The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-05-26

THE M1LITANTS by Mary lthyilohh
Shipman Andrews. From Charles
Scribner's Sons OF New York. through
the Bell Book and Stationery COM
pany, of Rlchmond. PIP S7S.
1t Is not often that 80 pure and beau
tiful a collection OF stories Ia found eni-
bodied in n single book.sns is encoun-
tered by the reader of the The MILF
tants.'
The author has infused into what slio
has written so true a love of human
ity, SO sweet and tender Il sense Of
humor, such power OF description. such
delicacy and refinement OF touch and
treatment that the book, rs II whole,
is liked choice gem, daintily and aptly
set in emerald covers.
ones heart responds to the fitness
of the book title. .'rhe Militants" are
tho people That count IN tho world,
whether they be soldiers of the church,
of the army or of the great outside,
where the daily struggle Is unendine.
Ones imaginative sympathy Is stirred
to It's depths by tho story Of THE Blsh-
ops Silence" with which THE Mill
tants" begins The magnetism of the
Bishop, his strength, his gentleness
and his love for the little chiId-whose
voice spoke TO him from the past, and
brought back to him the great passion
ami tbs great remuneration OF his, life
sound with the thrill OF II trumpet the
call 20 duty for others.
There is no much truth In what the
author tolls one about the Bishop. and
such simple truth. as the reader knows
when looking upon sentences like these
which say:
The soul that through fulress Of life
and borrow and happiness and effort
had reached Mt last n child's peace
met as its like tho little child's soul
that had known neither life nor sor-
row nor conscious happiness, and was
without effort as lily of the field
1t may be that the wisdom of baby
hood and the wisdom OF age Will lool
very alike to us when we have tbs
wisdom of eternity. And as all the
colors of the spectrum make sunlight
so all his splendid powers that patient
years had made perfect shonc through
the Bishops character In the white
light OF simplicity
A number OF the stories have ylr-
ginia characters and Southern associa-
tons. 1t is hard to select any from all
that arc SO fine, but when ono has
come 70 the last page and reluctantly
closed the book, The Little Revenge
with the picture * Sally Meade, stand
saiiboat. repeating Tennyson's lines
fingers in ones memory. as docs tho
thought Of Philip Fairfield Beckwitl
and the lady OF his love standing be-
tween the box hedges In the rose gar.
den OF Fairfield, tha.1 Philip had frs
seen through the ivory gate" OF
dreams
Certainly. amid SO much else thai
offcnds good tasto, 1t Is great pleas
ure to be able here to praise unre.
servcdly and without stint that which
l. true to life. and yet is addressed t.
what is highest and best In the mer
and women of today.
CONFLICT. By Constance smedlcy
Published by Monat, Yard & Co., o
New York. PIP. 81.
very strong and olovorly writer
book. Not good book. but one tina
deals with certain phases of socia
life in a drastic manner, Ringing asid
tho viel from all their pretenses ant
shams and shallowncss. and inyni
bare their tendencies and y sir result
Ing evils to men and women in al
classes and conditions OF life.
The most interesting character In tn
book Is Mary van Hcyten, n young @o
man to whom an importan, bushes
trust is left. and woh justlfies the con
lldence rcposed in her.
To the ordinary observer this quiet
self-contained and capable young wo
man, who holds unswervingly to .prim
Tive principles of right and truth an
honor. who is ready to sacrifice eve
her own happiness to do what She be
lieves to be her duty. may seem mar
row and infleSible in her course o
conduct and her conceptions of life
because placed against her, as TIT
representative of the best type of tn
working class. are the women yh
cheat time by making playthings o
the emotions and end by descending
upon the material and being Statistic
with the externals of life. The wo
men who stake all for men lose
while Mary van Heyten who haZardc
no title of her soul. wins both man
trust and devotion.
The contrast is made in THE Con
fict," not only between the differen
degrees of womanhood, but between TIL
different degrees of manhood as wei
Hayden Cobb stands for the quiet. we'll
bred man of clean ideals and n strie
code of honor; Cuvier. cynical and un
scrupulous type in his treatment @
women, but worthy of the respect c
those mon whom he recognizes a
equals: 4 erral for the vagabond. wit
the smile of the vagabond on his hand
some face, and on his lips the song:
The veriest gambler 1.
OF all who east the die.
The years to-day
stake and play.
1.-THE Conflict" is so named hocous