The morning journal-courier., 1908-07-14

py man she would make of her fu- ture husband"
 A RANDOM SHAFT. By Jude Mac
 MIllar Published by the c, M. Clark
 Publishing Co.,, Boston $Lb0; at
 Judd's.
 In "A Random Shaft" Jude Mac Millar, lawyer and newspaper editor, presents somewhat vivid picture of the hardships and dangers that men aced our soldiers in the Philippines. There was no bed of roses for our men in that war, and the perils sufferines and deprvations which they met In expeditions and combats ln these far off isles, were most clearly defined by Mir. Taft in his address at the dedica- ton of the Ledyard ilagstaff on Yale campus few days ago. In memory of one of Yale's brave sons who fell In that war. Thus 1t will be clearly ap- parent that the author of this book has not exaggerated the ptrils and hardships our soldiers ii1erwent n the war in question. Mir 1alt's words were to the point brief but strikingly, explicit and impressive.
 The war incidents inter woven In this story are all founded on actual hap penings and 1t was written according. to the author when he vas fired to the task, on hearing his law partners plain unvarnlshed "reminiscences of service in the Philippines. As the partner was an enthusia stic sergeant of volunteers, it need harJiy be said that the Filiplnos appear not as injut- ed patriots, but as the species of sav- age that muster 1,500 nen for au unsuccessful effort to capture twenty Americans. As an evidence of the good -natured contempt In which Gen. I.awson's forces held the natives, and as a description of scouting in trop lcal swamp, the book has historical value But aside from the historical there is love story. The hero, Philip Sharswood through misunderstand- ing with the queen of his let.rt rushes off to danger and possible death in the war, yet his aching heart might have been spared It's grief and the sad 7 camp life and in the perls encount- cred In exhausting marches amid thickets and ravines with unseen fo ready with their bolos and other mur- derous weapons to atta,k from the secret place of ambush. The misun- derstandlng seemed to be unnecessary with the love of the girl for the young | a1- ..I. n..A |. to be a motive for the estrange- ment Sharswood distinguishes him self by very brave rescue of com rade from a watery grave and other wise displays such bravery that the beautiful girl left behind Is thrilled at the news which reaches her of her lovers exploits and there in due time comes a clearing up of the mis- understanding which was mutually satisfactory. The misunderstanding would never have occurred had Sharswood realized when he recovered | from the murderous attack made upon him by outlaws and train wreckers in Florida that, when he lay delrious, the sweet Nell Austin, beautiful daughter of the judge, the woman he most passonately loved, had kissed him as she was nursing him back to health. Sharswood had received his injuries in defending the judge from three outlaws whom the judge had | sentenced for their crimes. Shars- wood had previously saved a little negro child from drowning in a stream on the Judges plantation at the imminent risk of being eaten by two ravenous crocodlles wht SC jaws were open to devour him. He was saved only by the Intervention of his faithful Bouregard. Nell Austin's mas tiff which In obedience to his mistress shriek of terror and at her behest had plunged to the rescue only to meet death at the jaw of the crocodiles, but he had saved two human lives
 It will be seen from the foregoing that Sharswood was something of a hero and his preclpitate departure for the Philippines on the score of disappointed love was very patriotic but he left an almost broken hearted and lovely maiden behind. It appears also that Sharswood and young Southerner, Jack Flaval, had fought under Colonel Roosevelt in the "hell" at El Caney where Jack, wounded and near to death, had been rescued and nursed back to health by Sharswood Hence undying friendship and Jack goes with Sharswood to the Philip pines, but young as the accepted lover Of the lovely Jane who js a neighbor and chum of Nell Austin. At the Hawaiian isles O'Rafferty, a gallant Jolly, witty Irishman, who had fought in Cuba and at Wounded Knee: a character captally drawn by the au- thor---ineets death in splenddly res cuing from burning building A. bean tiful girl, but the fire, though 1t burned his clothing. did not seriously harm him. It was the bullet of an assassin which was intended for the girl that did it and Sharswood cap- lures the assassin after narrowly es- caping being murdered also
 These incidents are only a portion of the many exciting scenes In the career | VI h'ieti SNODh anu ll may Hb 0nSerVeu further that the book, though crudely written and decidedly amateurish, has the merit of being interesting, despite these blemishes, for 1t abounds in spirited and exciting situations.
 THE GARDEN BOOK FOR YOUNG
 PEOPLE By Alice Lounsbury, au-
 thor of The Wild Flower Book for
 Young People A Guide to Wil1
 Flowers "A Guide to the Trees etc.
 With forty eight illustrations from
 photographs. Published by Frederick
 A. Stokes Company, New York. $50;
 at Judd's; postpaid. s167.
 A charming and handsomely printed and Illustrated garden book in story form told in the same delightful man. ner as the authors Wild Flower Book for Young People" It should awaken | and stimulate the young reader to the