The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-07-03
SCl,rrelill's THE Crossing and
IIamlin Garland's Story
OF New York.
I asU { TERRY BY MISS RYAN
Record Of a Famous New York
Parish-Naluable Books OH
the Far East.

THE CROSSING. BY Winston Church,
hil Published by the Macmillan
Company. Of New York and London.
FOR sale by the Bell Book and Sta
tionery Company.
The author OF Richard Carver and OF
.,rhc Crisis has gained a hold upon the
American reading public that makes the
announcement of O new book by him q
matter of general interest and considers
4 ton.
"The Crossing" has for It's hero one
David Richie, the son of Alec Ritchie,
q, Scotchman a recuse and a scholar.
who hides his disappointment and his
broken heart together In the valley Of
the Yadkin river, clcaving the Blue Ridge
mountains Of what IS, in the book period,
tho province Of North Carolina. Here
Alec Ritchie because of some grief or
disappointment In his early life, limited
at, but not clearly told, turns his back
upon the refinements and pleasures OF tho
class to which he belongs by birth in
Charleston. S. G.. and, In a undermined
frontiersman's cabin. brings up his. lad
David, the only companion and soace
of his loneliness.
In the first chapter Of the book, which
appears most appropriately In tho st.
Louis Exposition year. Daniel Boone Is
introduced as a visitor to the Ritchie
cabin home. The great Kentucky pio-
fecr is described as wearing n deer
skin hunting shirt dyed black, as hav-
ing hat instead Of tho regulation noun
taincer coon skin cap, and as riding
roam horse. He makes an unforgetable
y impression on little David Rltchic to
whom he comes while the lad Is skinning
deer that his father has shot and,
putting a heavy hand OH the chld's
q shoulders:
"Davy, I'll arn We a trick worth q
little time" says he, whipping out a
knife. In a trlce tho rcd carcass hung
between tho forked stakes. while stood
with nay mouth open. He turns to me
and laughs gently. ila
M Some day you'll cross the mountains
and skin twenty of an evening" he SAYS.
Yell mako a woodsnan sure. You've
q got the eye and the hand,
The period of the story IS that Of the
Revolution. The echo Of Revolutionary
guns have scarce begun, however. when
Alec Ritchic leaves his cabin In tho
4 Yadkin valley, taking his little son with
him. and travels on horseback to his
Y old home liz Charleston, where he leaves
Il the boy and goes to Join the detach-
nent OF frontermen who are holding
hack the Indians under the command of
Alec Cameron at Cherokee Ford On
~ The road to charleston the Ritchies halt
for a night at n settlement called Wax
l,aws, There David Richie meets and
lights with&a red headed. blue-eyed boy
35ssned Andrew Jackson. the future Presi-
dcnt2 Of the United states, concerning
whom he writes.
II parted from Audy. on leaving, With
real regrets, He was the first boy with
whom ! had ever had any intimacy. And
a admired him. chiefly, ] fear; for his
fluent use Of profanity and his fighting
+ qualities, He was a merry lad. with a
SEwondrous quick temper but q, good heart,
And he seemed sorryto say good-bye. He
filled my pockets with June apples--,n-
ripe, by the way--nnd told me to re-
member him when got till Charlest on"
At Charleston, David Is placed In
charge of his uncle John Temple, who
turns Tory and runs away by night to
the British fleet Then the lad is sent
to Johr Temples baronN or country
place on the Ashley river, where he
meets his uncle's wife, beautiful, vain
& woman Of the world, and his cousin
4 Nicholas Temple who begins by being
one Sf the most attractive Of characters
and continues so to the end.
Tho description of the life led by peo-
ple OF quality on their estates in South
Carolina during the revolutionary PERIOD
from Mr.. Churchllls point Of view,
merits close ryaaai.ng, eand attention. David
and Nicholas. quickly become devoted
friends, hut there, us open and uneon-
cealed dislike between David and his
uncles WIFE, the mother of Nicholas.
When David's father is ambushed and
killed by the Indians during the from
tier war. the dislike becomes something
moro. and David. home-sick for the
mountains, runs away and goes back to
them.
Homeless and an orphna, he Is taken
into n mountain saGin homo by Polly
Ann Rpley and her grandfather, COM
monty known as "od man Ripley"
Polly Ann is n creation which shows
Mr.. Churchill's art in Characterization at
its best. Frank. fearless and energetic,
tender-hear;ed and faithful, strong to
endure, to uphold and to console, she
liz cast hi that heroic mould which rem
ders the pioneer women Of America fit
ting wives for the men who silently.
surely, and irresistibly won the land for
civilization. explored the great rivers
and built the cities which arc centers of
twentieth century commerce and ac-
tIvity.
Polly Ann marrles Tom McChesney.
who comes from the block houses In
which the Kentucky settlers are lighting
4. Inrr tnelT ives. uHleE S'OTRe ItpScIsi pHCf
through the Wilderness Trail to claim
her promise. The description of the
frontier wedding at which Polly Ann and
Tom figure AS bride ana groom Is m
extremely interesting and well told cpl
sode, After the wedding Tom has to re-
turn to Kentucky, and Polly Ann. bray
Ing danger and probable death from the
Indians. takes pavid's hand in hers and
goes too, The dangers OF the way over
which the little party trail. the camp,
ing at night in the lonely forests Will
tho young husband standing guard, his
rife IN his hand the WEAKNESS braves
tdrne, the courage displayed and the
final coming to the fort at Harrods
town. Ky, are fun OF thrilling adven
ture and interest,
Then the description OF the years o.
stress that follow the building of tht