The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-12-20

"over the Border" by Robert Barr.
 Frederick A. Stokes Company
 | During the past few years there has
 been sort of Cromwell Revival' in
 this country as well as in England. Here
 it took the form of literary expression
 and there have been a number of excel
 lent pieces of fiction written with the
 scenes laid during the adventurous period
 of the parliamentary strife Few epocns
 lends themselves more readily to roman | tic description and adaptation than the struggle between the resolute, strenuous
 roundheads and the pleasure-loving, care ] free Cavaliers of the king
 One of the most exquisite vistas to be
 found in many days travel is one on the
 old Country Road midway between War
 wick and Stafford, where upon an eIeva- ton one can look across miles and miles
 of peaceful English meadow-felds, beyond
 the country church-spire that rears itself
 among the elms Far in the misty dis
 tance to Edgehill Heights where the first
 great struggle took place between the
 parliamentarians and the kings forces
 The Cromwell revival in England, though took the form somewhat of hero- worship and desire on the part of many to man. ifest their admiration in the erection of a statue in appreciation of Cromwell Con- sequently one of the most interesting dis cussions in the parliament of England of recent days was over the mooted question of allowing the erection of Cromwell's statue in the grounds of the houses of parliament. History repeats itself, and again old Nofs' adherents won, and Just outside Westminster hall stands a me bronze statue of Oliver Cromwell by Harno Thornycroft, erected in 1s99
 Robert Barr may without fear of con- lrad1ction be placed among the most pop- ular writers of the day. It has been nearly two years since this prince among story-teliers has charmed the reading puphc with a new novel. However, his former stories and most notably "Tekla" still enjoy an active sale We now have Just rom the press "Over the Border by MT. Barr which is full of all the epi- sodes, intrigue and adventures which so happily characterize his former work It IS dashing story of the parliamentary struggle in England, and gives excep- tiohaliy vivid pictures of King Charles, the stern stormy Minister Thomas Went worth Earl of Stratford and of the aus tere, jealous Cromwell, who is in many instances depicted in his most kindly | mood.
 MT. Barr is born story-teler and the | carefully conceived plot and nati,ralIv 1 developed sequence of events which ha~ | made ms stories so popular are displayed Tn his present work The scene of tho | lhltlal chapter is laid in the extensive | grounds surrounding Hampton court | palace and who that has ever driven under | the spreading chestnuts of "Bushy Park 1 is not at once held spell-bound? The | very atmosphere of merle oIde England | the pages in a subtle and fas | way and the scenes become truly | realistic. To those who enjoy a story of | adventure, fighting and intrigue; full of | love-for in true fiction there should al- | ways be this central human interest-tben l Across the Border will undoubtedly | please. The story is told in Mir Barr's l most spirited and entertaining way and | there Is no pause in the readers breath | iess interest from first page to last. If | there be captious criticism to make if | Will scarcely occur to the interested |, reader who follows the sequence of events | Tn the history of the indomitable Win Armstrong and the winsome Frances | Wentworth.
 My Captive" by J. A. Altsheler. D |
 Appleton & Company
 Out of the plenitude of hooks n,,b,;s,,o, | all cannot be up to the standard; vet the candid reader must agree that after all i the merit of a book and especially niece | oi nctlor IS the result largely of tenn