The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-01-06

American. and the book is published in
this country. 1t is thoroughly fresh
charming, and delightful Jungle Book
of the North.
The authors poems of nature have long
been known tC lovers Of such poetry, and
betray an intimate and sympathetic ac-
quaintanoe with wild creatures; the same
atmosphere is evident in his previous
works OF fiction. but The Heart of the
Ancient Wood is far and away the best
thing he has yet written. The thread Of
the story is simple, and the successive
scenes which make up the book hang upon
it like Jewels on a lilament OF gold, each
perfect in its way. 1t concerns simply
the life and adventures of a young girl
brought up from babyhOod in the depths
of a Canadian forest, and. without being
actually impossible, it touches the very
boTderlard OF possible romance. 1t is
poem in the form of novel Miranda, as
the heroine is fttingly named, is the
daughter OF n Scotchwoman, whose High
land name, MacAlister. suggests that the
child may have been born to a Celtic her
itage of strange magnetic and intuitive
powers. Kirstie MacAlister Craig is the
link between the daughters Undine IA
ture and the life of the world and her
character is in its way as fine as that of
Miranda. Happy, too, Is the conception
of the nature of Miranda S lover. Mr.
Roberts has chosen the one possible way
to avoid making his strange idyl of the
forest end, as most forest rcmances do, in
tragedy. His conclusion is pleasant with
out being either forced or tame
The charm of the book however, lies in
the woodland atmosphere of it. There is
the scent of the forest, the mysterious
stiffness and gloom of the fir woods, and
the sweet spicy tang of wild fruits and
81 4. l..
it should be compared with the work of
another Canadian writer. "Mocswa of the
Boundaries and ii must be said that the
work of Mr.. Roberts has a naturalness
and simplicity which is lacking in either
that or the Jungle Books" Here we
have no elaborate imitation of hui
man society among the animals; We
have the animals themselves, and the
names given to them are given them by
common folk. by the Indians, or by the
child herself 1t was she who named the
she-bear "Kroof." and the lynx Gamer"
and the owl "Wah-hoo."
The descriptions are inimitable. Any
one who has been in deep forests will
recognize the truth of this:
Not indolentlv soft like that which Sits in
green shadow through the LEAKAGE of a summer
garden, but tense. alertly and mysterousiy
pectant, was the silence Of the forest 1t
L
fneness 50 tenuous that small sound. were it
but to strike the preordained and mystic
note. might shatter it down in loud ruin.
And here is a charming bit of descrip-
ton from the first chapter:
As matters stood. for all the watchers that
marked him. the Did lumberman walked amid no
more imminent menace than that which glitter
ed down upon him from four pairs OF small bright
eyes, high up among the forlSing limbs OF
old pine. Ia a weil-hidden hole, as in a nursery
window. We're punched the smooth heads Of four
young squirrels. interested beyond measure in the
strange animal plodding so heavily below them.
Had they been Settlement squirrels they would,
without doubt have passed sirill comments more
or less uncomTlimcntsry. for the squirrel loves
free speech But when he dwells among the folk
of the ancient wood he. he. learns reticencc;
snd, in that neiehborhood if a young squirrel
talks ont loud in the nest the consequences which
follow have tendency 10 be final. When the cd
lumEeIman had passed out Of their range Of
view, the four little heads disappeared into the
musky brown depths Of the nest and talked the
event over in the smallest Of whispers
And here is bear picture which rivals
Seton-Thompson's ''Wahb:"
Before four weeks had passed the cub was
covered with jet black coat. soft and glossy.
This being the case, he though ii time to open
his eyes and look about.
He was now about the size Of a small cat, but
OF a much heavier build. His head at this age,
was shorter for its breadth than his mothers;
the ears mu,A larger fan-likc and conspicuous.
His eyes. very softly vague at first soon ac-
quired a humorous. mischievous expression. which
went aptly with the erect, inquisitive ears. Alto
gether he was a fine baby-a fair justification of
KIoofs pride.
The spring being now fairly forward, and pale,
whitish-green shoots upthrusting themselves
numerously through the dead leaves and the big
crimson leaf-bud Of the skunk cabbage wildly
puncturing the sombreness Of the swamp, krooi
led her infant forth to view their world. He had
go that which falls to the lot Of other youssers
among the fol-. of the ancient wood. For those
others the first lesson. the hardest and the most
tremendous in its necessity, was how to avoid their
enemies With this lesson ill-lcarned all others
found brief term, for the noisaless drama. in
which all the folk Of the forest had their parts
moved ever, through few scenes or through man,
TO a tragic close. But the bear, being for the
most part dominant, had its immunties. Even
the panther, swift and fierce and masterful never
deliberately sought quarrel with the bear, being
mindful Of his disastrous clutch and the light
ming sweep Of his paw. The bear cub, therefore,
going with its mother till almost full grown, gave
no thought at all to enemies, and the cub with
such giantess as Kroof for its mother might
safely make mock at panthers. Kroofs
cub had thus but simple things to lran. follow
blind weeks Of his cubbOod he had, indeed, 10
acquire the prime virtue Of silence which was
not easy, for he loved to whimper and grumble
in a comfortable little fashion Of his own This
was all right while Kroof was at home; but
when she oct foraging, then silence the
thing. This he learned, partly from Krooi's
admonitions, partly from deep-seated instinct;
and whenever he was left alone he held his
tongue. There always the possibility, slight
but unpleasant, Of fox or a brown cat noting
Kroof's absence, and Selling the chance 10 SAVIOR
a delicate morsel OF sucking bear
Wandering the silent woods with Krcof the
cub would sniff carefully at the moist Garth and
budding shoots wheresoever his mother stopped
to dig. He thus learned where to find tho
stsrchy roots which form large a part of the
bears food in spring. He found out the impor-
tant differences between the sweet ground nuts
and the fiery bitter bulb OF the arum, or Indian
turnip, and he learned to 20 over the grassy
meadows by the lake. and dig uuerrUgly for the
wild beams nourishng tuJers. He discovered,
also, what old stumps to tear apart when ne
wanted q pleasantly acid tonic dose Of the larvae
Of the wood-ant. Among these serious Uccupa-
lions he would gambOl between his mothers
feet or caper hilari0usly on his hind legs.
Along in the summer Froof began to lead the
cub wider afeld. The longer journeys yeXed the
little animal at first. and tired him; that
Sometimes he would throw himself down on his
back, with pinky-white soles Of protest in the
air, and refuse TO 90 a step farther. But in
spite OF the appeal Of his quizzical little black
snout big ears, and twinhing eyes, old KrOOf
would box him stemly until he was glad enough
to Jump up and renew the march. With the eNcr-
else he got a little leaner, but much harder.
and soon came to delight in the widest wander
ing. Nothing could tire him, and at the end OF
the Journey he would chase rabbits. or weasels.
or other elusive creatures, till convicted of
iutility by his mothers sarcastic comments
1t Is interesting to note, in this book,
the cropping out Of the theory that flesh
eating human beings can never get the
full confidence of wild animals as can
yegetarians. This theory is d familiar
one to students OF Oriental philosophy,
and it has been said that Hindu hermits,
living in the jungle, are never harmed
even by the fercest wild beasts. The