The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-07-01

Boston Houghton, MifIiin & Co. SOL
Miner Fiction.
In Circling Camps" by ]. A. AItsheler,
is a historical novel dealing with the civil
war. AS novel it is not much, but as a
series of fash-light glimpses of the his
tory of that period it is wonderfully sue
cessfpl Mr.. Altsheler has reversed the
usual proceedings Of the historical nov
elist. AS general thing. the story in
such book is absorbing, and the histori-
cal characters and incidents seem to be
dragged in; but in this case it is the fact
that is fascinating and the fiction that is
superfiuous.
The theme OF the romance is the old
one of heroine whose relatives wish her
to marry the villain, while the hero is
away at the war; the villain being gh
in the confidence Of the Confederate lead
ers, while the hero is only sn unimpor-
tant officer on the Northern side. In the
course of his adventures the hero, who
tells the story, is thrown into the company
OF some distinguished men and takes part
in some notable scenes, and all of these
people and incidents are described with
vividness and fidelity which are truly
remarkable. better picture OF Lincoln's
inauguration ceremonies than the one
which Mr.. Altsheler gives can hardly be
found, and the atmosphere pervading
Washington at the breaking out OF the
war is wonderfully well Reproduced. An
other telling chapter is that which de-
scribes the battle Of Gettysburg. and an
other deals with Lincoln's arrival at
Washington before his inauguration, while
there is also portrait-sketch of Lee and
one of jackson. Shiloh and other battles
are described, though there is no attempt
to drag in material which does not belong
in the story; but when all is said, the
finest writing in the book is TO be found
in the descriptions of Gettysburg and OF
Lincoln's inauguration. A part of the
Gettysburg description, dealing with the
night of the LIST Of July, may be quoted
here:
That night witnessed . wonderful gathering OF
men. Gettysburg became centre to which all
things tended Prom the two great semi-circles
OF lights iacing each other Seminary Ridge and
Cemetery Hill radisted lines of other and fainter
lights, iickeTirg and dying away in the dark
ness; many roads came TO Gettysburg and along
all these the troops were marching. Ii seemed
singular circumstance that the Southern soldier
came chiefly out OF the North, and the Northern
the hostile section.
The regiments came TO both armies all through
the night, muddy, patient, enduring, ready to
Kill or be killed, according TO order Tie hostile
lines extended TO north and south as the new
regiments and brigades took their places, and the
Pickering fires bent in two semi-cireles.
The full moon came out and lighted up the
ridges, the columns and ceits OF stone the SOM
bre, wave-like hollows, and the unequal SUBMITS
of Round Top and Little Round Top, the two
steep hills that stood like huge towers dominat-
ing tho field, tried in vain to penetrate the chasm
OF the Devils Den, and threw its light over the
soldiers who slep; in thousands along the slopes.
and the dead who lay in the valley below.
The tomletones in the old cemetery were cold
and white IL the moonlight; that cemetery was
full Of men. the living sleeping above the dead.
Northern soldiers covering all the spaces between
the stones. Meade and his stafl passed among
them after midnight, picking their .Say in order
work OF the morning TO draw any signiiicance
from the place. The general walked on, and the
sleeping soldiers remained motioni,ss under the
shadow Of The toTnbs;ones.
As hour after hour passed, the rirg Of bayo-
nets and gun ruzzles contracted, closing in
tighter on Gettysburg, and the two armies grew
But forty thousand combined in the first days
fighting; the number soon rose to forty thousand
zach, aud then passed The re-;a.n ts crowd
ed each other; the artillery was rn.esed in bat
teries along all the hilsides. and the artillery
men slept beside their guns
II was singular scGne 10 one not animated
by the feelings OF thosc who to have a part
in the vast tragedy-;he long dim slopes, the
lights, the forms Of the recumbcnt men almost
hidden in the dusk. the sombre hills, and rocks
looking down in silence upon them, the vapors
and patches Of smoke that still drifted aimlessiy
about. the soothing rumble like the hesve OF the
sea u.on the coast, and the full moon throwing
its fantastic light that touched everything and
made it rhostly and unreal. This was some old
battlefield, some battlefield Of ancient times, a
csnnae Metaurus seen at night!
Throughout all that night, while the two ar
mics were conyoTging upon Gettysburg and the
dead Of the first days battle yet lay upon the
field, silvered by the moonlight. The telegraph
wires were clicking. and thirty million people
were asdng what had become o. their armies.
fought upon Of Eve square miles and all |
who gathering there knew II, but over an
area Of three million square miles ignorance dark
IS the night itself prevailed. The two |
armies were lost; swallow.d up. and all the tel
'grsp phi wires OF the United States could not frtl
hen.
Clearly Mr.. Altsheier's forte is historical,
writing, and to certain extent the char |
icter sketch. TIE old soldier, Shaftoe, |
who acts as 4 sort OF Jonas 10 the hero's |
2ollo during the earlier campaigns is well |
brought out, and 50 are two or three other |
characters, bu; the story is entirely over
hadowed by the history. 1t is 10 be |
loped, however. that the author will write
,;hcr books dealing with the history of this
particularly with the war between
he States. for II he can accomplish so
much. he is surely capable of much more
New York: d. Appleton & Company.
i1.50.)
"Fiilda Wade which has the distinction
Il being the last novel ever written by
Grant Allen. is a curious combination OF
he psychological and the sensational. The
ub-title is "a Woman With Tenacity of
purpose" and this Miss Wade certainly is.
The ostensible hero hardly amounts 10
more than a shadow beside this very de-
ermined young woman, and in fact he
eminds the reader of the escort which
he heroine OF one of Edward Everett
Iale's stories had made TO order and car
led around with her folding him M like
n umbrella when not in use. He plays the
art of interlocutor 10 Miss Wade's earn
st and logical END man" and never once
oes he find out anything 70: himself
The real theme of the novel, however,
s something quite apart from heroes. and
he author has, with charaS sristic cl.v-
rness. chosen n scientifically trained
goman, with her instincts sharpened and
or knowledge brought into uIay nv her