The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-10-29
NN 0NTHE REVIEWERS TABLE VIZ

Its. author. who Is the, city editor OF
the Baltimore Sun, has devoted TO his
work long and palnstaking research.
AS his work Is the first published life
of the great Cardinal. 1t will come be-
fore the public as an answer to a need
which has Icing existed.
"1he Secret Garden"
BY Frances Hodgson Burnett. Fred
erick A. Stokes Company, of New
York.
Readers OF all ths many charming
books that Frances Hodgson Burnett
has written to delight the world and
make 1t better will find The Secret
pleasures. the joyous laughter of
childhood, the scents and sounds of
fragrant growing things. the perfume
and the bloom of roses-the magic that
heals and comforts and makes tho
weak and sick strong all through and
through.
The garden was called secret be-
cause the door to II had been locked
and the key buried. A long time be-
fore the book-story about 1t was writ
ten a girl-wife and mother bent above
It's borders and tended It's flowers But
because her life ended tragically there.
II was banned ana the mowers were
INTENDED and forsaken.
But after years had passed little
girl named Mary Lennox. whose par
ents had died in India from cholera.
came to Misselthwaite Manor in York
shire. England. tho place where the
secret garden was. Mr.. Craven. the
owner Of tho manor, was Mary's uncle
She was herself thin sallow child.
with thin light hair and sour ex-
preston. She had never had any af-
lection wasted on by has gay. thought
loss young mother. she was any
thing but an agreeable child. But. az
ter all, she was tho Under of the secret
garden. She picked up the key. pushed
aside an overhangtng curtain of
Ivy. and wont inside OF the ancient
wells.
Before she came to Misselthwa!te
Manor she had had none of tho amuse-
ments of healthy childhood. But az
ter she had been working and walk
Ing in the secret garden for awhile,
her little peaked face began TO grow
round and rosy and she became more
like other children. She sJund g play
mate IN a boy named Dickon, a broth
.er of the housemaid who waited on
her. Dickson was the son of kind,
motherly woman named Susan Sower-
oy. Ae was VerBed In all the nature
lore OF the Yorkshire moors. He had
made friends with many of the wild
things and taught Mary a great deal
about the ways of birds and squirrels
and lambs. and how to plant and tend
flowers
When Mary had begun to feel the
good effects of her changed surround
ings. and was thriving adm evpa nding
In natural, healthy way. she made
the acquaintance OF her cousin. Colin
Croven. her Uncle ArchibaId's son. who
was an invalid, over-nursed, over-doc-
tored and over-lndulged. brought to
the point OF believing that he could
not walk. or run, or indulge in any
of the games that boys love having a
highly developed set of nerves and a
weak spine undeveloped through regu-
lar and constant exercise.
AZ to what the garden did for these
two unhappy children. Mary and Colin,
readers OF the book will find out.
Perhaps II did more for Collins faith
er thai for any one else. But II might
not have done so much had II not been
for Dickon and Susan Sowerby and the
help and encouragement they gave in
rendering the weak strong, by the
simple remedies which are In the reach
of all willing to be guided by their
sweet and tender influences
The Secret Garden" will have q
place in the affections OF the world
along with LITTLE Lord Fauntleroy"
and Sara Crewe"