The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-03-13
Among the Books
"Thc ProdiCnl Judge"

''Thc PTodiEnl Judge"
by Vaughan Hester illustrated by
NJ Leone Breaker. The Bobbs-Merrill
Company. of indianapolis. Ind $3.50.
The book that bespeaks a cordial
reception into a readers consciousness
by the interest 1t commands from the
beginning is we'll worth being taken
into cordial account, liked as a friend
for It's faults as we'll as its good quail
.ties. and placed In niche of remein
branLe. from which it's image can be
evoked at will Or pleasure.
Tho Prodigal Judge" is classified a
once as a book of this kind. 1t tells
a story from the very first. describes
people whom 1t is an education to meet.
and Introduces these people with an
early nineteenth century background
a North Carolina pine country and a
West Tennessee setting-to individual
izc them.
The dramatic power which vitallzes
and fuses characters. incidents and sur
roundings into natural and inevitable
sequence Is here basic force. in evil
dencs on every page. From the begin
ming. in which the Quintard home is
described, with the faded splendors of
Its great drawing room, and the dead
body of its former master. clad in his
Continental uniform. and paid tribute
pine woods folk, TO the climax, in which
the Judge decides upon the writing of
his memoirs. the dominating quality
OF the romance stirs the ina Gination
through its lyric appeal.
The central idea. the thread ON which
people and events are strung. is fore
cast in the opening chapter Of the
book. where the tragedy ~-hich set It's
bitter seal upon General Quintard's
L. f~r &c.
world during the closing years OF his
life at the barony. is brought forward
in discussion between the late gem
erals man of business, James Cren-
shaw. and e stranger named Bladen.
who represents himself a. client of
some OF the dead mans connections.
a family estrangement is limited at. and
the presence in the desolate home OF
death of a boy whose name Is Hanni-
hal Wayne Hazard. but whose claim
was unacknowicdged by his possible
grandfather. deepens the pitifulness al
ways surrounding helpless and for
saken childhood. Because the child
had never come into contact with Cen
eral Quintard. he naturally feels no
outward sorrow over his loss, but there
is Just one possession which he de-
sires to take with him. waif and stray
that lie is, from Barony. into the big.
through stress Of circumstances. and
that is what he is pleased to term IAN
old spotin rife" His extreme need
for this cherished possession impels
him for Its possession to brave the
presence OF Mr.. Crenshaw and attract
the idle notice of Mr.. Baden. as he
STANDS. a SMALL forlorn figure. on the
threshold OF the library ut the Barony.
within which the business conference
NO no To-
The wind. it is said. is sometimes
tempered TO the shorn lamb. Hannibal
Wayne Hazard is a ather sturdy little
man 10 be considered .lamb-like. but
between him and the bitten wind OF adj
versity is interposed fortunately, the
benevolent figure of ono Bob Yancy q
pine hitler. who prefers independence
and poverty in mixed community
called Scratch Hill. 10 the struggle for
riches which has sent others OF his
class ahead of him on the road TO pros
pcrity. Then Bob Yancy is a philoso-
pher with a heart of gold and from
the moment he takes Hannibais lonely
little hand into his big and gentle
grasp, the boys future position is Sc
cure. Much more SO than Bob's guar
dianship of his adopted nephew. For
when there had grown ur between the
boy and tho man q comradeship, COM
posed of absolute confidence and affcc
ton on one side and responsive protcc-
tivencss on the other. dishonest seek
erS after the child's inheritance at
tempt to get possession Of him from his
sclf-consiituted uncle. The manner In
which iancy dencs the law. maintains
his rights and conducts himself, before
The Pine Woods squire al d warrant
trying" furnishes pages OF the most deli
cious humor. But the arnf even Of
q discr!mina ting Law. reaches a little
farther. and SO Bob Yancy and his
ward bid II sorrowful adicu to the
sympathetic North Carolina Pine Hill
crs and begin a tramp that is to end
at t he plantation country surrounding
Alenphis. in Western Tennessee There
they hope to find 4 safe retreat. and
eventually realize thcir hope. The
tramp is prolific in adventure and re-
suit. I makes the little lad acquainted
with tho "Prodigal Judge" whom he
first knows as q man who had lost his
place and name In the world but who
has never sunk So low as to forget how
to be good TO the friendlcss and the
orphan. Judge Socum, Price Tnrbcr-
VILE, indeed, is new; and striking
type In literature. one who shows
equal aptitude for squandering himself
as for Glling tho just measure OF his
manhood--a man who cal, stay tho
anger Of a mob by the force OF his Will