The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-11-17

son, was accused of blighting the home of
confiding Blennerhassett, and history has
pilloried him as a base and unworthy
man. Is that the correct estimate? Mr..
Pidgen thinks not. For twenty years he
has been studying Burr's life and in this
story gives him place among Americas
first men. The story is written with
power and will enchain the attention from
the first chapter to the last, and when
you close your book you will think more
of Aaron Burr than when you opened it.
The writer's enthusiastic faith and
admiration are contagious, and if Burr
could have been consulted he would have
preferred the picture Mr. Pidgen has
drawn than any other biography that could
have been written.
1t has remained for the famous and
fussy fiction committee of the Boston
Public Library to discover what is alleged
to have impressed them as an objection
able feature in Mr.. Pdgins popular
romance, Blennerhassett." They take
exceptions to the book on grounds that
have not been limited at by any other
critic Yet, this same fiction committee
has at last admitted the book to the
classic shades of this library though not
without a hot discussion The story,
which comes from a very reliable source,
is this: Many members of the fiction
committee are in favor of rejecting such
novels as in their views are not written
with sufficient solicitude for the morals
of the young person, mainly feminine,
who form so large part of the library
following. They felt that Mr.. Pidgen gave
the reader the joyial impression that Burr
was an eminent Lothario, and without
anywhere indicating Reproduction. This
feature of the book seemed to go against
the grain of some members of the fiction
committee who in private conversation
are quoted as having declared opposition
to admitting it, But when they tried to
actively oppose the book, one especially
intelligent member is said to have pointed
out that if the book was rejected on NOR
al grounds, the library would find itself
confronted with a new accusation never
before advanced-no less a charge than
suppressing a book because it presented
new view of historical character. One
wonders if the favorable view of Burr was
not the fiction committee s real objection.
"Blennerhassett" by the way, mas jump
ed into the list of six best selling books in
this country.
LAZARRE, by Mary Hartwell Cother
wood, with illustrations by Andre
Castaigue. Price, $l50. Publishers:
The Bowen Merrill. Company, Indian
apolis.
This is one of the best selling books of
the year, and naturally the first inquiry
is, Why is it so popular? 1t is based on
the oft-told story that Louis XVI's son,
the Dauphin, did not die in prison dur
ing the French revolution, but was spr
tied away to the United States, placed
in charge of half breed Indian, and be-
came known in manhood as Eleazar
Williams, the French pronunciation of
his name being "Lazarre, '-whence the
name of the story. With this outline
not new-Mrs. Catherwood permits the
Dauphin to tell his own story And it
is the masterfuI way in which she puts
the story in words that accounts for the
popularity of ''Lazarre." If the Dauphin
was alive, why did he not return when
the way was clear? has been the prac-
tical question that has discredited the
old story and puzzled those who accept
ed it. 1t is in her explanation that Mrs.
Catherwood shows also her skill and
power. What is her explanation? 1t
would cause the story to lose much of
the interest to answer that question,
just as the thrill of the story is lost il
you look back before reading the sec
ond chapter to see how it will end.
The Louisville Courier-J Journal, in its
review of this book says:
Lazzarre is a man of the hour the
times. If born a Frenchman, he is re-
generated an American with the
strength and staunchness of his Indian
foster parent. He exhales the spirit of
America-America at her highest-free-
dom, loyalty, courage, simplicity, high
mindedness, and a reverence and love
for woman that passeth all understand
ing.
Mary HartweH Catherwood gives this
humorous outline of her career in one
of the November magazines: Il can't
remember when l was boyn into a writ
/, ing world, but do remember struggling
to my feet with Dollard. A long period
of todding followed. diversified by
many bumps. My dolls were lady,
white islander, buckskin darling nam
ed Tonty, maid in armor named
Jeanne. i built mud village and call
ed it kashaskia. l played chase Saint
Castin. and liked to hear stories about
Mackinac, or the swamp. All the time
! grew with the spirit of an Illinois