The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1899-11-18
BOOKS or ROMANCE.

1
In Via crucis" Mr.. Francis Marion
Crawford has written romance OF
magnitude. great spirit. dramatic In
tensity and historic value. IL is pow
erful and beautiful Against the back
ground os the tremendous event OF the
Second Crusade Is woven as pretty "A
play OF human interest as Mr.. Craw-
ford has ever provided with a love
story equal 20 his best inventions. For
the materials for tn work Mr.. Craw-
ford has not resorted to ingeniously
contriyed plo.. The plan and scope.
indeed. are characterized by sim
| piclty such as marks piece gf play
writing and the reader. is satisfied
| from the opening chapters that how
| ever thrilling may be the situations
| the last act IS not TO be tragic. Instead
| this talented and versatile author has
| pictured a number Of heroic episodes
| and ON large canvas studded with
| tn conflicting incidents OF a poetic
| love story and the brave deeds OF as
| thorough going a hero of romance as
! ever commando, an authors pen, has
| produced in tutai a work OF romance
| and adventure that WINS and absorbs
| the readers interest from the opening
! chapter to the close. and leaves be-
| hind a lively sense of satisfaction and
| appreciatiOn Gilbert Warde ana the
| Lady BeatriX viii take rank with any
| OF this authors creations. Th former
| is the X nd of a big. high minded.
noble young fellow that Crawford de-
lighls TO- develop while that of his
| many charming women Is more attrac-
tive than Beatrix the heroine or Via
CIucis.' The reader is plunged into
eX ting chapters at the opening OF
the romance when Gilbert Ward is
robbed of his father who is BILLED
ftrr-rherousiy BY neighboring knight
of am opposing polucai. faith. robbed
OF his mother who ifiltHi.s TIN muir
dec. ! lhoed Of 3rs chld sweetheart
tAt lauahter OF -the~aQnyn derer. and
,due sought % avenge the wrongs done
''ils household. Restored 60 health in
monastery. Gilbert takes up his
sword for the Cross and goes 10 France
where ne joins the crusade inspired by
ST. Bernard. Gu en- Eleanor Of France
Is portrayed as falling IN love with the
young Englishman and as plotting 20
separate Gilbert and BeatriX and FIN
ally at the climax OF love and jealousy.
as attempting to bring about the death
Of the knight by a dangerous mission
which results only IN saving the rem
nant Of the crusad ng host from
slaughter and inspiring a more ac.
Queen The tale OF love completes
With the tremendous battle pictures
for lthe readers tntercsf. Mr. louis
Loeb has provided a number OF eXduis-
ite Illustrations for the book which is
superbly put up aud bound in cream
colored cover by the publishers, tho
Macmillan company dor sale by
Preston & Rounds. Price $500
An author VINO cOmpels a progressive
interest in his work and who it is rea-
sonable 10 suppose enlarges his circle
OF readIrs with every new book is Tom
Gallon We do not know that be has
many books 20 his credit, but the few
lhaIAXe- haze seen -hal-e- all been strik-
ing and have shown with every new
volume broader range. a surer touch.
an increased ingeniousness 0f plan and
| closer ana warmer human quality IN
he characters he draws. His latest
novel is The Idol Of the Blind" IL is
No. 30 in Appletons Town and Coun-
ry Library. 1t is positively a glowing
)ece Of fiction. readable in every line, |
both -.1~the story IL tells and the man |
ler of-teling IL. In the development Of |
'trlhnS indlVidualities in the people he |
)orray1S Mr.. Gallon has been nkened |
@ Dickens. He certainly has the Dick |
ms sympathy ana warmth of feeling |
or his mimic people. The Idol of the |
Sind IS peopled with well nigh orig
nal and highly interesting creatures. |
I Is the story of a life or which the |
'irth is attended with sad circumstan-
es and the end OF which IL tragic. II
; story of love and intrigue Unusual
u may be in a world of Action where
lothing can be said To be wholly new. |
Nnd ii is admirably told. II must not
De assumed that it is a story wholly |
Without humor for Mr Gallon never
ais IN that respect and his humor IS
" the finest and truest quality !
Price cloth, S.0o. paper 80 cts. For
ale by Gregory
1t appears the president. David Starr
Jordan of Leland Stanford. .Ir.. univer-
Iity, found ;ime from weightier affairs
md more profound literary operations
10 tell curious Stories TO his children.
Ana after . while other little folks de-
handed 20 hear the curious stories and |
president Jordan went on fnventing |
,hem on making them over for young
ears from the classics If literature. |
Atter while q discerning young wo-
man TOOK number Of the stories
down IN short hand as he repeated |
theth ana then made copies and lphe |
'oples were passed around among still |
nther children all over the state of |
aIliornia. And they were all delighted
WIN Them. The children were invited !
TO draw pictures for the stories and
Incidentally 90 crticfse or amend them
u theE saw ht So the stories which |
PRESIDENT Jordan first told off hand 10
'hildren came 90 be distinctly endorsed |
oy the children themselves and illus
rated by them and were chlldren's
,)tes IN every sense So. finally the 4
ext and bouutful selection OF the
pictures The children made got 10 II.
Nppleton n co. and these publishers
produce for us The Book Of knight
ma barbara Knight and Barbara
'eing the little Jordans who FIRST heard. ]
he stories and whose delight i'm them ,
lrst suggested extending their circula-
ION. As may be imagined IL is a most
ul1ous and entertaining book with all
ne iunny drawings by the children |
hat illuminate with great success the
unny text Of the stories. Ii lis fun of
uggestion. too, for the study OF child
Re. Altogether IL is unique in books.
, has no predecessor and imitation |
ould be Nalucless. I nder such circun- |
tances II appeals 90 every class NJ
3aderS old and Young as an exotic ns
ell as because It's perusal cannot fail