The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-06-13
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Coming to US after his death. the Cap
tair's Tollgate." by the late Frank H.
Stockton %. Appleton & Coz is so perfect
an example OF the whimsical humor and
delicately grotesque conceit of that author
as TO be almost pathetic in its appeal 10 nus
admirers in the reading world. 1t IS as II
We heard his voice. remembered ana easily
distinguished among all others
In his story of huccaneer days on the
Spanish main, entitled Kate Bonnet ana
published but a little while before his
death. Mr. Stockton was not at his pest
His fertility OF invention in the matter OF
amazingly ludicrous situations was ho1 50
much in evidence. his own relish OF ms
work, stimulating him TO his best achieve
ment, did not manifest Itself. The story
seemed hurriedly thrown together-and a
fine leisureliness was always one OF the
nest zestful qualities of MI Stocktons
style.
We are told now that THE Captains Toll
gate" was in reality written before Kate
Bonnet was thought OF. The finished MS.
was in Mr. Stockton's desk, ready to be
sent TO his publishers. But 1t had como
Into certain minds that pirate story" by
Frank r. Stockton would be big seller.
He had written some little history OF the
buccaneer times and was known to be In
terested in that picturesque period. So he
was urged to hold back The Captains Toll
Gate" and write Kate Bonnet instead.
This he dii-but the book that was tenn
porarily shelved was by far the most typ
ically Stocktonian. and II will nov unques-
tionably delight the souls OF all who appre-
clate the tang of Stockton's fun at its
best.
For which, after all. we should be thank
full. As rule. the work OF writer which
is published after his death is his inferior
work, the remnants of his toll. found in the
shape OF forgotten MSS. which, in all
likelihood. he would have preferred to re-
| main unpublished. Here. however, we have
| a genuine Frank Stockton story. as fresh
| IN quality The Casting Away of Mrs.
| lecks and Mrs. Aicshine' and as simple
! .nd homely in its atmosphere of quizzical
| Jesting as The Rudder Grange Stories"
| One recognizes this truth upon opening the
! book and coming at once to the turnpike
| bar which extends across the long, wide
and smoothly macadamized road" that
| passes by the pleasant home of Captain
John Asher, retired mariner OF the mer-
| chant marine service Captain John did not
! have to keep tollgate to exc out liv-
! ing, because he was comfortably well of
| In this worlds goods. But he took a liking
| TO the house OF which the tollgate was
an official attachment. and he found that
| he greatly enjoyed chatting with those who
| paid :oll in front of his home. He did not
1 have TO go away from his own gate for
company; the turnpike brought them 10 that
! gate. and they had TO stop and pay toll
| and talk bit before they went by.
| So. also are we interested in his niece,
| Olive, whose father, Captain Johns brother.
| is an officer in the United States Navy.
| The girl has received the worldliest of
| training in various capitals of Europe, but
she. too, likes the old tollgate home, dear
| " loves her uncle and his stories OF the
4 sea, and is not bit above taking toll when
1 to, lob, oh n absent
| the gate. And IL Is to this tollgate comes
! young Dick Lancaster. son OF an old sea
! chum of Captain Johns. at n very early
stage of the proceedings. and falls desper-
ately in love with the demure and original
| Olive.
| From this time forward. with the girl
| herself fitting between the tollgate and
| the home of certain fashionable friends
! near by. the story develops into genuine
| comedy of love-making. in which Olive Is
| besieged by four suitors at once. her father
I ruarries her own schoolgirl friend, her uncle
Z! is ssntiInentally stormed by the terrible
| Maria Port and altogether there Is rush
| of laughable incident and rib-ticklfnE situa-
! lions. impossible. 1t would seem, to any
| writer of less sportive imagination. Hard
| " a page is encountered that does not send
| smile after smile TO the lips OF the reader
| and the story's happy ending Is reached
only after a tremendous complication Of
| absurdities that pump tears OF laughter
from tie readers eyes.
This delightful novel, the last that we
shall have from Frank Stockton, IS rendered
additionally valuable because Of Its accom-
panying material bearing upon the author
life 1t is prefaced by an admirable sketcf
from the pen OF the widowed Mrs. Stock
| ton. There Is also a complete photography
of the writings OF this author. The front
,sp,ece is a most characteristic portrait o.
Mr.. Stockton. etched by Jacques Reici
from a photograph. Other Illustrations show
,us The Holt. Mr.. Stockton's home, neal
, Convent, N J.; ''Claymont." his summe
home, near Charlestown. W. Va, and ;
corner IN his study and the upper terrace
of his garden at Claymont.