The French Broad hustler. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1896-1912, 1911-08-03
MRS. TUNNSEND'S In 1.-THE NAN
TAHALAS."

The Hustler wishes to thank the
author for a copy of the above named
delightful little volume, and although
we have not had the opportunity TO
more than glance through it's pages,
we feel sure that it deserves all the
nice things that have been and are
being said and written about it. 1t
should prove exceptionally interesting
to all readers of this immediate sec
tion. Not being able at this time to
give it a more elaborate review, we
gladly take the following from the
Charlotte Observer, which appeared
a short time ago:
"In the Nantahalas,' by Mrs. +. L.
Townsend of Leaksville, is a book
which should held vivid interest for
all who are familiar with n excel
lent literary work finch is being done
at present by natice North Carol1n1ans
or who, entirely aside from this fea-
ture, desire to form a correct cCncep-
ton of the life of the mountain o
/ nthis state-a people which has IN
recent years become, through mis-
guided efforts and misunderstood re-
marks, the subject of mis~concept1on
which lacks little of calumny. Mrs.
Townsend is a writer of much expe-
rience and of strikingly restrained
habits of mind. The volume may be
procured from her direct at Leaks
vile, N. c., for 81 plus a few cents
postage, CIR from the Stone& Barring
er Co., Charlotte, price 81. The first
edition, which the author had pub
Iished for in New York, is now near
ing exhaustion and a second to be
issued from some house nearer home
is in contemplation.
xbe2of shrdl uand and and andd fgg
in the Nantahalas" is a romance
of Western North Carolina. Linda,
the heroine, though born an dreared
/ nthe mountains of this name in the
southwestern orner of the State, is
not a typical mountain girl. Her
mother had married the son of an
Georgia family but the
husband lived only a short time after
the wedding. Brokenhearted the
where she died a few mCaths later
in giving birth to her little daughter.
The child is reared by an aunt, her
mothers sister. Of her fathers peo-
pie she is totally ignorant but natur-
ally supposes that, they, too, are
folk. Through a happy Sc
ries of events, quite realistically de-
velopepd, Linda is established in her
grandfather,s home in Augusta. Here
she receives the attentions of a num-
of ardent lovers whose expert
ences contribute materially to the in
terest of the tale.
And yet, after all, it is not the story.
interesting as it is, that makes the
book SO well worth reading: nor is
n development of Linda's charac-
skillful pieces of work though
this be, harmonizing in every detail
the differences between her inherit
anee and her environment and trac-
ing step by step her growth from
girlhood TO strong and
sympathetic womanhood. The most
valuable feature of the book is its
description Of mountain peoole and
mou1feI0 lifo. So mrch has been
written Of then degradation of the
mountain whites" that Mrs. Town
sends portrayal of a splendid, up-
right people presents a welcome and
much needed picture. Enthusiastic
fhoIgh she is about the strength and
nobility OF the mountain folk and
eager to give them credit for all sec
lions this is by no means the meager
amount usually supposed-she writes
quite as frankly of their great need
OF education with it's mem
a development.