The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1904-10-01
NEW BOOKS.
BY the Giftei Aiiss Cerelli.

MISS SOr0iilb CnhfdCt0ftBtlC and
extensive new book, Gods Good Man: A
Simple Love Story Dodd, Mead b Coz
opens with an account Of the English spring
time. 10 was May Day In England. The
season was afording ito usual manifesto
tons after some menaces OF delay. Fro
ouently since February had the venture
some buds been nipped by the cold, but In
the last days OF April, perhaps not singu-
larly. II had grown warm. Mature, the
divine goddess. seemed to awake from long
shlmber and stretch out her arms with
happy smile and when May morning dawned
on the world II came a. vision OF glory,
robed in clear sunshine and girdled with
song-young almond and apple boughs
quivered almost visibly every moment into
pink and white bloom-cowslips and blue
bells raised their heads from messy cor
ners in the grass and expressed their inno-
cent thoughts in sweetest odor-and in
and through all things the glorious thrill,
the mysterious Joy Of renewed life, hope
and love pulsated from the Creator to His
responsive creation"
The poets Of Pilduzer and Agawam
would have rejoiced to be there. though
plainly 1t was not necessary. The story
goes on to tell about the Rev. John Walden,
bachelor parson Of more than forty years.
Miss Corelli sketches him in a paragraph
that abe calls brief. He was one Of those
rarely gifted individuals who cannot as
sumo an aspect which IL foreign to tenn
permanent He was OF a cheerful, even
sanguine, disposition, and his oonntenance
faithfully reflected the ordinary bent OF his
humor. Seeing him at distance the cas-
ual observer would at once have judged
him to be either an athlete or an aacetic.
There was no superfuous Aesh about him;
he was tall and muscular, with well knit
limbs, broad shoulders and head alto
gether lacking In the humble or concil-
atory 'droop' which all worldly wise par
sons cultivate for the benefit Of their rich
patrons. It was distinotively proud head
almost Observation-Disclosures Of strong
character and self-reliance, well poised on
full throat and set of by considerable
quantity OF dark brown hair. which was re-
fractory in brushing, inclined to uncan-
onioal curls and plentifully dashed with
gray. broad forehead. deeply set. dark
blue eyes, q straight and very prominent
nose. a strong jaw and obstinate chin
firmly moulded mouth, round which many
q sweet and tender thought had drawn
kindly little lines Of gentle smiling that were
scarcely hidden by the silver-brown mus
taohe--such, briefly. was the appearance Of
ono who, though only a country clergyman,
OF whom the great world knew nothing,
was the living representative Of more power
full authority to his little cure OF souls
than either the Bishop Of the diocese or the
King in all his majesty"
He loved flowers, conversed affably with
the common people, had Epictetus lying
around on the garden benches and was q
good man, as the title declares. The
heroine OF the story. the lovely Maryllia
vancourt FIRST name pronounced Ma
rikya), was only 81. The career and death
d Maryllia's father are described by Mrs.
Spruce, one OF the humble characters Of
the story. @He was killed jumpin' fence
said Mrs. Spruce. "A fine, handsome
eentleman--they say he'd been wild In his
= Youth; anyhow, he got married In London
to great Court beauty, 20 I've been told.
And after the wedding they went travel
ling all over ths world for a year and Q
half, and Just when they was expected
'ome Mrs Vanoourt died with the birth Of
the child, and he and the baby and the
nurses all came back here. and he never
stirred sway again himself till death took
him at full gAllop-which is 'ow he always
wished to die. But poor Miss MarylliA,
twas hard on her. SEEM him ride OF 90
gay and well and CHEEKY in the mornin',
to b brought homo afors noon a corpsel
Az. Il was an awsome visitation OF the
Lordi Often, when the wind goes wimblin'
through the pines near the house, think
! ear her shrek now-ay, air!-it was like
the cry OF somsthin' as was havin' it's heart
tore Quit"
This was dreadful, and there was more
behind. II became neoessary-or at least
important-for the heroine to submit to a
severe surgical operation. We have read
somewhat hurriedly, In order to get through
within 0 reasonable time. but we think
that the trouble was not appendicitis,
though that distressing ailment b Incl
dentally considered In the tale. What
ever 1t was, in default OF the operation
she was bound to die at the end Of year.
On the other hand, she survived the
operation--and the possibility OF survival
was frankly declared-shs would live out
her natural life In robust health. In the
wotds Of the story. -the fatsful morning
dawned." santori, 'the famous Italian
surgeon" was the operator. Walden and
his good friend the Bishop Of the diocese
went to the Church OF the Saints Rest to
pray. We have often lightly taken guilt
upon our shoulders. but 1t does not occur
to US to withhold the exact language OF
the story at this point
They kmelt together. Walden. folding
his arms on the altar rail- hid his face, and.
casping his hands and fixing his eyes on
the word Resurget' that flashed out OF
the worn alabaster wherein the unknown
saint reposed. seemed TO gather to him
self all the sunlight that poured through
the window above him and to exhale from
his own slight, worn frame something like
the mystic halo OF glory pictured around the
figure Of an apostle or evangelist.
The minutes slowly ebbed away The
church clock chimed the half hour after
noon, and they remained absorbed IN
trance OF speeohless. passionate prayer.
They were unaware that some Of Waldens
parishioners, moved by the same idea OF
praying for Maryllia while she was under
going the operation which was to save
or slay. had come to the church also for
that purpose, but were brought to pause
on the threshold OF the building by the sight
they saw within. That their own beloved