The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-01-15
NEWS OF THE BOOK WORLD

q Story OF Frontier Life In Revolutionary
Times-"on the We-a Trail" New
Story Of Fort sackviIle and clark's
Exploit-Judge Pierce's Review OF
General Gordon's Book.
Convincing proof that some historical
novels havc good defense for being is
furnished by On the We-a Trail by Caro-
line Brown. The story is that of Fort
sackville and the struggle between Cen
eral George Rogers Clark and the British.
NO more stirring example Of the patriot
ism OF revolutionary days is found than
IN the exploits Of General Clark in the
ONO valley, and the thrilling tale Of "On
the We-a Trail,'' will serve to spread
knowledge of the brave general and his
l54 hardy men. After a march Of fifteen
days of incredible hardship, the last week
OFTEN up to the armpits thru water over
the drowned lands, covered for six miles
by the overflow of the Ouibache, and, af-
ter eating the first full meal they had had
LOT SIX days, wet, ragged, WayWOrn, with
out thought Of rest. they commenced
an attack on Fort Sackville. Examples
OF men Of Cla1k's sort will help to keep
alive the sturdy kind of patriotism that
every country needs. "On the We-a
Trail, : therefore, deserves to survive
furthermore, as an entertaining story it
IS entitled to wide reading. There is
not chapter that one reads slowly The
reader hastens on not only to learn the
outcome of the incident immediately in
hand but to gather knowledge of the prog
ress of the central characters in the story
whose fate one feels will be fair but
dreads may prove otherwise. There is
Fblood-letting, an unexpected amount of
1t when one remembers that woman
wrote the book, but not more than one
with knowledge of the times and con-
dltlons knows could have been and doubt
less was But the over-sensitive reader
may vince at the story of the horrible
hight between st. Vrain, the coureur and
Bevard halfbreed who had been
trained for the church.
Seward Was. a. savage brute. Between
him and the gay French coureur there had
long existed bitter feeling. st. Vrain final
ly challenges the halfbreed to secret
duel, the halfbreed to have choice of
weapons and place. They meet accord
ing to agreement. :, The halfbreed names
pistols for the weapons, the opponents
to stand back to back, each take six
PAGES, then turn and fire. The duel is to
be to the death. The story runs thus
For an instant they stood back to back.
st. Frain made step forward, count
ing aloud. -. - ~ $500.
| "One-two-three-''
Then occurred one of those small interposi-
plans to carry out some design of it's own.
st. Vrain had glanced over his shoulder toward
the donne. Re saw him turn. then a fash and
crack OF pistol just as his own foot rolled
on bit of broken limb. He lurched forward
| and tried tc regain his balance; his weapon
few from his hand: he sprawled on all fours.
Thru the space he had just filled whistled a
| murderous bullet go
| Quick darting snake tongue ST.. Vrain was
on his feet.
He snatched at his belt There was fash
of steel upward, sibilant BREATH downward
| twirl Of the knife and the sharp point nluneed
| clean thru the mscreant's neck 1t was a
| trick at knfe-throwing the Indians had taught
him, and his skill at it was even greater than
| theirs.
The incident could be improved in the
telling, but with the rest of the tale il
hts in WE'LL and affords satisfaction tc
the reader in that it makes an end OF
the wretch, Bevard, lie dome, who hao
| evil designs against Terribly, the unhappy
| little heroine of the story.
The story of Terribly and Lancaster
which holds the interest Of the reader from
chapter to the end, is almost pathetic
! The lovers part in the first chapter, Ian
caster to go to Detroit with frlrs. Ferriby
to remain in her fathers home. The,
expect to meet before long again, blu
| the Indians who have been aroused by tn,
British upset all their fair plans. Ferrib!
| returns from the spring one day to fine
hostile Indians burning her home, having
slain her father and his family Sh,
takes flight. Lancaster IS long delayed
on his journey and returns to find Ferrib.
4 gone. Then begins a long search, in tn,
course of which Lanca ster falls in will
Clark and takes an unexpected part in tn,
fight at Sackville.
/ . : There is much in the story to remint
one of ''Alice OF Old Vincennes,' as tn
central event in both stories is the same
= Indeed, Miss Browns book was far alon,
i when Mr.. Thompson's was published tn
two authors being residents of the sam
town and having worked along the sam
lines each in ignorance of what the othe
was doing. The publication Of Mr.. Thomp
sons book was a great disappointment t.
Miss Brown, but she refrained from read
ing ''Alice Of Old Vincennes" until sh
: had completed her own book in order tina
it might not be said that she had Dor
rowed anything from it.
ION the We-a Trail" taking it's nam
from the principal trail near Fort Sack
vile, loses nothing at all in interest iron
dealing with the same historic events a
Mr.. Thompson's book. On the contrar
there is an added interest to tn
reader of both books The picture
drawn are widely different. son the We-
, Trail" impresses one as being the bette
picture of the frontier conditions of tn
time, while Mr.. Thompson's characters ar
the better drawn.