The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-06-06
Among the Books
and Magazines
"a cavalier Of vlrslnIn.y
BY G.. q. Theodore Roberts.


an inexhaustible mne from which the
writer of early American romance can
draw inspiration. The character and
life Of the people, their ideas, scnti-
ments and, above all else, their pat
riotic devotion to the land which gave
them BIRTH their high courage and
idealism, render them fit subjects for
the art of the novelist who desires to
make his appeal to the heart and tho
fancy. as we'll as to the intellect. And
80 1t is that descriptions OF "Admiral's
Pride" "Fairwood Manor" and Hope
land" three Underwater Virginia esq
tates. and OF the doings of the house,
holds on these estates sound in the
readers ear like strains OF familiar
music and evoke recollections OF the
most picturesque period in the his
tory of Virginia and virginians.
The story is well thought out and
we'll connected. Francis Drurie, the
hero OF the book. Is an excellent rep
resentative OF the class to which he
belonged and OF the traditional virtues
and beliefs which 1t inculated. His
consistency in love. his bravery under
misfortune and his forgetfulness in
his efforts to cheer and encourage
others might well serve as lesson to
the virginians of the present day,
who have somewhat furnished their
ideals by being too closely allied with
the spirit of commercia!ism.
A ball at "Admiral's Pride" given
on the eve of the departure of Francis
Drurie to Join In Hudson Bay ex-
petition. is spiritedy described with
the singing OF the fiddles, the swish
OF gliding feet and the ripping of
laughter as Its embroidery Franic
Drnrie takes his courage In his hands.
tells his tale of love and gets his
answer amid the rout And that In
vests II with deeper interest.
Years pass before there is lovers
meeting In the ballroom of "Admral's
treachery and piracy try the hearts OF
Francis Drurie and the woman he
loves. But because Of their unfalter-
ing devotion and unswerving purpose
they are reunited And then, up sail.
and away for the shores of the Old
Dominion. 10 home and friends and
happiness awaiting themt
The absolute freedom of the book
from the follies and faults of mans
poetic tone and treatment render it
specially attractive and commendable.
"susan In Sicily"
BY Josephine Tozier L. c. Page &:
Co. of Boston. 5000.
The adventures OF the autroress and
those OF a party OF her friends during
their travels and so1ourns in the gar
den OF tho Mediterranean, the island of
Sicily. are here told In a series of re-
markedly clever letters written By SUI
60 nto her beloved sister Betsy" In
America.
Susan leaves London with her Aunt
Anne. inexpressibIy glad to exchange
the gloom Of an English December for
the sunshine and flowery fragrance of
Sicily. A landing at Genoa. night
spent in Rome and an escape from
Naples and its banditti bring her duly
10 Palermo. with Its Quattro Can't.
its exciting Passeggiata, It's Corso ana
Via Maqueda. From Palermo she goes
to Cirgcnti. thence TO Syracuse. Ca
tania and Taornina; then back tu
Palermo. on to Naples and to London
Tor a friends marriage there. before
the journey across the Atlantic to
America begins.
Points OF Interest at all the Sicilian
cities are described with liveliness
of touch and a vividness of magma
ton that render the book as unlike
the ordinary narrative of travel as
possible. Among the group of tourists
accompanying Susan are three English
friends. two of whom are betrothed In
her own in young American sent
abroad by his family. who becomes her
aunt's cavalier and her own in Taor-
nina and afterward. The writer was
in Sicily the year before the earth
quake. The closing chapter of the
book Is told in letter written from
Rosina, Contessa Banciastellt, whose
wedding was about to be celebrated
at the time OF Susans departure from
Palermo The letter gives the con-
tessa's fearful experiences a Messina.
and pays tribute to the generosity of
Americans toward the victims OF the
Messina disaster in the following
words.
.'How good they were to us when we
were hungry, thirsty. naked and ner-
vous, A song writer dismissed her
lovely fancies 10 wait upon the homes
less peasants. an artist turned from the
rose-leaf glow of Etna's awakening to
soothe the slunbers OF the sufferers.
Women and men accustomed to life
of careless luxury and ease worked I'M
reulittingly, tireless in the doing OF
CHARITY. and to clothe and feed us, all
these forestieri pillaged themselves"
"rhc O'Flynn."
BY justin Huntiy Mccarthy. Harper
&: Bros, Of London. Sl.5o.
Lady Benedetta Mountmichael. ira
yelling from NBrest to Cork with gold
for King James Stuart to win his Eng
.lish Kingdom back out Of the hands of
William of Orange, was delivered frol.
u roadthief by vagabond soldier or
fortune, who was a new figure in her
wide experience OF men. The Lady
Benedetta had known court lovers and
court poets In plenty, but this strange
rasamuffin who was patiently a gentle-
man for all his tatters, was different