The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-03-25
-
!. THE LATEST BOOKS
UNDER BRIEF REVIEW. !,

hand. and another that was noticeably
serene. optimistic and 1self-contnined The
paragraphs are selected from the descrip-
ton of a house party given at the COIN
try home of William Ashe. where the
Premier Of England. Just arrived, Is the
guest Of honor. The party are at tea on
the lawn, and In response TO all inquiry
made by the Premier regarding lis host,
Lady Asfe says. as she hands tie cake:
He has been reading the Bible. Just
now.she's in the Acts. That's why, I sup,
pose, he didn't hear the carrinse.' she
called footman. John. tell MIR, Ashe
that Lord Parhams has arrived. 3
Tho. Premier opened astonished eyes.
Does Ashe generally study the Scrip
lures OF an afternoon?"
Kitty nodded, with her most confidirg
smile. When he can. lie says --slc
per--"the Bible is such a id Interest,"
ing book
Afterward. when tho Dean Of mn Eng
)ish Cathedral. who Is one of tho best and
purest characters OF those that nave to-
do with THE Marriage OF William Ashe.
and the one unchanglng friend OF Lady
Kitty, draws her aside and tries to per-
suadc her not to read Renan, she an-
swers: ia
II prefer to see things MS they are"
The Dean sighed. THAT mono Of us
can do. my dear Lady Kitty No one
can satisfy his intelligence. But religion
speaks to the will, and It Is the only
thing between us and the void. Don't
tatnper with II! 1t is soon gone"
a satirlcal expression passed !: over the
face OF his companion. Mine waa CONC
before We had been month married..
! William killed ~ q vi
The Dean exclaimed: II hear always
OF his interest in religious matters,'
He. cnrcs for nothing, 10 much" was
the rcjoindcr. and he doesnts Believe one
single word Of anything n was brought
up in n convent. YOU know. but william
laughed 1t all out OF mo and now, OF
course. know there's nothing III IT,
And herein lies the keynote III of the
books most obvious lesson, What mat
tered to Ashe and to the young undis-
ciplincd lie committed TO his guardian
ship his perfection OF character his daz-
cling SUCCESSES his triumphs In leader.
ship. 80 long as the ear OF his soul fails
TO catch the Masters call that would
have remind him IN loving recall:
One thing thou lackest. Come and
follow me- -. "
a DIARY FROM DIXIE. BY Mary
Boykin Chestnut. Po. 4ol. $3.50 net. D.
Appleton & Co., New York.
Mrs. Myrtas Ilockett Avary, n Virginia
woman and ono well remembered In
Richmond as the author, Of Virginia
Girl in the Civil War" has again app
reared In print as the oo-editor with
MISS Isabella Martin, Of Columbia, S. CT,
OF! "a Diary From Dixie Mrs AvaryS
writes from Miss Martins home to a
Richmond friend regarding this book
which has just been brought out by the
Appleton publishing house that
'.1>he original OF the Chestnut Mss. is
lover there on my table; thin. old COM
| position books into which Mrs, Chest
nut copied her Diary from pages of Con-,
fcderate paper that had suffered burial;
! In hiding places with family silver. One
or two volumes on the old note paper
stil. survive. Last summer while visit
Ing Columbia and stopping in Miss Mar
tiTn'sShometI discovered the Diary IN ech-a
.nIcai parlance; that Is Recognized its
charm and value. y 2 t{5
"Icannot tell you what a strange feel
ipS used to come over me-, sitting here
in a house where the deaus woman used
often to SIT. reading the pages penned by
her hand. now crumbled into dust, Her
words were still so alive. She had left the
Diary TO Miss Martin as a legacy, one
that was fully appreciated, but one that
had been withheld from the world be-
cause friends advised against its early
publication. 4. rs "a,
"Persuadlng Miss Martin to entrust me
with the MSS. I took 1t TO New. York.
where 1t was al once accepted by my,
publishers the Applctons. They had sent,
ME southto get theSmaterials for u post
bcllun story. but believing that the Diary
Ought to have chronological precedence
they diverted my energies for the time
being, from my own book to this"
Mrs. Chestnut. the writer of the MSS.
to which Mrs. Ayarys refers. was the
Daughter Of stephen Decatur. Miller, a
/ South Carolinian of social and political
{ stinction.s She arred James Chestnut.
iJr.. son and heir OF Colonel James Chest
nut, OF Mulberry" near Camden s, c.,
aIdeNto President Davis and brigadier-
general in tho Confederate service. Her
EIary was begun in. Cha rleston, s.. Co
when the State convention was passing
The Ordinance of. Secession. II was con-
tjnued In, MONTGOMERY, Ala where Mrs.
| jefferson Davis as president of the Con-
frderacy. 1t records the aboiiihardmen
OF Fort Sumter III Charleston harbor,
! which Its author saw fron.a house top.
! 1t gives Impressions Of the social, milf
tary and political life. Of the South as
witnessed from the standpoint ofSkeen
observation and unexampled opportunity.
when the life of tho Confederacy. was
at Its highest activitytin Richmond and
Charleston.
Mrs Avary may we'll characterize the
words penned by Mrs. Chestnut In rela-
ting her experience as being alive" Per-
lectly simple. una ffected and spontaneous.
her Diary. nevert heless proves tho Sesame