The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-06-14

Shall fatten upon the past;
For the statclst building man can raise
Is the ivy's food at last"
A PURITAN WITCH. written by Mar
win Dana Published by the Smart
Set Company. For sale by the Bell
Book and Stationery Company, OF
Richmond. Price. s1.50.
The Puritan fanatacism. the nnderlS-
ing passion of Puritan character, had no
more vivid expression than In tho which
craft deluslon which for n time obscured
reason. sense and moderation alike In
New England communities and brought
out tho Inherent and lurking cruelty
which Is an ever-prcsent accompaniment
OF fanaticism
The dramatic quality OF Mr.. Dann's
authorship has seized upon the witch
craft period and Incorporated with tho
thrilling incidents OF his story. reYer-
sion to the practices OF that time. which
ore comparable In their demoniac Ideas
OF torture, only to the days OF 1nquistion
In Spain
Tho first chapter ORA Puritan witch"
Is one OF the most graphic and strongly
written In the book, and tho illustration
of II, which shows Puritan maiden
dancing By the light of tho moon. Is I'M
usually attractive.
The story Is the story OF two women
and a man In the main. Both women
love the same man after the fashion OF
their very diverse natures. Anna, the
dancer. is frivolous by disposition. ever
anxious to escape the severity Of the, re-
strictions laid upon her In New Eng
lend rural life. graceful and untutored. a
creature of impulse totally lacking In
upright principle and beauty Of heart or
character.
Mary is home-keeper. woman TO
whom duty is the law OF life and the
light of conduct, and yet. through the
Jealousy OF her rival. 1t Is on such an
Innocent head that the storm Of fury and
fanaticism finally bursts. Her rescue
from death by her lover and her final ac-
quittal make the concluding chapters Of
the book most enlivening. and for the
benefit OF n public who insists on such.
brings the love story through death and
tragedy to happy ending.
p. Barr. Published bS J. F. Taylor
This is delightful little Scotch story,
written In Mrs. Bars best style: with
Just enough q history to give i the I'M !.
q Morse girl the daughter OF well-to-
do seaInan OF NE Orkney Isles. She Is
represented 10 be very beautiful, and is
practically betroti,ed to her fathers
partner in business. a man Of humble
birth. but t1ns character.
The hero Of the story Is Hector Mac
Donald a Scotch Islander of noble birth,
brave and daring. but tickle In love He
Is engaged 70 lovely girl of his his, own VI,
business he meets Thyra Yarrck r. and md
falls desperately in love with her. Thyra
Is captivated by the dashing young
scotchman. and finally agrees to elope
with him. The elopement is prevented
by Thyra's father. and she Is hurried
away on her fathers vessel. but escapes
and finally finds her way TO the house OF
n friend In Scotland. not far from Mac
Donad'e home. In the meantime Mac,
Donald. holding Thyra's lover. Robert
Thorson. responsible for the miscarriage
OF his plans hunts him With view 10
revenge. but while he is sleeping Rober;
comes up and leaves his knife by Mac
DonaId's side to show that no had Mac
| Donald in his power. but spared his life.
Macdonald is touched by this act Of a
generous foe and goes back to his own
homo. where he marr1es his first love.
Thyra Varrlck becomes the companion
OF a crippled boy In Scotland, and her
whole nature Is greatly softened by her
affection for her proiegc. The npshot Of
1t all is that she finally meets again her
old lover, who has become a professor