The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-04-12

an effect that no southern book could. MT. Page says that among the prisoners at Andersonville more threats against Stanton were made by the prisoners than against Wirz. Of course the prisoners were not in love with Wirz, but the gist of MT. Pages book is that after the war when Stanton realized the suffering he had caused, which he must have known when it was going on, and knowing too that he had been largely responsible for it. he was compelled to find scapegoat and instantly had Wirz arrested and tried CD, likewise legally murdered. The book, a splendid book it Is. Is divided into two parts, namely, part first An dersonville-The Prison and it's Keeper part two, Major Wirz, the Man and Ills Trial" It is a great book-one that should be read by all southerners ana all fair-minded northerners too who hon estlv wish 10 know, the truth, and there are a great many of them, notwithstand- ing Senator Forakers kind. This book deserves a great sale. No review can give a fair idea of it's worth. It is a not able production and the thanks of the southern people are due to MT. Page for his fairness and honesty of purpose.
 "The Barrier" By Rex Beach. CHarper
 & Bros.)
 MT. Rex Beach made something of hit with his book called "The Spoilers" and 1t was dramatized, put on the stage but it did not remain there long. May be because the book was too good to be successfully dramatized. It sometimes happens that way. MT. Beach's new book. just published, called 9rhe Bar Tier" is much more interesting than "The Spoilers" To this reviewer any way. MT. Beach writes of Alaskan peo- ple. situations and places from first hand. He lived in Alaska for long time and his book is full of that much-abused term, "local color" The story of The Barrier is a first rate ons. Lieutenant Burrell with six soldiers from the United States army was sent to Alaska to keep the peace or as much of it as he could with himself and six men guarding 1t. Lieutenant Burrell's post was designated as "Flambeau," where something like hundred people lived. The post store was owned and operated by John Gale" a squaw man. Gales family consisted of his squaw, two children-half-breeds and a beautiful girl. "Necia." who thought she was Gales daughter and the squaw her mother, but of course she was not Lieutenant Burrell falls in love with Neca, but her half-breed condition or her supposed blood holds Burrell back from a proposal. Of course the test came and Burrell found that he was about to lose Necia, everything was cast to the winds, family, personal interests, etc. to gain Necia's hand in marriage. At the beginning of the book the reader can see that Necia was no half-breed. She was a beautiful woman, and differ ent from any other woman living up in that country. The reader will be sure to know that there is some mystery connecting her birth and her living now with old man Gale. And so 1t was, for when gold was discovered near Flam- beau there was great number of peo- pie who focked to that location, lured by the discovery. Among them is one Bennett" under another name Way back before the story opens Bennett and Gale had loved the same woman in Cali fornia. Bennett won her simply because he was the worst man she could possi- bly, have selected. When this woman died or was murdered or killed herself, it doesn't make much matter here, Gale secured the child, ran away with her. pursued by Bennett and a posse, who had accused Gale of murdering Mrs. Bennett So Necia was this baby, grown now to a lovely woman. The denoument came just at the right time in 'The Bar
 rier'' for Gale and Bennett have 1t out in fight Burrell wins Necia and all is we'll It is not so much this slim plot as
 it is the action in the story that will de- light the reader. There is "something
 doing right from the start It Is not
 like many books which cause wonder from the reader as to whether the au- thor really was not writing against time or in order to fill up a certain number of
 pages "The Barrier is a book which
 the reader will not care to lay aside until he finishes it. That is the best re-
 commendation that one can give a book these days, and when also Is added the fact that MT. Beach knows what he Is talking about in so far as Alaska people and things are concerned, as well as good love story, a reviewer can hardly say very much more.
 The book is light-there Is nothing heavy about it-but it will hold the read CT if he will make start at the perusal.
 How many books will do that these days? And then to meet Pierre" the Canadian lover of Necia, is worth read ing any book.
 "Prisoners of Chance."-By Randall Par
 rish GA C. McClurg & Co)
 MT. Parrish's books, such as "Beth Norvell," Bob Hampton" etc., have made him a very popular writer. His latest story called "Prisoners of Chance will add rather than detract from his
 reputation. Mir Parrish has gone way back in history this time for his people and situations. In "Prisoners of Chance
 Godfrey Benteen a woodsman, an En- gIishman, tells the story. If the reader will recall among the many changes
 made in the government of Louisiana
 before the United States bought it in 1883. Spain and France owned that ter ritory a few years and would sell 1t back and forth to each other and so often that the people of New Orleans at many times did not know to whom they really owed allegiance. This book opens when France had had a selling spell and to Spain Louisiana had been disposed of agai1. A governor had been sent to New Orlf Ans to take charge of Louisiana ter rito Y. Most of the inhabitants of Louis-
 ian, particularly of New Orleans, were loyl 10 France and they refused to &C.,
 ce.f fbe Spanish governor. They put hia Sn prison and decided to be French mssl-wgtiy riily. Then Spain sent that boooy Captain OReilly. with number os wzT vessels, who. when he reached New Orleans, became very busy killing Joe eonsDS,ztors against Spain, etc. -snong taess coDspirators were five no- Ges Dae Ds the nobieg Gall condemned Q oie 81tfIie C arDrz) was chsvalier de
 EpssP, siao had. with the help of the