The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-04-14

UNDER TOPS'LS AND TENTS, by cyrus
Townsend Brady. Illustrated. Price
$3.50. Publishers Charles scribner's
Sons, New York.
The most engaging book on missionary
life IN the far west is the story of his
own experience by Rev. Cyrus Townsend
Brady Since that BOOK appeared Mr.
Brady has written books so rapidly as to
astonish authors who work in the old
fashioned way. His latest book Under
Tops'ls and Tents is handsome volume
narrating his experiences in the army
and navy, together with delightfully."- told
stories based upon historical incidents of
heroism and danger. The book abounds
in humor and pathos. with an occasional
touch of tragedy. 1t deals with expert
ences from the sky-larking of cadets at
Annapolis to some tragic scene in the
Spanish American war. They are told
with the genius of the true story teller
the indefnabe art that has made Mr..
Brady's novels so popular. The author
has had a career that fits him for the
characters OF novels that have made him
we'll known under forty. He graduated
dl
from the navy and same year, went into
the railroad business, and afterwards be-
came a minister and missionary Of the
Protestant Episcopal church. He was cap
tain and chaplain in the Spanish Ameri-
can war.
A SOLDIER OF VIRGINIA. Tale of
Colonel Washington and Braddock's De-
feat by Burton Egbert Stevenson, au-
thor of "At Odds with the Regent" II
Illustrated, cloth, crown 500. Price $3.50.
Publishers: Houghton, Mifiin & Co.,
Boston.
In spite of the phillippies against his
torical novels hurled by William Dean
Howells and John Gilmer Speed, the his
torical novel still holds first place among
the popular sellers. The readers, tired
Of the novels treating of the commonplace
things of today. are glad to get Whit
of the romance that surrounded. the days
prior to the American Revolution. Ste
yenson,s novel includes a map of the re-
gion traversed by Braddock in his expedi-
ticn which will not only help the reader
to better understanding Of the course
of events described in the story, but will
tails the nature of the country and shows
the various camps made by Rraddock in
his expedition across the mountains, and
is arranged with a key Oy the author.
The picture of Virginia social life in the
middle of the eighteenth century with
its patriarchal institutions and border
alarm, from French and Indians. is
strongly drawn. and the love story has
much of the same delicacy and charm
which attach to an old time miniature
CUPID'S GARDENS. by Ellen Thorney-
croft Fowler. Price $3.50. Publishers:
d. Appleton & Co.. New York
The critics have widely differed about
this newest book by the author of Isabel
Carnaby." One tells US that it shows
her TO be "the mistress of the art of
Y tory telling according to the French
rather than the English school" and adds
that the stories may move the reader to
real emotion, or to delight in the writer's
humor"
Another says THE stories are not
clever. 49, These last stories Of hers are
commonplace in style, save for occasional
glints of the epigrammatical manner
which caused Isabel Carnaby'' to be so
much admired.
The truth is that the stories are charm
ing and charmingly told, and if the critics
were not judging her by her masterpiece
they would so declare. Nobody can al
ways write at ones best, not even Miss
Fowler, but she has written delightful
stories though they fall of course below
the excellence Of Isabel Carnaby'
NEW VOLUMES or COLONIAL RECORD
Wilmington Messenger.)
Judge Walter Clark has done a superior
work for the State in completing the
editing of the very important Colonial
Records'-six or eight volumes not touch
ed by the late Colonel w. i. Saunders
who was so untimely cut off and before
he had completed the herculean task he
had voluntarily and patriotically under
taken for North Carolina. Now Judge
Clark has again greatly serve the State
in having the histories OF the regiment
prepared by participants in the war and
in thoroughly editing them He is
gentleman of untiring industry, great tai
ent for details and accommodating evidence,
of varied gifts and accomplishments true
TO his honest convictions independent.
perpendicular, conscientious, of scrupul-
Gus veracity. of sound mental parts, of
distinguished ability. without today SUI
perior in North Carolina if there be one
equal. Did you ever read his large three
volume translation from the French of
the Napoleon as seen and presented by
his gifted valet? This is only one kind OF
his many superior intellectual qualities
and genuine accomplishments. He is
scholarly and thoughtful. acutely logical
and jurist without many peers in North
Carolina at this day. His life is pure,
he walks before his fellow men in the
clear light of day, and by his multiform
writings mas proved very seiviceable to
his people and the cause of truth. This
writer hiss known him since his most
remarkable promising boyhood, when
fresh from school with highest honoHs, he
became drill-master for the Confeder-
ates at about sixteen. He has had for
nearly forty years ample opportunity to
know and to appreciate him. Many he
long I've to serve his native North Caro-
lima!
WITHOUT A WARRANT, by Miss Hide
gard Brooks, Price $1.50 Publishers;
Charles Scribner's Sons, New York.
The scene of this story is laid in the
co,,t1, on,l 4bo i;roo 10 the y1recont The