The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-01-08
NEW BOOK NEWS
CONDUCTED BY MARTHA YOUNG

sss=sSs%sss=sz.x<sHssses@ss<sS excellent From Tuskegee ws have the Court House Front" the Favor tte LoiterinR Place." which Mir. John son describes thus: "A more aristo- cratic lettering place than any provid- ed by chance or intention as adjacent of the stores. is e group of chairs at the rear door of the court house. Every pleasant day these chairs are brought out into the shadow of the building and the near trees, where they are occupied by some of the vii- iage worthies for purposes of mild Contemplation and discussion" There are photographs of the mules and sleepy oxen of the farm tied to racks, or the latter stretched beside the wagon In the town streets. of the old negro at wedding in the cemetery. of the Typical Old-time Mansion" In the chapter Among the Georgia Crackers" we have much of the games of the Crackers "stealing Partners" 'Twistification." Fancy Four,' There Is picture Of two boys with their Hickory Whistles" that deserves Ito be painted by some master hand so easy. so true are the attitudes of the two barefoot fellows. One almost ex- " hNNh tho cWSCt EVtt uoto Oi woodland instrument. Sweet hickory whistles.
 "A Drink at the Spring." a little girl in limp sun bennett lifting a gOurd of water to her lips is . pic- ture almost as full of truth and beau. ty.
 MT. Johnson writes of the people he meets: In the Tennessee noun tains. in Virginia. in the Blue Grass Country. Nowhere does he seem to meet. certainly he does not write of the better classes of the South.
 Perhaps for that reason his book is the more interesting.
 The South itself can learn of It's own from this volume, and 1t will learn how much to be proud of there is in the steady, plain folk of our land. They show up In these pages full of interest. good character. wholesome independ- ence.
 MT. Johnson looks at us with a kind ly Interest. a surprised amusement and an entire failure to grasp the point of view that Is ours. But since he only tells what he sees and in a most en- tertaining way what he hears without driving lesson or deriving a theory we find ourselves as pleased with his pages as he is. About the tar-turner's pits in Carolina the writer hears from the old negro who attends the fire more good folklore tales. He tells them finely. out -Remussing Uncle Re- mus" The historic places visited are The Birthplace of Lincoln." John Browns Town," '"The Field of Bull Run," and "old Jamestown"
 The negroes are an unfailing interest to the writer. He walks. talks with them, attends their churches. On the whole. he tells of them as they are, kindly. lazy. shiftless. He finds the relations between white and black usu- ally kindly. Now and then a bitter heart. He tells amusingly enough of a negro from New York who declared of the Southern people, They've had a bad feeling toward the colored people ever since this last civilized war be- tween the Norf and the Soul"
 He falls. as do most onlookers, to realize the wonderful advance of the negro. led by the white master, from barbarian to civilization. to even fairly good citizenship-a stride which no other race has made so rapidly. Since the native Africans have made no such advancement 1t Is proof that the old system was conducive ot immense good to the negro himself. He received and still receives an education and an ad- vancement from the Southern whites which is beyond all computation. It has cost the South immensely. It is a debt not likely to be paid. Mir. John son seems to think 1t a little bad that negro should be expected to keen in his place" There Is no question of the peasantry of other nations and races keeping in their place."
 The book is full of local color. and of truthful delineation of scene and character. It has the lasting value of truth over fiction and will surely grow more valuable as time passes. High ways and Byways of the South. By Clifton Johnson.
 Texas and The Nation: Civil Gov ernment, by F. W. Chatfield, A. M, and 5. M. Sowell. A. B. This text book on civil government is one that fully meets he requirements of the schools of Texas.
 Alabama has book of this scope for