The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-06-02

'Thaddeus of Warsaw and Scottish Chiefs" are better known to the present generation by title than by contents. Jane Porter, who wrote both of these books, which were of the most widely read sto- ries of their time, wrote three or four other novels that are all but forgotten now. "rhaddeus of Warsaw" while per haps not entitled sL rank as classic if judged by stern and rigid literary rule and measure, is famous enough by title to justify it's retention among the books of today that every well read person should know.
 { A/ Catherine, pouring into Poland,
 w began that work of devastation and conquest which eliminated in the extinction of once great and powerful nation, Constantine Sobieski, Count Pala- tine of Masovie And descendant of the great Polish king who had rescued Flu rope from the Turk, summoned his vas sals around him and marched at their head te the defense of his country.
 with the old Palatine went a younger Sobeski his grandson Thaddeus, the only male heir of his name. Thaddeus was not yet 20, but his mind had been improved by contact with all that was most illus trious ir Europe and his body developed by all courtly and martial exercises
 InOu2n he pore the name or oODieShl, Thaddeus was the son of the Palatines s daughter Therese. Returning from a so- journ in Italy with his daughter and her infant child, the Palatine had said: My daughter was married and widowed in the course of two months. Since then, to root out the memory of a husband who was given only to be taken away. she retains my name; and her son, my sole heir, shall bear no other'
 Of his father Thaddeus knew nothing; but before he left the ancestral castle of Villanow his mother put into his hand a letter which informed, him of his parent age. While residing with her father in a villa near Florence, Therese Sobieski had q been secretly married to a wandering Englishman named Saekville, who soon after had deserted her suddenly. He had sent her letter saying that he had gone away forever, admitting that he had treated her like villain, expressing the greatest remorse and begging her to for give him If she could.
 The letter that of a man tortured by remorse; but 1t contained no hint of the cause of his flight. And as Thaddeus read it-for the countess had inclosed it vita her own epistle-he exclaimed, Am l to respect or abhor him?'
 In the heart of Therese it was evident that her recreant husband was still en- shrined in spite of his perfidy; and Thad- deus. after comforting her and wiping away the tears which her painful dis closures had brought to her eyes, went s to battle followed by the prayers and ' aars of the countess.
 at the battle of Zieleme, in which the Poles were victorious Thaddeus had the good fortune to save the life of a young Englishman, Pembroke Somerset, who was serving as a volunteer in the Rus sian ranks. Somerset had surrendered himself and during an ensuing truce Thaddeus took him to Vilanow, where no tD lich hfr,.af v1rlS aztn dhnd i I,sa splendor of the semi-regal state maintain ed by the Palatine. Somerset and Thad- deus became fast friends and swors eter- nal fidelity to each other in their impet- uous, boyish way.
 Somerset had been with his tutor Mir. Loftus, in St. Petersburg when the war broke out, and. though under strict or ders from his father not to go into Po- land. had not only been allowed, but urged, by Loftus to volunteer. The wiles of 6 noble Russian lady who played upon the susceptible heart of the tutor brought this about.
 Filled with warm gratitude to Thad- deus and the Palatine and enthusiastic over the magnificent hospitality of Vil- anow were the letters which Somerset wrote to his father, Sir Robert, explain ing his presence in Poland. But after while there came letter from Mir. Loftus at St. Petersburg, to whom the letters had been sent for transmission to Eng land. saying that they had not been for warded. The tutor begged Pembroke not to betray to his father the fact that he was in Poland. He feared he would be discharged in disgrace if Sir Robert knew the facts, and he was sure that he would never get the living of Somerset, which had been promised him on the death of the present aged incumbent
 "All right wrote back Somerset "but l will not keep the secret a day after you are rector of Somerset" Just as the war was about to break out again with redoubled fury a letter, forwarded from St. Petersburg, recalled Somerset to Eng land and he took tender farewell of his friends at Vilanow. In the final strug- gle for the life of Poland, Thaddeus won a fame which spread over Europe along with that of Kosciuslxo, but lost every thing else dear to him. His grandfather died of wounds received in battle, and his mother, worn by terror and anxiety, died in her sons arms only a few hours before the stately turrets of Villanow were given to the flames by the invaders.
 With her last breath she made Thad- deus promise that, as his country was now no more he would seek an asylum fir England. To that country he went accordingly, arriving in London with only a few pounds in his pocket, all his world iy possessions being comprised in the clothes he had his back and in his val.se, a few articles of jewelry which he wore, and the sword at his side. To such  extremes was reduced the heir of the great name and the vast possessions of the SobieSkis
 He had written several times to Penn broke Somerset after the departure of the young Englishman from Villanow, but had received no reply. Feeling bit terly the ingratitude of the youth whom he had loved more fondly than a brother, Thaddeus had tried but tried vainly, to dismiss Somerset from his thoughts. As- suming the name of Mir Constantine, he / took cheap lodgings in St. Martins Lane and grimly faced a struggle for exist ence.
 Miserable, heart-breaking months went by while the descendant of kings and . princes sought for some means of earn N ing bread. and felt that all the world was M against him. Those thrust by fortune to Na state below their birth and expectations lrsS Iways find themselves to be what they I h.bnsider the objects of universal hostil- 7 to' r.. They are harassed not only by the ntumelies which the prosperous are but