The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1901-04-28
a Xmas Paql,,l.

"a Kings Pawn" NV Hamilton Drum
mond Doubleday. Page Col. Is an
other Of the historical works which are
the rage Of the day. II Is a very well told
story Of madcap adventure OF Henry OF
Navarro. In which he and Blaise de Ber'
nauld the story teller and the pawn, NJ,
de Montamar and Marcel, the devoted
servant OF de Bernauld, do down Into span
ish Navarro, and the many dangers that
beset their way make the interest of The
book. There Is a great deal of movement
and stirring adventure and the style OF
telling Is clearly and dlenihed Thcre is
hint now and then of the feeling he
tween Catholic France aud Protestant M
varre, but no bitterness shown. The YIN
dictive character of Donna Teresa sauna
req and her terrible vengeance, with the
unselhsh devotion Of Marcel to his mas
Ter, de Befnauld, are powerfully drawn.
There is a pretty love story wound IA
! with the tangled skcin of msadNehtnre
that forms pleasing but altogether sun
| ordinate interest Altogether the book IS
n clean. strong one and gives us n por-
! trait OF Henry of Navarro well worth pro
/ serving.
/ The writer SAYS Of the soldier king, With
/ whom Macaulay has made MS familiar IN
I his stately verse, aud whose white plume
! has thrilled so many boylsh hearts, as
/ they dwelt lonuingly on the stirring picture
Of the orlhamme of Navarro, guiding his
troops at Ivry; "IIe WIS then something
/ less than 20 years OF age ana with his
1 face as yet free from that alcrtness OF
suspicion and brand OF sensuality which
marred It later. The black close clipped
| hair that chung to his skull Ike gar
mcnt. showed darker than nature 10y cont
trast with the Wilderness Of the temples.
His eyes were frank and bright as those
of man of unfading courage and quick
wit should be, hut with depth in them
that neither Roquelaure then, nor Sniiy
afterwards ever entirely fathomcd.'
Another picture later on Is given
In this way "rhat he was not handso ne
went for little. Few women | think uh
less they he themselves animal, set these IN
the forefront He was better he was
eomcly: and for all that his Inches were NOT
u great. It wbuu he No hard thing for n
woman TO look kindly on such sunny
faced man as the king From his bare,
curly head, az he STROBE along, hat in
hand to his sIlycr-bucllIed and berlbboned
shoes there was not Il slack muscle IN
his straight supple hnrd-btten frame
Add to that sbrewd wit, winning man
ner. a gay assurance, and he had small
need OF a pnk-and.white perfection
The alternate affectlonatencss and ans
tciAty that made Henry Of Navarro thu
Idol of his people ARE well pictured, a'
well as the rugged simplicity of those PEG
ME and their Willingness to move here Oh
there as The king directed, no matter what
danger threatened. Drnmmond has drawg
vivid picture of n very fascinating nnc
picturesque period Of history and ono eli
tirely novel In Its character
4 In this book there is The fulfilling o.
nrophccy of evil, Just rs there is In Wan
rice Hewiett's "Richard Yea ana Nay
In one of lcper and IN the other Of {
travelling necromanecr and In this thcsi
authors are like many other writers wll'
teach superstition In their book, whcthe
they have faith in such matters on no,
Even Rudyard Klpling, healthy robust
vigorous story Teller that he is, gives Ii
: ghost stories so thrilling that II Is TO
well for the most practical TO read then
! at night and alone. | have often won
dorc1 II these writer's believe in these 81
ncrstitions or II not, why they teaci
, them. The books are alike too, IN bri1s
Ing 10 us, In fresh, vigorous English, ~
! times Of which they write, snd while u
50 doing they make those in which we liv
: seem rathcr tame aud iat still the tnme
; ness aud natncss have their good side. to-
ana one is very apt 10 he thankful who
J closing both the hooks that this Is the da!
Of the humdrum. comfortable and common
place, where people are allowed to liz
; tbeir lives out 10 peace and quiethcss, AM
; can NOT he made the pawDS VI kings.
! Margaret nadley Foster.
-.