The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-02-26
NEW BOOK NEWS
CONDUCTED BY MARTHA YOUNG

writer of those ever matchless folk lore | stories of twenty years ago, Uncle Remus," MT. Joel Chandler Harris. The President. Mir. Alfred Henry | Lewis has invigorated his novel with l red blood from every artery of the body of our nation. It Is novel of 1 politics. of intrigue for ohice. of finance. of intrigue on Wall Street. of journalism, of railways, of trusts. It Is a detective story of good order, and story of great charities. A bold story rapidly told. Richard, sort Of Aladdin up-to-date. works miracles | through his tool. most modern of genie, 1 the major domo, MT. Gwynn. l It is an American novel wholly on American soil dealing, with but two | exceptions, with American types. | The story is first of all political story. Patrick Henry Hannay is a born intriguer, his whole force bent to att tain the Presidency. He began he ca reer in the Senate of his State. State of much game, rich oyster-beds ad large mortgages. Of his eight years as page MT. Lewis observes they might have been less pernicious in their in- fuence had they been passed with tho lchain- gang, and he emerged therefrom to cast his first vote, treacherous and plausible and boneless and false-as lvoracious as a pike and as much with out principle" After serving his State as legislator. he aspired to the United States Senate. Then the shocked aris- tocracy of his State let their canvas backs grow cold and their Burgundy stood untasted. With mortified voice they commanded No!' The United States Senate had ever been reserved for gentlemen. and Patrick Henry was a clod."
 MT. Lewis gives his fancy of the Senators from the sections of our Union. The New Englander who be- Ilieves "in the measure more than in the man. nor was there one from that section who did not think that if you but introduced among negroes or Indians, the New England town meet ing, these negroes or Indians, thus blessed. would all and instantly become Yankees.
 Of the Southern member: This ami able democracy of the Southern part, like other good things. has its expla- nation. Your Southern man, like a souab pigeon. Is biggest when he is born. The one first great fact of his nativity is an honor beyond any other which the world can confer. It Is as though he were cradled on a peak, and therefore, wherever his wanderings may take him. and whether into Congress, Cabinet. or White House, he travels I down hill"
 That fortune and fame may go hand in hand Senator Hannay's sister mar ried John Horley, and John Horley mar ried Barbara Hannay. whether this exchange of sisters by the two was meant for retort or for compliment lived a point of dispute"
 But as by miracle fortune followed the union of these two families, the Hanley Hannay fortunes grew apace, and the heroine, Dorothy Horley was heiress to all.
 The story of Hannays struggle to possess himself of the House and Sem ate is spiritedly told.
 How the young Aladdin bought newspaper to further the Senator's de- signs on the White House and his own Ion Dorothy, how the great railway, the Anaconda Airline, was thrown In to help, how Wall Street was set on to hinder all. makes thrilling reading. I Mr. Lewis sees our nation caught Hike some great clumsy fish in very seine of railways"
 Of how the threads of this seine can be pulled this way and that for polit- ical purposes the author tells in a wig orous manner.
 Into Wall Street the romancer plunges and writes of the Russian Storis Credit Magellan" to become in the hands of Hannay and Horley the great Northern Consolidated. Of how the millions of Senator Storm wrecked that combine and ruined Stori and saved as by gift the fortunes of Hannay and Horley is wound with the story of jealousy and love.
 We have storm entering journalism, buying a great metropolitan daily while he breaks an egg for breakfast. Storm starts his career with no expe- rience and a piece of good advice from the Nestor of the Press Gallery: Write things in a new way, or new things iR a new way. Do not write | old things in the old way; it will be as | though you strive to build a fire with ashes"
 And is that all?" asked Richard. | Tt Is the whole of letters"
 The prevailing cult of the rich: Char 1 ity Is also touched on. The habit of charity grows upon one like the liquor habit, moreover. if once you help q man, you ever after feel compelled to help him to the end of time" | And Storms charity to Sands was | petard turned against the trade which Sands had made his: 'In the years that followed he Haunted the terror of puh- fishers and master printers. advising many strikes for shorter hours and q larger wage. never failing from his personal purse to furnish what halls and beer the exigencies of each strike made necessary. and wanting which no great individual movement can sur vive."
 MT. Lewis handles events better than he does character.
 Richard is the only parsonage with whom he strikes any semblance of life and individuality.
 Dorothy has as few and as fascinat- ing characteristics as had the boot-heel that won her lovers adoration.
 A little touch or two. however. gives a very good pen picture of Mrs. Honorv Horley: One of those excellent women whereof 1t is the good fortune of the world to have such store. who cherish