The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-08-26
NEW BOOKS.
IL Does Not DlsaDpOint u.

~ Does NOT DAsappOlmt w.
1t says. in IN opening part Of the story
Under Mad Anthony's Banner by James
Ball Naylor (the Saalfeld Publishing Com
pany), that Hal Barton, English refugee
and American pioneer, Was a man. Inc
reader will feel that no hardly needed the
assurance Of the italics. Hal weighed
more than 200 pounds. and mot an ounce
OF surplus tissue marred the symmetry OF
his FORM He shifted the cool air and with
his blue eyes took in the forest scene which
was IN what is now the lower part OF Jetrer-
son county, Ohio. Come, Margaret, come
lass. kiss before GO he cried. az he
leaned his rife against the wall OF his log
cabin and pushed his coonsl1in cap back
from his brow. Thereupon "a plump.
falr-faced little woman sprang over the
sill and nestled in his arms There is
picture OF 1t which has greatly gladdened
us.
or course, a story in which Mad Anthony
Wayne Is concerned has right to be thrill
ing. Barton and Lew wetzel were travers-
ing the forest in the direction Of Cincinnati
when "they suddenly came upon young
woman struggling in the arms of man.
Help she called family Hal caught
the man by the collar and flung him vio-
lently to the earth. 'The young lady was
painting with emotion and would have
fallen had not her rescuer seated her upon
fallen tree trunk" The PROSTATE man
got up. "Whipping out long knife with
an oath, he bounded toward the tall stran-
ger, who had his back turned and was bend
ing over the half-fainting woman. Tho
bright blade glittered in the moonlight,
but the blow did not fall" No! "The
tall mans companion threw his rife to
his shoulder and cried: Gently, there,
stranger-none o. that, r III send an ounce
O. cold lead through ye quicker n squirt
can whisk his tail. r my name amt Lew
Wetzel'"
This is the n,erest indication OF the strong
nature OF the story. The Indians tried to
burn our young hero at the stake. Hal
did not finch nor falter. With erect form
and dilated nostrils he walked proudly to
the place of torture. Halls mag
nificent form lowered above those OF his
clamorous foes as granite rock above the
raging surf" Wicked old Simon Girty,
the renegade, looked on. "A stopped and
scrawny bag applied the torch We miss
none Of the proper accomplishments. The
red flames shot up with q fierce joy. The
savages emitted an exultant howl. They
uttered expressions of hellish delight. The
fire smarted. 1t aroused the devil In Hal
He would not stand it He strained at
his bonds Wicked old Simon Girty laughed
heartily. Still he strained. The stake
snapped, the bonds gave way. and with
a roar OF rage and pain he broke through
the ranks that surrounded him and like
a blazing comet dashed down the slope
toward the river"
As we say, we miss nothing from the story
that it was our right to expect. A chrckle
rattles in the scouts throat on page 305;
We knew that it would come somewhere.
Margaret. the plump little woman, passed
away zone bright and beautiful spring
day, when the wild flowers were in bloom
and the birds were in song, the angel Of
death lowered for moment over the hum
BILE cot. and Hal Barton was left alone.
His grief was real and poignant" but he
was at liberty now to marry Judith Sterling,
which he did. 1t is possible that she also
was plump. We hope so.