The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-04-16

York, N.25)
 A very incarnation of the springtime Is the Irish maiden, Lallie Clonmell, twin sister of Paddy.
 Lallie appears from Kerry attired in gray travelling coat and in volumnous gray veil like an Irish hedge rose wrapped in rain. She declares herself famished and fairly clean" having had "ever such a wash at Birmingham and she proceeds at once to crack after dinner walnuts and break the hearts of three prefects, all this on the instant Of her arrival at "B House" in Manchester college.
 Lallie was by veriest inheritance girl born to break the hearts of college men, for were not her mother Sweet Alice and her father, Fit1, married when the brilliant Fitz was in Baliol college, Ox- | ford? Later when Lalle and Paddy came they were known as the 'Ba1liol Babies Iallie, true to her inheritance, soon had all her the boys of B. and other houses offering hearts and hands.
 When the young mother died, Fitz. l4allie and Paddy vibrated between Cahirciveen in county Kerry and Veulettes in Nor mandy, and all the vacations of Anthony Bevan, housemaster of B. were spent at che or the other of these homes.
 Thus it was that Iallie was sent to re- turn some of these visits and incidentally to turn the boys heads, when Papa Clon- mell went shooting big game in India third gun" with Lord Neoghs hunting party.
 Then follows the story told in bewitch- ing manner of how Lallie was dear torment to Tony Bevan thorn in the side of his housekeeper, Miss Foster; q cure for quarentine for Cripps suspected of the measles; a loveilee at bed time to the little inmates of the Wentworth nur- sery; a sweet care to Mrs. Wentworth wife of Hamchesters headmaster; vain hope to Sidney Ballinger; a Fenian sing ing Wearing of the Green" at Prim- rose meeting; a-but the sweet story of young spring and of old love that is ever and ever new love must not be marred for the numberless readers that may if trey wish take dear delight in perusing this fresh and witching romance.
 Mrs. Harker Is the happy portrayer Of youth the opaline tints of rose-white youth shine through all her pages. Those who read after her catch the waiting fra grance of the daffodil and of the haw- thorn blossoms of old Englands early "soote season.
 The atmosphere with which she most delights to surround her readers is that of the school and the college of whole some college sports. of cricket. pots, foot ball, fives, she writes with a dash and swing that are exhilarating.
 "An Old Maids vengeance.' by Fran
 ces Powell. Charles Scribners' Sons,
 New York. s1.25.)
 There is a distinction and a dis crimination in the novels of mystery that Miss Powell gives us that Is found In the work of none other of the pres ent day writers of this style of story.
 From start to finish there Is no rein drawing, no abatement of interest, no cessation of rapid action and racing charm. It Is up and away with read CTS from stirrup-cup to the end of the story. In lieu of flick of the whip there is keen invention to quicken in terest. For touch of the spur there is pretty love making to animate at tention.
 Mrs Powell opens her story on Long Island Rapidly the action and the beautiful heroine are transported to the Riviera. There Is an ancient villa transformed into a hotel the rest of the romance takes place. There are gathered the several characters that play well their parts Winnifred Cry den, the old maid with a grievance and a love of scarlet stockings embroid- cred in gold: Elinor I.adoon, the her oine of the speaking eyes, bid to "flirt" for her board and keep at the best of and for the revenge of her cousin. Miss Cryden; Ulaszlo de Noiraud, the Hungarian with the enchanting flute and the hypnotic eyes; his cousin, the false Matyas de Foatre; the English artist Delamere; the mysterious man in monks garb, whose identity Is only revealed by death; the always pleas ing and pleasant Mrs. Carme and the guardian, Ferrars, who comes to set all right for the much tried heroine.
 The plot is as intricate as a double dalia and as full of color, richness and delight.
 'The Imprudence of Prue." by Sophie Fisher (Bobbs- Merrill Co.,, Indianap-
 oils. $1.25.)
 The gayest of spring books. Prue's eyes are as blue and gladsome as are the skies of a clear April day. her lips as red and alluring as a rose in May.
 She is all of a match for the gentle man-hi highwayman, who steals from beauty on the road a kiss and from the arch bishop his wig, and who plots to gain a Kingdom for his royal mas ter.
 An excellent sort of a story from title to last word. Prue's gayety, wit, beauty and love of adventure anima te every page. Prue is compound of all the charms and graces that we have learned to credit to the belle of 200 years ago.
 Here we have all the essentials of a delightful story-interesting charac- ters an absorbing plot, skilled work manship and grace of style. l Prue, of noble birth, and at 16 a penniless widow, enters the story to captivate all hearts, the readers more than all
 Her sweetness, her recklessness, her cleverness of resource her nmble tongue are unfailing. Her need for money, her unconscious yearning for love. and her in cessant delight in daring episodes more than justify the title. title that may stand for her prime. imprudence, which is nothing less than a secret marriage with q highwayman confined in Newgate prison, whence he Is to be taken to the hangman's rope in a week.
 There Is keen excitement, but ever the tone of the story is light and gay
 The plot steers itself clear of a hack neyed course and keeps unfailngly on to- ward fresh romance. Balls and masquer- ades, afternoon levees at which Prue and her plainer cousin. Peggie, dispense chocolate and coquetry;'' midnight adven- lures In the narrow, ill-lit London streets call at Jew money lenders; intrigues over coffee and port in snug inn parors- one episode following closely upon an other
 The style is gay and gancing, and it's easy allJisions to MT. Pope, MT Congreve and Mir Handel add to the glamour of historic illusion, and lmpart unusual liter ary flavor.
 The story is. first of al however, story with no length of description; just mere touches of color here and there, so that