The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-09-18
"A Glance Into Henry Seton
Merrirnal,'s Last
Novel.
DOLLARS AND DEMOCRACY
Tie View an Englishman Takes
Of the Negro Problem.
Other Books.

THE LAST HOPE. BY Henry Seton
Merri,nan Published by Charles Serb
ner.s sons, of New York. For sale by
the 1,ell Book and stationary Company.
ltpon Tie pages OF history. In the records
a OF nations, are found here and there
names around which tradition Is ever
busy as the years pass, weaving a nalo
OF romantic association. Out OF the un-
certainty Of the lives and destines to
which these names belong q thousand
coniectures are materialiEed. and the
brain and the pen Of aster writers play
INCREASINGLY in regard to unending specu-
lations, inspiring the theories which their
fancy has created.
rho son Of Louis XVI and Marie An
toinette was believed to have died from
the nj effects Of imprisonment and hard
usage, but there was just enough doubt
left as to the actual place and manner
Of his dying to serve as the materlal out
OF which numerous books have been con
Y structed, in which the Dauphin's escape
from prison and his life in Il foreign lana
become absorbing themes of interest
II .The Last Hope" not only makes q
claipl because 1t touches upon the 1nNs-
terry and the tragedy encircling the ire
OF the unfortunate heir to the french
throne, but because II has appended 10
IT the name of Merrman, one which lett
a deep Impress in the literature of the
latter part of the nineteenth century, and
Is admired wherever that truly great
book ,The Sowcrs,'' has been read.
"The Last Book" Is different from 9th
ers with somewhat the same motif, IN
that such strong element of probability
characterizes the n1ake-up. 1t seems
quite a. natural and dlspasslonate his
tory and the mind of the reader accepts
without hesitation the idea of the Dau-
phin and his nurse being picked up IN q
& little boat-sent adrift on stormy night
In the English channel-by English fisher
men and carried BY them to the LITTLE
coast town OF Farlingford. There, ac-
cording to Mr. Mcrrlman, the Dauphn
grows to manhood, marrles an English
wife who dies when her son is born, ana
Is followed In n few years by the iDau-
y min, whose early years In France had
cast over his soul n cold reserve and I'M
bucd him with such hatred toward his
native country that, before his death, ne
burns important papers supposed to con-
tain Information as to his real name ana
s descent In order that he may with MS
own hands sever the ties binding him to
i5 France. 55 Il.
But after all, bis pains might have been
x spared, for Nature Is a proVerbial truth
teller, and the son he leaves behind fur
nishes stronger than documentary evil
denee III face and bearing of descent from
the thirty-six kings who were his ances-
tors. 5 i3s
The Faringford nshcr-fol1, when the
white-faccd Dauphin had first come
among them, had asked his name. The
answer he gave was Bourbon. In
their yernacular this became ..Borebone,',%
ana the silent boy, accepting the English
version. wrote, himself down as Bare
bone in the parish register at the time
of his marriage. So it is that his son,
he hero of Mr.%ATerriman's book becomes
t.sg..J oo Rarebone ~ of Farlingfocd Eng
= l,oh.y fi.h
.The Last Hone commanded by5Captain
g Clubbe instead of Louis de Bourbon, or
France.
The book opcns lust before the develop
ment of events which made Louis Ma
po,aon emperor of France. Some inde-
unable hope or clue has turned the minds
of French royaIists towards the lonely
grave Of tho Frenchman8 who was buried
in the forlorn little cemetery at Farling-
ford and towards the survivors of his
English marriage. The MARQUIS dc Ge-
n,nsac a French r0yalist ACCOMPANIED
by an Englshman. who was his friend
and q rovallst sympathizer. are sent to
Farlingford and hear there the story of
The EDaunhiis life told at his grave By
3 nnTola IFS herman who knew him.
They meet the Dauphin's son, Loo
Barebone,v and the Marquis, when once
ne looked into his face knows him as
4 he grandson az Louis XVI, and 1.-THE
Last Hope Of France
Zoo i3arehone, himself Is bound by
his Enclih environment and his love FOR
H. I,nrlish maiden: ;saIiriam Iiston. the
niece of thtsrector at Farlngford When
hls noss,hle inheritance and ros,tlon in
~ France are revealed 10 him, he turns to
look for his answer in Mirlam's eyes.
And she. with rare unsefshncss. makes
NJ, ,nIers,nnd maj ha owes his iIrst
d,itv Ia inc loyal hearts awaiting his
guidance in his rightfu home beyond
the sea. TO do this she sacrificed her
own 5happiness for he sake OF the man
she loves, nut the women created in
books by Mr.. Merriam not infrequently
show Themselves capable of self-sncrfce.
81 II comes about that Miriam Liston
sits sti,l in Favlinpford and waits, and
LOO BareRnnc', goes Ia France 10 an.
swer the call Of the royal;sts and their.
exnectations. When iii seems most