The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-03-04
In Old NcnY England.

The Love OF Parscn Lord; and other
book containing five stories in Miss VIII
kins' well-known style-or styles. for she
has two distinct ways of telling a story;
and while both are characteristic, they
differ emphatically from each other. The
better known OF these is the careful, real
istic character portrayal of "A Humble
Romance The Revolt of Mother" and
other tales of modern rural New Eng
land; full of quaint, dry lumor and cynic-
ism which is still kindly and devoid of
bitterness. The other manner is less IA
miliar TO the public. She saves this for
stories of old New England, delicate PIC
lures of gentlemen and gentiewomen of
byeone days, full of the glamour of the
eighteenth century, and dainty as ancient,
yellow, cobwebbed lace. or the elusive
scent of lavender in an old-time gown.
These romances belong TO the days when
American ladies in rural neighbour Gods
painted on glass and velvet. distilled per-
fumes, and wrought wonderful embroid-
cries, for amusement: the days of the
harpsichord and spinet, of brocades and
''puce-cclored SATIN of careful letter
writing and strictly preserved piety. All
but one Of the stories in the present vol
une belong to this class. THE Love of
Parson Lord IS uuquestionably the best
OF them all, as it is the longest. The
heroine is Love. the daughter of Parson
Lord. an old-time New England parson be-
longing TO missionary family. II is hard
for people of another day and place to
realize the fervor and intensity which
the ideals of the foreign mission move
ment inspired in the souls of such men.
The New England parson of the first half
OF this century often lived almost the life
Of a recluse; he was the gentleman among
his congregation OF farmers; his quiet dig
nifty was unapproachable; he had some
thing OF the priest in him; he believed
with all his heart what he preached and
theological subtleties were his delight. He
was apt to be a reader and a thinker with
in certain lines, and the enlighten ment
which he possessed above his neighbors
only served TO intensity the longing of his
heart that ali men should be brought to
what he believed TO be the truth. He was
narrow; but he was a descendant. by
apostolic succession, of the early Christian
martyrs, and a certain fineness OF fibre
and tenacity of resolution was developed
in him, which has served his descendants
well in these more liberal days.
Parson Lord was man of this type. and
he brought up his little daughter with an
unfiinching hardness which tortured him
more imam II ulu neT. MISS wilkins mas
never done a finer bit of work than the
parsons diary at the end of the story. In
this is revealed the fact that the old man
had. against what he believed TO be his
best convictions allowed himself TO be-
stow upon his daughter little gifts. and
sometimes great ones-wnich she believ-
ed TO come from "the squire's lady" Nc
one can read the pathetic entries without
understanding that this man mistaken
though his course was. followed his own
conscience. The traditions of his forefath-
ers, too stern and severe, were TO blame
for his cold hard life. not he
Next TO this the best story OF the five
is perhaps "0ne Good Time" which deals
with some familiar modern types 1t des-
cribes an escapade of two women, who have
been pinched and starved all their lives
and are finally left legacy of fifteen hun
dred dollars. The daughter passionately
declares that she is going TO New York t.
have ''one good time. no matter how
much it costs. The story is almost pure
comedy. with no touch of the buriesque
and with great deal of human nature in
its quiet form. The other stories are The
Tree of knowledge" The Three Old Sis
tiers, and the Old Beau" and "CatharIne
Carr story of the Revolution. (New
York: Harper & Bros. S125D