The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-05-18
BOOKS AM. AUTHORS, COMMENT AND. GOSSIP

.leisurely life Of the old times.
In the preparation. Of The Battle
ground she did not trust simply to her
social traditions and to her own knowl-
edge Of old Southern life, but she dill.
gently read not only printed histories and
records Of the ante-bellurl days, bur
family histories. newspapers, and con-
temporary documents in the same spirit
in which she would have studied them
had she been writing a detailed history.
Current Literature also prints q long
sextrac from THE battle-ground" taking
the scene where the hero, Dan Montjoy,
has gotten into a youthful escapadc, has
fought Duel, been incarcerated IN jail,
and suspended from college. lie returns
home to make his peace with his grand
father, Major Lightfoot, the man who:
has more than a paternal affection for
him, but whose terrible anger drives
Dan away. The heroine, Betty Ambler,
is a girl with whom he has grown up
and played all his life, and with whose
sister, Virginia, he has sometimes fancieG
himself in love. The first real kuOWl-
edge Of his love for Betty and Betty,s
love for him comes as he is leaving home.
American letters has suffered notable
= =
Bret Harte, and Paul Leicester Ford.
Stockton and Harte died quietly at
fairly advanced age, but there is hardly q
more fideous tragedy in the annals OF
the craft than the killing of the novelist
by his dissolute brother. Malcolm Ford's
immediate suicide was the only thing
about it to be thankful for.
The late frank r. Stockton, replying
to a correspondent who criticised his last
novel, Kate Bonnet said:
'tYou are mistaken in supposing that
Captain Stede Bonnet. of Barbados, was
a fictitious character. The story, as re-
lated in history is even more out OF
the way and surprising than J. have made
it in my book. His daughter is a young
woman of my own creation, but Bon
net was a real character.
1.-THE pirate Blackboard was also a real
parsonage and many of his acts were Tar
too wild and fantastical to be embodied
in fiction His seizure of Bonnet's yes
sci is described in the annals of the times.
where his subsequent connection with
Blackboard, as have related it, may be
found. The battle in the Cape Fear
River between the three grounded yes
sells is described in the historical records
Of South Carolina
Sir Robert Ball. who lectured on as
lIO1.OlIy DIT zAuA AiAS
the winter, has published a book called
THE Earth's Beginning.
It is a. book for old or young, full! Of
illustrations. and exceedingly interesting,
the d2n market We 81 aT sha n ss s Robe @
St Story IL Of p the an Sun au XMAS o AS
tronomy,' Star Land" ETC.. and, he is
Geometry in the University of Cam
bridge; director of the University Obser-
vatory and a few other things The APP
pletons print the book.
There could hardly be better man to
write about the coming coronation OF
whose article on the subject appeaRi in
the Youths Companion for May 18th. The
Duke not only stands at. the head Of the
law to the King through the marriage with
Princess Louise; and as he is familiar,
by reason of five years in the Governor
Genera lship Of Canada, with the Ameri-
thorough Acquaintance with the cere-
monial, but must see their significance
to the American public.
: In this account of the coronation cele-
bration the modern world finds itself car
ried back into medieval times. To the
more practical minds. much Of the SYM
bolism seems exceedingly archaic, but,
after all, it is a good thing for US to be
reminded that one Anglo-Saxon race is
not Of mushroom growth, but derives it's
present power from the past struggles
and evolution which these symbols bark
back to.
Charles H. Mccarthy. who wrote Elm
coins Plan of Reconstruction" for Nc.
Glure. Phillips & Co, is a Ph; D. of
Pennsylvania. He was born In New Jer-
sey in 1860 and is reasonably unpreju-
diced. DR.. McCarthy's treatise is the
first serious attempt to discuss this i'm
portant subject. He touches many of
in his introduction. The first three chap
tiers treat of the restoration under Mr.
Lincoln of loyal governments in Tennes-
see Louisiana and Arkansas. A very in
teresting part Of the book considers the
grave questions which arose in the dis;
memberment Of Virginia. while the sue
ceeding chapter Summarizes the intro
into the presidential par. Of reeonstruc-
ton. At this point the political narrative
is interrupted to examine the various the
cries of restoration that were presented
during the war. In this connection is dis
cussed the Estate suicide theory Of
Charles Sumner and the Conquered pro-
vince" theory. Of Thaddeus Stevens:
which finally prevailed, is impartialiy
treated. In four chapters. The last Sec
ton includes a rapid survey of the wreck
of the Confederate States, an account of
President Johnson's work for reconstruc-
ton, and scientific examination Of Pres
.ident Lincoln's plan.
frt Notes.