The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-04-03
Among the Books
"I'be Colonel's story"

"Ibc C~Olonel's story"
BY Mrs. Roger A. Pryor. Tho Mac
milan Co, OF New York. s1.2o net.
Mrs. Pryor's Virginia books have
made her name widely Known among
those who have embodied In literature
their recollcctions OF the Old South.
Hitherto, however. her Writings have
peen mainly filled with her rcminis-
cences OF the Confederate War period.
and or the people prominently identi-
fled with that period. The Coloncrs
story" possesses the unusual interest
OF being her first novel with 81 Vir-
slnia setting and characterization. In
which society of ante-bellum DAYS
comes INTO full play. Mrs. Pryor hay-
ing cVidcntly been familiar personally
with the environment the ncoplo and
the incidents which she rcoroduccs IN
hcr romance.
Inc virginia household In witch l,er
interest centres is called
nastlc, and It's owner, Dr.. Charles
herheley, who. the reader is informed
married lovely Mary Blair. The Two
~nters OIL the house are Shirley and
Dorothea, Shirley growing into swco,
Young woHanhood, and Dorothoa s,ii,
n child. but full of charming inJivj.
duality.
Most intimately related TO tho fam,,y
Tie at Berkeley Castle is The Colonel,
1or whom the book is entitled. who tx.
name Is Colonel James Jones, owner Of
nd.IspS' a h~eiEhborinG plantation 10
BcrkelcY Castle, and the descendant or
a famous admiral of Catesby Jones.
whose portrait bears witness 10 =
fought aspect. and a warlikc PROV
cSs.
whoever In literature brings hack
,ruthlnily scenes and people harmonic
ing Win their environment. and mcasur-
ing naturally up to the standards that
given conditions might he expected to
produce does Il service to the world
.hrs. IrTor has rendered such a SER
wee III her novel. The manner in which
she recalls life at Berkeley Castle
awakcns III the memories of many read
ers "a reminiscent thrill of acknowl-
edgInent as to its realism. The Office
the drawing room. the dining room and
last, but not least. the kitchen, bear
a strong resemblance to those belong
ing TO many another plantation of
former years.
AND the kindly. hospitablc. honorable
mistress and master. thcir friend, the
Ceionel. and their daughters, full OF
the gaicty OF youth and the ingenu-
BUSINESS Of childhood. are types easily
recognized. as belonging to a civiliza-
ton in which older N~irginians found
the full flower or their development.
The names in the book, the Pages,
the Carringtons, Henrys. Taylors n
Ncwtons. arc those universally known
as belonging TO State history, and are
symbolic OF brave deeds and gallant
courtesy. beauty and Intelligence
among men and women bearing them.
Stories of the Old south have abound
ed since It's passing in 1865. But none
have appeared that have been pre-
scnted from a more intimate standpoint
than this. Snatches OF conversation,
house parties. balls and germans at
the White sulphur Springs. are among
the features that rendcr Mrs. Pryor's
book charming.
Against a background that is I'M
cqualed for picturesqueness. the fig
urc of The Colonel stands .out.
clearly cut. tho product Of his cen
fury, a gentleman In the truest sense
of the word, one who loved his lady
well enough to lose sight Of self, and
desire above all things her happiness
with the man Of her choice. The ro-
nance Of the book Is all the more ap-
pealing because 1t has a heartbreak in
It. the image OF Shirley going through
the rooms of the Coloncls old home
borrowing an added delight from the
kisses thrown by her over her finger
tips to tender eyes that look down
| upon her from the canvas over the
mantel.
Next to the Colonel. The most fasci.
mating character drawn by Mrs. Pryor
Is Dorothea Berkeley. the Duchess, as
the Colonel called her, the child who
finds her happiness In a fairy glen OF
the Berkeley woods. who plants a grass
ring for the fairies dancing by moon
light, and installs within 1T during the
daylight dower maidcns fashioned OF
wild azalca and yellow jessamine. cap
ped with lady-slippers and seated at
tables a%rrayed with dainty cups and
sauccrs of white narcissus. Dorothea.
indeed, is always q poet at heart and
is endowed with one OF Gods best
gifts. tho grace Of constancy. Her
likeness recalls that OF the Barbcrini
vase which she hugs to her heart, the
vase with mystical figures and the rep
resentation of a timid soul fearfully
entering the land Of shadows. while q
little Love is looking back and lighting
| the way with his torch.
"Bawbcc jock
BY Amy McLaren. G. p. Putnnm's
Sons. Of New York. s1.35 net.
A very genuine romance Of the Scot
fish Highlands. In which the authoress
has used her literary power to picture
very delightfully."- a house party enter
tanned at Glenmoira. during the grouse
hunting season by Mr.. and Mrs. Monty
Potter. OF London, England. to indivi-
dualize members Of the house party
by delicate character shadings and to
tell about a charming love story that
had It's beginning at Glenmoira.
Among the guests was a lovely Eng
lish girl, Angela Tempest, her guar
dian. a cleverly droll society man. and
John Murdoch Mackenzie, Lord of Glen
MORA and known among his English
acquaintances by the nickname Of
"Bawbce Jock"
Glenmolra. because he had sacrificed
his own interests and claims to those
OF n younger brother, Altster, an i'm
reckless lad. had to lease
Me- eraditar.a. hn1nn IA Clan m nira- anil