The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-07-11

vested highwaymen and murderers with romance. It was with the purpose of counteracting the influence of such lit erature. which, though indulged in by men like Ainsworth and Bulwer, ere ated and invited false sympathy for the vicious and criminal. that he wrote his story of Cath crime" He aimed to depict criminals as they really are and not to invest them with heOric and romantic qualities. Catherine" would in these days be called real istic" novel. and realistic 1t certainly is. Even the late M. Zola could hardly have exceeded it in realism Thackeray preached & sermon in "Catherine' which he fondly thought, would put an end to the morbid interest in crim- inal heroes. But people will read "Jack Sheppard" and Eugene Aram" ,-and they read "Catherine." too. Such is the power of genius that to what ever it touches. even squalor and crime it gives a new life and interest; and it would have been better for the world if the possessors of this God given quality had always as keenly realized their responsibility in the choice of their subjects as did Thack- cray, who never wrote a story that was not lay sermon.
 A BOUT the year one thousand "A seven hundred and five, in 4 the glorious reign of Queen Anne, Captain the Count von Gal genstein, detailed on a tour of re- cruiting duty through the midland countries, sat drinking with his corp pral, Peter Brook. of Lord Cutts' reg tment of dragons, in the parlor of a little inn called the Bugle, at a small village In warwickshire And if any one thinks that the sun ever shone upon two more thorough paced scoun- drels than the slim young Bavarian nobleman and his stout corporal-old enough to be his father-he is vastly mistaken. The Count was a younger son and enjoyed his title in company with a dozen or so of brothers. The elder brother pinched and starved for nine months in his ruined schloss in order to have the means to appear in spiendor for three months at the Bavarian court. The other brothers shifted for themselves. Count Gus tavus Adolphus Maximillian sought ser vice in the army of England, the great wars of Marlborough just then offer ing opportunities for noble adventurers with ready swords. As for Brock, he was literally "child of war" His mother had been a camp follower in General Monks army in Scotland and his genealogical researches did not ex- tend beyond that.
 On the village green before the inn door two noble war steeds were being led up, and down by horse boy. The charger of the Count had saddle and bridle heav- fly ornamented with silver studs and sil- yer chains, while the trappings of the cor poraIs charger shone equally resplendent with punished brass. Corporal Brock, mindful of the business he was on, did not neglect to keep a shrewd eye and ear for what was going on among the villagers who had assembled at the un- usual sight of the gay steeds, though his attention was considerably taken up by little drama which was being played be- tween his noble captain and the blooming barmaid who served the f1agons of s'mountain wine"
 Miss Cat, or Catherine Hall, was slattern and minx with the temper of fiend and a heart which had never throbbed to one generous or unselfsh emotion. But though she was worlxhouse bred she was the prettiest little rose that ever blossomed amid thorns, and her aunt, the proprietress of the Bugle, had taken her to the inn few years before because she attracted custom and a man who dropped in to take one pint of beer generally took several if Miss Cat served them. Miss Catt had that freshness 1n her beauty which belongs of right to a young woman of 16-and Count Maximil- 3an was notoriously susceptible /Even Brooks wicked old eyes were bent on tCatherine with look which came as mear being one of tenderness as his wicked old soul was capable of supplying But discipline is discipline, and when MT. Brock, perhaps excited by the wine, h. vited Catherine to give him what he 9called "buss' the captain hinted that the corporal had better go outside and at- tend to his duty of alluring country ybumpkins to enlist, couching his gentle in- Etimation in the words:
 Mark ye, Brock, it is only my con Hescenson which allows you to share my bottle in this way; take care that instead 1 do not give you a taste of my cane"
 1<cIt dioHe Wltll HIS HIT enSldVer the suit of the Count made rapid progress pLa," said Mistress Cat, your honor do look like lord. to be sure, though never see one" And the little minx dropped profound courtesy and cast her eyes down demurely. The noble Galgenstein put forth all those Vaccinations which had proved Irresistible in the case of the phy- eicians wife, the canoness, begad," and many other women of whose conquest he fwas never tired of boasting. "All you military gentlemen are so given to de- tceiving us poor country girls" said the demure Catherine. "Oh. la, your honor tordship, I mean-there is my aunt a. ealling"
 The 'mountain wine of the Bugle was bxercrable, and Count Max had a fine taste 1n wine, but he ordered bottle after bot tie, and drank 1t, deciding to ride no fur ther that night Indeed by the time his 1ordship had finished his last bottle fur fher travel for him until the morrow was out of the question Meanwhile old Brock had invited a party of the village youths to drink with him in the kitchen of the inn, and had been so successful in filling their heads full of stories of the great wars, of the wealth and glory to be ob- tained in them by a young man of spirit, and had so assiduously piled them with