The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1909-01-03

PEN the Society for Psychical Research
is also busy in uneloal1ing eAarlatans.
Mr.. Podmore tells all about the results Of
study, exposures and SO forth in his book,
which is very interesting, but wouldn't
| do well to read just before going to bed.
In Calverts Valley" by Margaret P.
Montague Baker & Taylor Coz
Margaret P. Montague wrote a book
last year. 1t was published then, at any
rate, called THE Sowing of Anderson
Cree" which stood and still stands at the
head of all the present day stories dealing
with life and love in the Virginia or West
Virginia mountains. That is to say, such
is the humble opinion of this book de-
partment.
They say that Mr.. F. Marion Crawford
went with his wife and friend to catch
train in his home town. The train was
delayed; Mr.. Crawford excused himself
from wife and friend and entered the
cafe. The train came in sight; where was
Mr. Crawford? HE never has any idle
time, said the friend, Crawford is in the
/ restaurant writing another novel to APP
pear serially beginning day after tomor-
row in Smudges Magazine"
Now, Margaret P. Montague isn't in
that kind of literary. or otherwise, hurry.
Her new book, In Calvert's Valley is
just as good as THE Sowing of Anderson
Cree which is saying good deal.
Hester Rymals, a charming young girl
who lived most of her life in a little town
of Wlloughby, West Virginia, had been
spending Is months with her aunt in Bal
timore, who was a society queen or some
things of the sort Hester didn't care for
, continued doses of sassiety, so after ira
pezing all over America and most of Eu-
rope, she decided that home was the best
place after all, in which to live and in
cidentally love For she had left at home,
Is months before, a nice kind of chap, by
name James Calvert whom Hester ex-
pected to marry and would have done So
only she changed her mind.
Enters on the scene of action Page EN-
lyn, dealer in lands, coal and minerals;
who goes to West Virginia on business
trip. Emlyn on his trip to Hester's coun-
try, among the West Virginia mountains,
becomes involved in a tragedy. To wit:
man was killed. Who was the murder
err? Page Emlyn? For a long time he
thought So
This delightful story tells how Emlyn's
destiny was altered by the catastrophe
and how the lives of charming woman,
to wit Hester Rymals, and various others,
were enrlleshed with his in the tangled
web of fate.
The originality of the plot, the intensity
70 the love story ut is beautyD and the
gracefulness of the descriptions make this
novel of genuine distinction.
Margaret P. Montague has real sure
enough talent. She knows intimately the
people of whom she writes and she COM
pels her readers to know the things and
characters described in her really superior
productions.
One cannot realize until he or she takes
up such books about mountaineers, as
that written by this author, that so de-
lightful a story can be told of those peo-
pie, without noting that murder has is
not committed on every other page; enor-
nous quantities of chewing tobacco are
not needed, nor the usual whiting of
sticks and feuds among the people to
complete delightful story of the people
OF the mountains.
Both THE Sowing of Anderson Cree"
anG I'm Calverts Valley are delights-if
you know good thing or book when you
see or read it.
"A Prisoner of the Sea-" by Chauncey c.
Hotchkiss. John Mcbride Coz
Mr.. John Raymond, who has been
Mate O. the Victoria, three years gone"
was sitting in his office in Havana one
bright day. John had just received a call
er, the agent for the office-owner who had
been unkind enough TO say to John that
he must pay up or shut up the aforesaid
office. This happens when the book "A
Prisoner of the Sea- opens. Now. John
only had about 30 pieces of eight or Amer
lean equivalent and he didn't propose to
burn up his capital in paying any further
rent to a Cuban landowner. In walks
Dave Turk to disturb Johns musings
Dave had deserted from a ship at Ha-
vana. These two hard-up chaps pool their
interests.
This pooling results in John getting into
a large lot of trouble and much love
which is compromising, or not, just as
you look at it. This story tells all about
it., and will keep the reader running all
around the room, trying to digest all the
excitement therein contained. For read
ers who like such exciting stories, "A
Prisoner of the Sea" Mill please, all right,
all right.
The narrative is based upon the defalca-
ton of over $1,000 by the Cuban agent
OF prominent shipping house In New
York City, lately forced into bankruptcy
real happening, readers Of the press will
recall. All that the public knows of the
truth is that the agent turned the FIRMS
available assets into cash and jewels,
puts the proceeds on board of his private
yacht and sailed for parts unknown. John
Raymond. the unsuspecting hero of this
story, finds himself an officer on board
y
ually unfolds itself to hirp.
The paramount questions of the book
are action, mystery and dyed-in-the-
love- One of the prettest and most
charming of American girls occupies the
center of the stage. The plot and counter
plot of her two rival admirers this ad-
yenturous cruise give rise to a string (yea
an ocean cable) of exciting incidents-mu-
tiny wreclSing tactics and risky (also
riSQue) deeds of daring that-Wil1 they
keep you busy? Certainly. if you like that
kind, and a great many people do. In the
end, after a series of dramatic SITUATE
virtue has it's reward as virtue should
land mostly DOESN'T. And Violette Mon
taena! Well she is 'cling-stone peach
If you know what that is. and If you do
not, get the book and find out. 1t won't
bore you,. neither violette nor the book.
-
Uncle Tom Andy BILL" by Charles Major
(The Macmillan Coz
You may laugh at people who enthuse
over when Knighthood Was in Flower
in your high-browed, superior way and
may have just cause to do So
But you must save your glee when it
comes to books written by Charles Major
for the young gJlks. Not many writer's ex-
eel Mr.. Major in the latter pursuit.
Tom Andy Bill Addison and Balsar
Brent built a cabin in Indiana, about ten
minutes walk from their fathers home.
From this cabin they oft would sally
forth to hunt and set traps. One stormy
night they hear a knock on the cabins
door When the door is opened, in comes
a half-frozen Indian, Wyandotte or Man
yomo by name, about 80 years Of age The
boys befriend the half-frozen Indian.
The Indian stays with the boys in the
ca bin for two weeks. One day while hunt
ing the bows lose their Way and arc at