The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-05-05

| Sprlte OF girl with some of the ways
of good society, and the conversation of
the twain is OF a lofty and intellectual
| order but not precisely unnatural.
The Look is not, however all CONVERSE
| ton. There is some lively adventure in
it, and an interesting though rather
| transparent plot. The obviousness of the
ending, however, does not hinder the
readers enjoyment, and taken as a whole
the little romance is a capital bit of light
| comedy. 1t is for that reason good sum
mer reading. Soda water with a dash of
cream is more grateful upon still, warm
| day than is roast beef; and soda water is
| precisely what this little CONNECTION of ro-
nance resembles. (New York: d. Apple
| ton & Co. 81
THE Delectable Mountains" by Arthur
| Cotton, possesses an individuality of its
| own. That is the first impression re-
/ ceived by the reader. What kind of an
| individuality belongs to it is rather more
| difficult to decide, but that it is not just
| like any other book is certain. 1t con-
sists of half dozen more stories of
rural life, some pathetic, some humor-
Gus in a quiet way, and all possessing
a certain poetic charm. There is hint
| In most of them of the grotesquely weird
be far from the jewellers among noun
tains, and of the mysterious awe and
solemnity of the woods and heights.
The story of Joppa, the deacon's eve
necked horse, who ran away and enjoyed
a brief season of freedom in the woods, is
a piece of demure comedy which adds
something to Light literature. THE Place
of Abandoned Gods is another example
of what might be called slow-match fun
the kind of fun which results in quiet
smiles, not in laughter. The Elders
Seat is a subtle character-study, dealing
with elemental types, not with individ-
uals, and its tone is that of impersonal
pathos, if. there is such a thing. "A VS.
ihle Judgment is another character study
which reminds one little of the inflexible
people of Mary f. wilkins, beings akin
to the gnarled apple trees in their own
orchards.
The beginning OF the story about The
Leather Hermit gives a fair idea of the
style of Mr. Cotton. He begins it with
description of a river, and when he has
finished the reader knows all about that
river, has lived with it and is aware that
1t has an individuality, as all rivers should
have when they are outside of factory
towns, where character is developed I'M
der difficulties. He says:
''To know the Wyantenaug thor
oughly is to be wise in rivers; which
if anyone doubts, let him follow it
from its springs 10 the se3-a possible
fortnight-and consider then how he
is a changed man with respect to riv-
ers. Not that by any means 1t is the
epitome of rivers II is no spendthrift
fiood-stream to be whirling over the
bottomlands IN April and scarcely able
TO wet Its middle stones In August,
but a shrewd and honest river. canny
river flowing among a canny folk,
companionable river, loving both
laughter and sentiment, with taste
for the varieties of life and a fine vein
of humor. Observe how it dances and
sputters down the rapids-not really
losing its temper, but pretending to be
nervous-dives into that sloping pass
where the rocks hang high and drip
forever, runs through it like sleuth-
hound. darkly and savagely, and saun-
tiers out into the sunlight, as who
should say in a guileless manner, You
don't happen TO know where I'm go
ingg Then ii wanders about the val
ley spreads ont comfortably and lies
quiet a space But 1t really makes no
difference you know and after that
gives a chuckie rounds bunch Of
hills and goes scampering off, quite
taken up with a new idea. And so in
many ways il is an entertaining and
friendly river, with a liking for joke
and a pretty notion of dramatic effect
And speaking about poetry has anyone
ever noticed how utterly destitute Of poet
fc instinct most Americans have been in
naming their rural landmarks? Here, for
example we find a road described by Mr..
Cotton. the MINDLESS Road, which goes
around a mountain. Anyone might think
it meant that the road was closely shut in
by woods. so that no wind could reach the
passer-by, and there is a pretty vision sug-
gested. of a winding quiet pathway, cool
and sheltered. But the chances are that
nothing Of the kind was meant, first be
cause "windless" is not an American word,
and. second, because ''windlass,' pro-
nounced in the above fashion, is. Most
likely the road was named because it
wound about the mountain like a wind
lass (New York: Charles Scribners
Sons. $500
"The Mystery of the Clasped Hands" is
somewhat gruesome tale by Guy Booth
by who has won some reputation I'm this
line of work 1t is a detective romance,
and deals with English life, the hero be-
ing a properly handsome and athletic
young English squire, and the villain
beneficiary of his. There is no particu-
lar fault to be found with it, unless it
is that the author is rather too long lead