The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-12-31

a sad scene was witnessed in the ola
house. as q group of timid. covering me-
groes were burriedly rushed into the
old house and after hasty meal sent
down into this dark but welcome refuge
for at least one night Of safety and come
fort.
The house Is also reputed to have been
the meeting place Of the first anti-siavery
convention that was held on that side
Of the Alleghanies. 1t was In 1887 that
the building was converted from school
to dwelling purposes. and in 1s4s that
Mrs. Jane Robbins, described In the
novel as Mrs. Gano. took up her resi-
dence there, coming from Cincinnati. For
many years there has been a superstition
that the house was haunted, but this
doubtless originated In the timid or fer-
tile brain OF some one more suporstitiOus
than the rest: but still the story grew
and spread, and the boys and girls az
earlier generations looked on the house
with awe. Later generations Of young
sters pay little attention to the old ru-
mors.
And 80 the old house stands. firm and
strong IN every joint. though Miss Rob-
bins takes the liberty to paint II delayed
and dilapidated.
EARLY Days OF bessie Robbins.
In such place as this was passed the
early girlhood of the actress and author.
ess, Elizabeth Robbins. She was a will
full girl and the grandmother not in
clined to humor her much. The ins and
the outs OF the two are well brought
out in the book, for Miss Robbins de-
scribes herself under the name Of WAL
a rather harum-scarum sort of q girl, We
are told. who could do all the jolly
things that a boy does without the bother
of being a boy"
AS she approached the years of young
ladyhood she was sent to the Putnam
female seminary, then a flourishing
school, but of later years, since the rise
Of the coeducational college. continu-
ally on the ragged edge Of the grave.
This school was only some three blocks
from her stone home. ana 1t WAS from
here that she graduated in 1879.
Miss Robbins friends and schoolmates
of the GAINESVILLE days remember her as q
bright and lively girl who did not have
the greatest admiration for the stern old
grandmother's admonitions. This spirit
has been reflected by her somewhat in her
portrayal of the character OF Mrs. Gano.
The old lady n remembered to have been
woman OF strong character, a woman OF
frm purpose and good Judgment, = dame
Of the olden time.
It Is not our purpose to give here : re-
view of this book, that has created no
much excitement. 1t Ia the novel Of the
hour. and has been reviewed at length in
this and other papers and magazines. The
atmosphere of the book is one OF temper
ap1ent heredity and environment, and the
effect of these latter on the principal char
acters OF the novel. The scene shifts from
Boston. New York and Baltimore to New
Plymouth" as the town Of Putnam be-
comes under the authors pen. The time II
the epoch OF the civil war and the years
Immediately following it.
Some delicate problems are met and solv-
ed in the book, and while the solutions
may not be to the taste of all Of its read
ers. they evidently were to both the ay-
thor and to the characters that she has
created. Physical heredity, as well az
mental. plays quite prominent part, and
the matter Of education. and especially
that Of environment. become potent fac
tors In the solution Of the ''open question:
The solution Is not particularly orthodox.
but 1t makes good reading and a fitting
climax to the book, for all that.