The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-07-21
Copyright, 1907, by Irwin King.
 All rights reserved.

AaTl6 Lu80WOISA hoO AoSAASA cd to leeward" as an authoress. put there was 6 time when she was not on- ly popular, but exerted . decided infiu- once on the thought of the literary and reading public. Now there Is "reviv- a" of interest in the works of the great Maria," as she was once called; and her long neglected volumes are being brought out in new editions to satisfy a demand 1 at has sprung up latei among the patrons of DOCK stores and public libraries.
 Miss Edgeworth's stories are well worth reading; there Is something in them which, after one has closed the book, vanishes not away. The world once more even to the genius wnlch the great Maria" unlocked in others than to what she herself accomplished, for 1t was a perusal of her tales which caused Scott to write his Scottish nov els and melted Turgenin to pen his stories of Russia life.
 It is to be regretted that Miss Edge worth allowed her father to edit her manuscripts, for 1t is a certain pedAn- tic element. plainly introduced by that versatile man, which gave Byron an excuse for saying to Lady Byron: "She was a walking calculation. Miss Edge worth's novels stepping from their covers" MT. Edgeworth wanted a peerage, and would have obtained 1t had he not voted against the Act or Union in the Irish Parliament. It Is or interest to Americans to recall that the stepi .ther who brought Maria up was "the beautiful Hcnora," for love or whom Major Andre was banished to the American War, where he met his fate on the gallows of Tappan.
 There 7ac joy in Castle Rackrent when Sir Conolly came into his own. Everybody remembered "Condy" Rack rent--a tow-headed urchin running barefooted and bare headed about the streets of O Shaughlin's Town. And now he had come back from London Sir Condy id the head of the Rack looked much Nike old Sir Patrick o'shaughlin, who got the name and es- tates on the death of his cousin. Sir Tallyho Rackrent, which. perhaps. put 1t into Sir Condy's head to try and live like Sir Patrick.
 Sir Patrick at first took it much to heart that he had to change his own beautiful and ancient name for that of Rackrent Tn order to inherit the es- ~tates. but the stakes were large and he needed money, as every free-heart- NS' the finest entertainments in the coun- try: not a man could stand after one of his dinners except Sir Patrick himself, who could sit out tie best man in the three kingdoms.
 It was Jason Quirk, & remarkably shrewd lad and a great favorite with Condy, who first figured out that in case Sir Kit Rackrent should die child less, as he seemed likely to do. his distant relative, the barefooted boy would become Sir Condy.
 Sir Kit had married Jewess for her money and upon her refusing to give 1t up he locked her up in her room where he kept her prisoner for seven long years. Always when there was company at dinner Sir Kit would say to want: My compliments to Lady Rackrent and the company Is drink ing her health. And inquire of her il there is anything at table she would like to have sent her" The servant would come back from his sham er- rand with: My Lady Rackrents comp liments to the company and she drinks their health and regrets thai the state of her own will not permit of her joining them."
 Meantime Condy attended a gram mar school where Jason Quirk helped him over the rough places as became a faithful lad whose grandfather hac been coachman to old Sir Patrick anc whose father was still a servant at the castle. But most Condy loved to gt galloping over the country with Sil Kits huntsman stopping at the cabin: for a sip of burnt whlskey in an, ege shell to warm ms heart, and do hin good and drive the cold out of hi stomach.
 When of proper age he went up tt Dublin College and thence to London to become a lawyer for it was little the orphaned boy had inherited from either of his parents, and --is friends thought 1t right for him to have som' profession in case Sir Kit should b. mean enough to d1sappolnt everypoo! by leaving direct heirs
 But Sir Kit did not so oblige. A fals' report of Lady Rackrent's death get ting abroad, 1t turned out that Sir ki had engaged himself to three differen young ladies in anticipation; and eaci of the young ladies had a brother wh' called out the baronet. One of tn brothers put bullet through Sir Kit heart and Lady Rackrent scampere' of to London as fast as she could ge away.
 The same wind that carried the per secuted widow to England brought Si Condy to Ireland Well. Jason." sai he, "how is the rising young at torney?'-for Jason Quirk was an at torney now-"and how much none. do I get a year? have always left al my business affairs to you. aud nov you shall be my agent and manage tn estates and bring back the good ol days of Sir Patrick to the castle.
 ?Ah. Sir Condy. replied Jason. cast ing 0own his sharp eyes demurely you know that while you have live in London many of the tenants an some of the towns people have advanc ed you money on notes-as I have don myself-and these. with interest. hay So mounted up that-that fear"
 Well. out with it. never mind the de tails. No, I don't want to look at tn notes. leave all that to you. Ho, much is itT
 Sir Condy," said Jason looking tn young baronet straight in the fact
 with a great nominal rent roll. 70 will not be able to touch a hundre pounds of thIs years income"
 "Whew so bad as that. But I mus bave money. Jason"
 The result of the conference wa that Jason undertook to keep thing going and for his own claims too lease of some land which had just fal len In and immediately suolet 1t, clear