The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-09-18

The Last Hope. By Henry Seton Merriman.
 This story was completed a few months before the authors death.
 This is one of the many romances brought to being by the mystery that surrounded the death of the Dauphir of France. son of Louis VI and Marie Antoinette.
 The hero, supposed by a party oi royalists to be the successor to the throne of France, is a sailor of Far lngford, England.
 His father. known in the village as the "Frenchman." had been taken from q scuttled boat off the coast Of France by the captain of Farlingford fish ing vessel There was mystery ever about the Frenchmans birth and par entage. He had married a Farling- ford girl and dying lay in Farling- ford church yard grave: "Afteri eight centuries of splendor my friend, can that he the end-that?" So exclaimed the Maquis de Gemosoe pointing to the sunken grave with long waving grass over 1t and no memorial over 1t save a memory of old inhabitants that "there lies the Frenchman."
 The maquis and the scheming En. glishman, who loves France because he loves its sunshine, its cuisine, its good. kind hearts" and all the folks of Farlngford watch the coming IT of the Lost Hope. On that ship is tht son of the Frenchman, Loo Barebone hero of the story.
 The Marquis de Meosec and his roy alist party believ the simple sailor be the Dauphin of Franco.
 There Is an extraordinary resem- blance of the Frenchman's son to the grandfather, Louis VI.
 There is a certain locket found on the person of the little French wall of the scuttled smack which contains a portrait. evidence enough to convince those desirous to be convinced that ths son of the rescued French boy is in deed the true heir to the throne of tht lilies. A conspiracy Is set on foot for the overthrow of the republic and a restoration of the Bourbon line.
 MT. Merriman always wise in the historic of his plots. has chosen that time when Louis Napoleon as prince president is already meditating ths coup de etat, which put him upon the throne.
 The Marquis de Gemosae and the Englishman Dormer Colville come tc England to find this young sailor. LOG Barebone, otherwise Louis Bourbon IHcy llHu HlUl d ITdHk. SplTiLSQ, aDle man,who has already had dreams as to who he may be. But he Is hearty and healthy enough in mind and body not to let these dreams disturb the content and activity of his life as q sailor. a plain. good man among plain good folk.
 He loves the adventurous life of the sea. He loves still more the rector's neice, Miriam Liston.
 The Plot-Maher, Dormer CoIville dis corning that it Is this love of Miriam that makes Barebone willing to ex- change the hope of a Kingdom for a simple sailors life, manages to instil in Miriam the conviction that she must cure Barebone of his love for her, with whatever cold cruelty that should be necessary in order to steel him for the coming conflict for his throne.
 Miriam acts her part only too we'll and young Barebone, thinking he has been rejected because he is the sor of nameless father and only the mate of The Last Hope," goes from her tc head the company to reseat the Bour- bon line.
 At first he believes fully that he 4 the true Dauphin.
 But later, finding that Colville has to further his plans. changed the DOT traits in the locket he doubts.
 Yet he is ready to give himself the benefit of the doubt that he may, as Louis Bourbon, come to the saving oi France.
 The conspiracy, of course, comes tC ruin. The young sailor coming back to Farlingford in storm after bring. ing his boat safely to shore, takes Il back to bring in other sailors on the wreck.
 This was his last fight with the sea His boat was thrown upon the beach and the young Prince who had died tC save his fellow men, was laid lifeless al the feet of the English girl he had loved. and the clean-cut, royal features seemed to wear a reflective smile"
 The Marquis de Gemosae, who hat never doubted but that this sailor ma was his king, declared above the dead 'Others may question, but I know-l know"
 The scene of the story has changed rapidly from France to England anC back again. Mir. Merriman has uncom. mon facility for giving the peculiar atmosphere of a country or region St as to bring out its own individual qual. ity.
 The book Is thoroughly interesting.
 Ainu Group.-At the St Louis Expo,