Daily Kennebec journal., 1899-10-21

Square Pegs. by Mrs. A. d. T. Whitney;
PIP. 5O7; cloth price $50. Boston: Hough
ton, MfIlin & Co.
Mrs. Whitney needs no introduction to
New England readers. who are already
familiar with her delightfully."- fresh and
breezy style. In this latest product Of
her pen she is certainly at her best.
Square Pegs is thoroughly delightful
story. 1t eXcelS in the clear analysis ana
vivid character sketching so characters
tic of Mrs. Whitney's writings. There
Is an atmosphere of realism in ii all. 1t
seems more like history than romance
There are. too. beautiful bits of deScrip
tive writing, so swiftly and deftly done.
that they do not impede the movement Df
the narrative and which not only show
an intimate knowledge and love of nature,
but prove concluSvely that the author
has felt as well as seen the beauties If
our rugged New England landscapes, and
caught, with sympathetic insight, the
spirit of its village life.
1t is equally evident that she is even
more familiar with BOstOn-not mercy
the Boston of today, but the Boston Of
yesterday as Well
The story deals primarily with the cX-
periences Of a bright, intelligent, un.
spoiled girl. an orphan who is removed
from the uneventful serenity of a New
England village to the pretentious man
sion Of a Boston aunt. This relative has
married, at a somewhat advanced age. Il
prominent Boston business man who hav-
ing amassed a very large fortune is anX
splendid establishment in the social
swim AS one of the auXiliaries to the
campaign that is TO be waged for this
purpose the niece in question is brought
to the New England metropolis. Alas,
her situation there despite the elegance
Of her surroundings. is not altogether an
enjoyable one, for with her finer instincts.
she perceives that the ambitions Of her
aunt are not to be achieved by mere vul-
gar display of wealth. and feels with a
keenness not possible to her less sensl-
- LOT hA he n % n
through her connection with that ambl
tous schemer for social prestige. OF
course she has her experiences with that
class of Snobbery that has behind X
merely those barricades Of assumption
and pretention that sometimes impose
upon the public for time-but never per
manently. These are narrowing enough
it is true-and exhibit in strong lights the
capabilities of human meanness-put they
are transient, and in the end the young
heroine is triumphant over all her foes.
In order to bring this about it becomes
quite necessary TO get rid of the Ostenta
tious but ambitious aunt and her mil
lionaire husband. This is very neatly ac
complished, however, by hrst sending
them away upon a European trip. and
then finishing them off with a railway
accident and THE terrible shock" "a
trit1e conventional, perhaps, but never
theleSS, effective.
OF course there is little love story
running through the narrative, and, best
of all. it ends well. Mrs. Whitney is not
work the closing chapter death beds or
invoke the ironies of fate, in a mad
search for dramatic effects. She prefers
to close her story in the wholesome old
fashioned way where love triumphs and
virtue has its reward. We close the book
reluctantly. 1t has been an altogether
wholesome, helpful. entertaining story
preaching a strong sermon through its
pages-and yet never ObtruSively. There
has been nothing treSome. The interest
has never Jagged. 1t is a good book. and
the world would be better for more OF
them.
Historic Americans by Elbridge S
Brooks. One vol Svo; cloth; viii tSA PIP.
Illustrations by Frank T. Merrill S1.JO
Boston: L. Y. Crowell & Co.
1t is a rare gift indeed to be able I
present educational truth in such form
as to give it an absorbing interest-es
pecially to the young whose attention Il
is not always easy to hold
There can be no question but what bl
ography makes the best possible foundi