The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-01-29
BY PAIL PRY.

"--he Critic" by Moncure Lyme Published
BY the Neal Publishing company.
THE Critic" as its name implies Is
story Of the struggle of Texas for inde-
tendance. 1t 10 written by Miss Cassie
Moncure Lyme, Of Richmond. Virginia,
and she has in this story proven herself
no unworthy successor to the galaxy or
Virginia writer's of whom we are Justly
proud. The historical facts were gather
ed by Miss Lyme during her residence IN
Texas and in the preface she says: "As
child used to enjoy listening to the tales
of an old ranchman who had fought In
the wars against Santa Anna and drawn
q white beau at Salado.
His "reminiscences included also tales Of
Dave Crockett. and other heroes of the
Alamo. He had known personally Deaf
Smith and scores of Indian hunters and
sat along with Big Foot Wallace by the
camp fires of the rangers. Like a spirit
u-;ist at his bidding, these pioneers souls
would course forth Invested of the
grave cithes in which historians have
shrouded and laid them away in the dust
of the archives The author has taken
the principal brave stalwart Texans who
were the picturesque rangers" of that
period and with the stirring events in
which they were indomitable actors and
fighters. she has added to the literature
of historic fiction a readable and inter-
esting book. In weaving this work"
says she in her own words, the wool
the historical facts comes from the
SHUTTLE of truth. but as coloring Is neces-
ta q I'm for war I hqy
used little love tale, a romance from the
skein of imagination. And thus 1t Is that
the stirring events of the frontier state
are used as a background for the story of
human love between the noble Virginian
and the fond little Mexican maiden.
%rhe scene Of the opening chapters of
the story are laid in San Antonio. and
a number of the characters are introduce
e0 that are not only identified with the
actual events of the period but are re-
membered personally by those of this city
who formerly hailed from 1.-The Lone
Star state. Then follows in quick and
rapid succession the many skirmishes
between the Texas and the Mexicans
under Santa Anna. Such names as Davy
Crockett, Deaf Smith. Bigfoot Wallace,
Sam Houston, Bowie. Travis and others
are familiar heroes in the conflict between
Texas and Mexico. The storming of THE
Almo Is most dramatically described
with truly wonderful accuracy of historic
detail followed by the heartrendering
descriptions OF the experiences of the
Texas Rangers at the hands of cruel
Mexicans. The author possesses pro-
nounced ability in the dramatic accounts
which she gives of such scenes as was en-
acted In the court yard of Salado. The
scene is entitled "A Henious Lottery and
of II she writes: THE rangers then heard
amid a breathless hush Castrillo trans
late into English Santa Annals decree,
ordering that every tenth prisoner be shot
This defamation was to be decided by
Glance. A Jar with a handkerchief
thrown over it was passedto each Texan
who was hidden to draw. It contained
ono hundred and seventy six beans,
seventeen of which were black. The
drawers Of the black beans were those
doomed to suffer death for the attempt
ed escape. The others were to be confined
in the dungeon of verote Vale, but I'M
daunted and fearless, the Texans began
to draw. Never had the world witnessed
such lotteryr' The account which fol-
I. ws Is too long for quotation but It Is full
Of dramatic fire and vivid word pictures.
Az an Offset to so much human misery
and distress Of mental combat Is the
working out the love problem between
the virSian, Charles Dabuey and the
nrey passionate little Mexican girl Josefa
Il = tender and pure and beautiful at ali