The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-02-05

Eq oily subservient and in the back ground with the great historic characters of the period are the warlike events and experiences of the ear settlers of Charleston with the Indians, and the pirates. While the luman interest is cen tered alone upon Miss Damaris Johnson, the winsome daughter of the intrefed leader. Gov. Robert Johnson. She is a charming and altogether bewitching a young heroine as is to be found in many a lone romance of today. And no wonder is 1t that all lovers from Captain May nard, the undauntable Indian fighter, to Mir. Francis Youge, English cashier and gentleman from ode Lonoon Towne. should kneel at her feet. 1t is withal a delightful romance, sp.riteo and viv- acious. The characters are decidedly in dividual and portrayed vividly with a few really masterful strokes The dis tinguishing feature of the book is the clever conversation and sprightly re- partee. What a pity that people do not talk that way in real life-but somehow they rarely ever do.
 :. Nay, Mistress Damaris, beshrew me. but in all your life you have never given your servant as much as a second rate compliment else might 1 esteem my self fairly repaid, seeing that my heart IS nOI .Inlflet put Il iilOSb uHHO-lHy NSSStl filled with yourself'
 = ay you do arrogate too much to yourself when you affirm that l would tarry there even in passing
 |" would only be in passing, Mistress Damaris. None would so hazard his word as to declare that you would tarry with consistency anywhere
 " one makes not dwellings upon un- stable foundations. MT. Youge twould be the house builded upon sand.
 And again a little passage at arms be- tween MT. Youge and Damaris:
 .' Truly, l am honored Mistress Da- maris, that you stoop to use my heart even as a playthng. That it dwells thus long in your keeping makes it a worth fer thing
 :" Nay Mir Youge,' she replied, "tis but d shuttlecock that l bottled in pass ing. since 'tis on the wing.
 '- So, also is Cupid
 !" And like Cupid a wanderer.'
 Yet such bits of conversation of course lose all their aptness and point when de- tatched from the scene which gives them birth The scene of the story is laid dur ing the first quarter of the 18th century and possesses to an agreeable degree the sprightllness and quaintness of speech and manners
 It is said that the events of Miss Mur- lTesS t1HdTltS JsBDtiL RiddbONhj iOA th- coming novel of the Tennessee mountains occur during the civil war 'But the tale is chiefly of irritation love and courtship. A wounded union officer, convalescing in a household in strong sympathy with the confederate cause, falls in love with the daughter of the house.
 The tale is described as light, enter taining and readable.
 Entirely different from Miss Murfree' S cf ic her novel bV southern woman--Mrs. John D. Nam mond's story '"The Master Word which Is also laid in Tennessee.
 The latter book is an attempt to show some aspects of present day relations be- tween the white and blacks in the south. Of course Mrs. Hammonds being a south ern woman, is in keen sympathy with the whites of her section. The Macmillan company has both books in press for spring publication.
 Myrtle Reed, it is said. is visiting New York just now She has been in consul tation with her publishers G. Putnams Sons about two new books upon which she is working. One is to be In the vein of her Lavender and Old Lace" the other. a humorous book. Miss Reed g home is in Chicago.
 Scribner's Magazine for March will con- taan a story by James B. Connaly. the well known writer about the sea.
 "Strategy and Seamanship." which is described as a "big breezy drama of the sea- tells of the sailing contest between Gloucester fishermen The tale will be H. lustrate by w. J. Aylward. In the same issue will contribute Three Days in the Volga," which gives an account of the authors trip on the volga from Sarator to Nyni Novgorod thence to Moscow. He