The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-04-03
NEW BOOK NEWS
CONDUCTED. BY MARTHA YOUNG

H .a t
 Sir Mortimer by Mary Johnston.-This latest work by Miss. Johnston is dis tinct advance The claim that this au- thor's work is artistic in quality or fn- ished Fin style has never been made for from her first novel her creations have mot been in that exquisite-anq urfortu- tnate--order ..'too precious to be popular. Consideting the vast popularitN ofsail her books happily convinces one how youth full, how fresh is yet the heart of the reading world, the world that kindly con- sents to make an author popular. There is nothing evil, pessimistic or mean in Miss Johnston's work. All is simple and cleanly-plain sailing in open seas. The fetching quality lies all in rapid sequence of events. Situation after situation com ing rapidly, event toppling upon event. The sort of rapid-fire stories told at night in the nursery if the children 'have been good all day.
 The story, stripped of the long, winded conversation and lengthy descriptions of place and period which are. uninteresting and valueless since the writer shows no greater familiarity with either than the ordinary reader possess, runs as follows:
 An opening scene in the Inn of the Triple Tun and a challenge from the hero, Sir Mortimer. to the immediately introduced villain, Sir Robert Balday Next euphenistic courtship in the little k.s ers for they do both profess great fer vency in half and whole page speeches, have hitherto talked scarce thrice''f to. { gether. They make up, however in lengthy love making, anything they may nave lost in the way of affection's as- surance.' They give and take pledges of eternal devotion: their conversation talk ing in Parnassus. Hymettus, Alpha, many mythological folks and several poets' creatures For though Sir Mortimer and Domaris have met but three times and scarcely spoken to each other before, Sir Mortimer has written out his hearts love in sonnets and songs to Dione. By excellent adjustment of Dame Fortune Domaris has read the poets rhymed love and though amazed to learn that Domaria herself is prefgured in that much besung pione she Is guite prepared to avow her love Of Mortimer and envy of Dione, Thus giving excellent opportunity for a most excellent illustration, "Oh, envied her."
 Event number three is the loss from the little fleet westward bound of Balday's ship, the Star. Directly follows an en- gagement with Sir Mortimer's ship, The Cygret and the Spanish vessel, San Jose. The Spanish ship is taken, rechr,stened the Phoenix and the Admiral insists that the victorious Sir Mortimer appoint the Captain to the vessel now to be manned
 
 cedent but good opportunity for Sir Mortimer to show. a mighty nobleness of mind in appointing to the post of honor his sworn enemy, Balday,
 Enter second villain: Francis Park, with good supply of lies out of which Further entanglements and exciting series of events are to be concocted.
 There is camping about the Spanish fort Neuva Cordoba. Frequent attacks, firing of the Spanish town, demanding of ransom, entrance of william number three kwith a mouth-filling name, Don Luiz de as61uardiola.
 Miss Johnston has hitherto been quite successful with handling the manoeuvers Tof the old-fashioned iniquitous and tubiquitous villain. But in this new work 4~she seems to weary of the worry of hav- ing the fellow constantly around arrang- ing plots. and counter-plots, so she brings out three villains in quick succession, whose main business seems to be to draw 7 into a circle with some potent: Ducdome and there to put an end to each other. Villain number three hangs number two and burns number one and sets going splot of his own that keeps in play to kthe drop of the curtain. Then comes the $morning sally from the fort over whcih Sshines Damoris's rose-colored ribbon in Sthe helmet of Mortimer. There Is the hunt and find of the secret way to the sfort through the cactus hedge
 THE CAPTURE OF SIR MORTIMER. : The double treachery of Francis Soak : The double treachery of Francis Sark 1ishman into the sunken death trap.
 The firing of the English ships. The loss of the Cygret and the Phoenix. The coming of the Spanish fleet. Sir Morti- mer's returning from the torment in the Spanish dungeon with his sword his own and honor lost, are the rest of the hap penings in the new Western World. Then follow the story of the Count of Whitehall, of how Damoris bears the loss of the Cygret and the Star. and while . she is ready to mourn the death of Ferne, , she learns that he lives, but dishonored.
 Sir Mortimer burns the rose-ribbon knot that the heel of the Spanard has crush ed, and refuses to let the faithful Damoris keep truth with traitor
 Arden coming to offer friendship to the