The times., 1899-10-29
Romances of Frencb Canado

'Mackinac and Lake Stories is the
latest work Of Mary HartweII Catherwood.
already well known for her pictures Of the
Canadian French. Though no; all of tn Sc
tales deal with the people of whom she
has so often written, the atmosphere OF
the book is in the main that of the patois-
folk OF the North, and it IS written wi h
all the thorough knowledge of place and
character, and all the vividness OF descrip-
ton, which have heretofore marked the
work of the author This is perhaps the
best thing she has done since The Ro-
nance of Dollard,' which was one of the
finest historical romances in American lit
erature. There is more variety in 1t than
in some Of her other collections of stories,
and two or three OF the tales are OF quite
unusual merit
Marianson' is an idyl of the wider
ness, full of exquisite poetry and pathos.
The Black Feather is a romance Of half
breed French life with an undlrto Of
laughter running through it ''TGe Cobb er
of the Devils Kitchen" is almost pure
comedy. The Skeleton on Round Is and'
is one Of the best of them all. II is tod
in the pewa-French patcis, AMI tingles
with the imaginative superstition of the
Gaul and the retcence OF the Indian The
tale is of a quarter-brced ma l,arIier,
caught by the ice on an island with the
woman whom he has loved for long time
in silence There are wildcats III the
forest aad the carriers dogs beside the
1re, and the two human creatures and tlat
is all. The woman shrinks away from the
man into the shelter that he has contriyed
for her; the man sits by the fire with his
dog and thinks Of the omen-the skeleton
that he has seen on a cliff. This is his
story:
Old Savage lay his nose on my knee. ] do
not say word TO him, but | pat him, and We
talk with our eyes, and the bright campfire
shows each what the other j. saying.
''Old Savage" l tell him, Il am not a good
man like the priest have been out with the
boats, and in Indian camps and not had in my
life chance 10 marry, because there are nlaman
and the children. But you know, old Savage,
how ! have felt about MansalIe Rosalin, it is
three years" .......
Old Savage hit his tail on the ground and
answer he know.
= have love her like a dog that not dare to
lick her hand And she hate me because /
shut on Round Island with her while the ice
go out not good man, but it pretty tough
Old Salvage he hit his tail on the ground and
say. That So She is curl down so close
TO the fire her cheeks turn rosy. For 4 campfire
Will heat the air all around until the world is
like d big dark room; and we are shelter from
the wind. am glad She Is begin TO enjoy
herself And all the time ! have a hand on
where that hungry Wildcat will set his claws
If be jump on me; and cannot turn around to
face him because Rosalin thinks it is nothing but
q cowardly wolf that viii sneak away. Old
Savage Is uneasy and come TO me, his tangs all
expose, bur drive him back and listen to the
bushes behind me
sing. M'sicu Pelott," says RosaIin
Oh, Cod yes! II Is easy TO sing with a Wild
cat watch you on one side and on the
other
But not know anything except boat songs -
Sing boat songs
So sing like bateau full Of yoyageurs. and the
dark echo, and that wildcat must be astonsh
When you not care what become OF YOU, and
your head is light and you heart like stone
on the beach, you not mind Wildcats, but sing
and laugh
cast my eye benin sometimes and feel my
knife II make me smile to think what kind Of
creature come TO my house in the Wilderness
and say to myself. Hear my cat purrl This
is the only time / viii ever have a house Of my
own, and the only time the woman ] want sit
beside my fire.
Another story Of Indian French life is
The Penitent Of Cross Village" and still
another The Cursed Patois," deals with
French and English There are others,
but the only other OF marked merit is
The King Of Beaver" which is the story
OF strange, romantic, squalid, contradic-
tory character who led a flock Of Mormons
Gentiles rose up and killed him and drove
his people away II is a story which few
could have written, and with its imagina-
tive and descriptive power il combines a
knowledge of feminine character so thor
ough and so subtle as to bar forever the
possibility of any mans having been able
to write it. There are some stories which
can only be written by men; others. not
less powerful or less true, which can only
be written by women; and this is one of
the latter
The Blue Man" is rather different from
any other story of this author. except per-
haps The BEAUFORT Loup- Garou." which
was one Of the most blood chilling things
in American fiction outside Of Poe's short
stories. 1t is, like the were wolf tale
story yerging on the supernatural in theme,
but rather more outspoken than the former
work. This collection Of stories is well
worth the time of anyone interested in
the preservation Of American and Canadian
types in literature. New York: Harper
& Brothers. $15O)