The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-11-13

shoulders too weak to bear them the burdens we cry against. Doubtless the proverb was written by a Frenchman free of burdens; most proverbs of that kind are.
 But "Flamsted Quarries," while much better written book than The Wool Carver of 'Lympus," is not likely to be so popular; 1t hasn't as much of the much-to- e-desired, we are told. heart-interest Although in both books Miss Waller emphasizes the nobility and dignity of work and its healing power and from the best of good in- tentions, gives us true lesson from the heart of self-sacrifice and love.
 "Flannsted Quarries" has it's first scene in New York when a boatload of immi- grants comes in. Next is presented to our attention a cheap vaudeville show where a little Irish girl sings 'eThe Holy City, and contrary to arrangement of her programme. gives There Is a Green Field Far Away as an encore. Three men in the audience hear her, a priest with past tragic story, wealthy man and young college man who in the days to come is to love and marry the singer. The little singer, Aileen Armagh, is res- cued from the stage by the French Cath olic priest and through his influence is placed in home at Flamsted Quarries, eb AAtNhC lONi III ndtnct WHICH IldS De- come prosperous through the opening up of extensive granite works. The com- pany which owns the quarries is a big New York syndicate, and the book gives realistic picture of present-day financial and labor conditions. As it also describes the pathetic life of Aileen in the nome D
 The hero is young man, who in early life is possessed by the one idea of gain ing wealth and the power it will bring md haft ,f1 has never been awakened outside of his love for his mother he Is thoroughly self centered. He is given a position of trust wltn the granite company with the prom ise or steady advancement. Having large sums of money at his command he be- gins to speculate with the usual result Although wealthy friends offer to make up the deficit, he is led through the in- nuence of Father Honore to pay the full penalty of his crime, seven years in the states prison. How would you, most noble reader care to be influenced like that? Go to jail for seven years when you could have kept out of prison? Any how, at the end of his term the hero goes back to his home town to find work in the quarries The years of solitude and toil we are told, have broadened and deepened his nature, developing him into line type of manhood, fitting mate for Aileen, whose love for him-good and strong-has never faltered through the long years of waiting. Should the moral be, then: If one happens to be not deepened or broadened and one wishes to fit himself for the love of dear, sweet girl, should one go to prison for seven years? Uncle Sam has a nice one near Atlanta. Still. If waiting is the only thing. one might adopt the Biblical wait ing of IA years, wasn't it?
 The finest bit of character work in the novel is that of Father Honore, the great dominating figure of the book His tragic death when he lays down his life in or der that other lfves may be spared, gives serious impressiveness to the story
 "F'lamsted Quarries'' is a good book and the characters of which are stim- ply ordinary, convincing human men and women such as we meet in every day life