One division of his poems IS
WAR Poems" In which he remembers
the "Old Confederate Joe" Wheeler. Be-
sides the ECHOES" the other divisions
are elegiac poems religious poems and
hymns, and miscellaneous poems.
The author writes with fervor and SIM
certify and yersihes with ease and fiuency.
One OF his elegiacs is heartfelt tribute
10 "ths Laughter OF the Confederacy,'
Miss Winnie Davis. Among the miscella-
neous poems is one to his lost sister May. |