The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-11-19
RECENT PUBLICATIONS.
Stringtown ON the Pike, n Romance
by John Uri Lloyd.

Cling TO meet the demand. From this lit
erary and business activity there has come
much that is good, and some very weak
books have been advertised and pulled into
shortlived consideration. Society has
rights as well authors. No praise should
be given a book beyond its intrinsic mer-
its, and he is not a friend to pure litera-
ture who will not be honest in a review
with both the author and the reader. All
criticism should be Just, and every word
of praise should be truthful. The book
that will next attract the attention of the
fiction-loving public will be that OF Prof.
John Uri Lloyd. of Cincinnati, entitled
"Stringtown on the Pike" The professor
is scientist. and wrote a large book
some years ago, entitled .Etidorpha," which
unique, and in all respects most mar
velous production. and attracted much at
tention and commentator. This last book
is romance, and brings Professor Lloyd
10 the very front rank OF fiction writer's.
Ii Is written in the spirit which is charac-
teristic of the author-always tendency
tc the true, the good and the beautiful. !
do not know of a story showing greater
versatility on the authors part in the lit
erature of to-day. If the newspaper could
afford the room I'm a review of the book.
so that I might take up the characters
which show Its historical, political, scien-
tific and religious lessons, 1 could make
good the statement as to the versatility.
The book will have to be read fully TO
comprehend its force and beauty. in this
regard. The story is presented in series
OF chapters wherein Samuel Drew, Pro-
fessor Of Chemistry on the HILL recalls the
memories of childhood boyhood and man.
hood at "Stringtown on the Pike" 1t is
told autobiographically, and the incidents
and episodes varying from the comic 10
the tragic, all bear more or less directly
upon the love story of which he Is the
hero. The nature and effects of superst-
ton and the dangers of dogmatism in SCI
ence are clearly presented to us for study.
The story is vivid picture of northern
Kentucky life under conditions and en-
vironments as they existed before the war
or secession was ended, and for several
years afterwards. The folklore. the signs.
the superstitions. were part of Kentucky
life of that period, and cannot be omitted.
To miss this would be to lose the very at
mosphere that makes IL of historical value.
Several strong characters are painted. and
each Is worthy OF attention. Those which
deserve especial notice are Coupe, an old
negro. who claims TO be the grandson OF
an African king. and who is still the slave
of Massa Hartman, the Corn Bug
Susie" the heiress of the Corn Bug,
the sorrowful heroine. the sacred charge
and the Honey Susie Chile" of "Old
Cupe,' is figure around which the cen
trail interests of the book revolve "Cupe's'
affection for his ward is one of the most
pathetic features of the romance. Before
we have read very far we find that "Cupe'
is wildly before us-that we have long
If
edge of the signs and omens. spells and
charms; gifted with foreknowledge,
shrewd. quick-witted and humorous; slave.
servant, but guardian of masters and
mistresses. with no interest of his own
save for those whom he serves, devotes
his heart and soul and life to them and
to their children and TO their children S
children, even to the fourth gen.
Grafton. Though possessed of his freedom
papers for over half a century, he would
not avail himself of them, nor did he take
note of President Lincolns proclamation.
RED Head boy, another character as
striking almost "Cupe, enters the story
| falling in love with Susie, and becomes
the rival of Samuel Drew Red Head is
also the last remaining representative of
large family, all the others having been
| killed in a "feud," which had for years
existed between his family and a family
by the name of Holcombe. The characters
| in the feud are mountaineers. 1t might
| be said that Red Head determines the
action of the story TO great extent. From
| the first moment he sees Samuel Drew
| he is seized with a fierce and deadly ha-
| tired against him, which is bountifully re-
ciprocated by Drew. The tragic ending
of Red Heads life is presented with great
power and brilliancy by the author. The
| Kentucky tragedy" has become a subject
which demands even national attention IN
| these later days of civilization and culture
| No finer nor more graphic description OF
a characteristic Kentucky tragedy mas
In Inf xfn hrn
chapters given to the ''Circle meeting" al
| the village grocery store, where the Rev
Mr. Jones, from the North, and Colonel
Luridson, the bon gentleman of ole Vir-
gnia and of the highah class, sab, come
| in contact with each other. The author
here, more than at any other part OF the
story, impresses the reader with his dra-
matte ability. The tragedy becomes q
reality instead of a chapter of fiction, and
| one finds his nerves on high tension as
| the moral and physical conflict proceeds
| The value of each portrait in the book is
greatly enhanced by the fact that the in
| dividuals stand in character and general
purpose at the farthest remove from each
| other, though the events occur in their
| right time and place with newt
able sequence. There is no undue
exaggeration-no careless fdealizing
| The originality and creative power-th'
perfect deineation of character, the vivid
| conception, the small details OF CONVERSE
| ton and action are wrought with remark
of the poet in feeling and interpreting
| By simple touches we are made TO see anc
| feel the sadness or beauty of surround
1 ings or natural scenery. Take, for in
/ stance, the chapter where Cupe and Dinal
/ are preparing to leave Kentucky and thei
| cabin home The manner in which the ole
| negro recalls TO the mind of the faithful
1 old wife the days of his courtship and latc
| the death of their little children forms {
| prose poem. And i'm the story of thu
| honey bee, the last sad requiem which
| ends the book-the real poetic touch :;
/ there. Samuel Drew, the hero, who mar
| rates his experiences, is, in the opening
| chapters of the book. victim OF a faiti
| in things supernatural. but after years o
| special study and application he is able L
| substitute the most strict scientific theorie.
| for his former mysticism, and this stric
| materialism lifts him far away from tn
| sympathes of his boyhood. The pride o
| his science tempts him to appear as an ex
| pert witness in a court, and when the fall
| bility of his science Is unexpect
| edly proved to him and his TEST
| are found to be weak and in
| sufficient, the conflict ends in his suicide
| While the book abounds in tragedies, thu
| results seem Inevitable, and purposel,
| sensational. The beauty of courage am
| integrity, and the>value of a good purpos
| shines forth in the characters. and tn
| pathos and tenderness of many of III
| portraitures of the actors touch the hear.
| and bring tears to the yes OF the reader
| Let me quote from Page 1873, where h
| describes an old Kentuckian-Judge I'll
| ford:
Gone were his chiidren--out into tn
| world-they had left him long ago; gon
| was the wife of his bosom-many year
! she had rested beneath the sward in
| closed in Stringtowns white-palinge,
he lrtafaf ions of hf.rr