The Devils Lake world. (Devils Lake, N.D.) 1911-1911, 1911-04-14


Scenes are depicted in. Washington,
Mexico, New York, Chicago, st. Louis
and at the capital Of western state,
place under the primary election sys,,l
tenn. OF course there is heroine, q
senator's sweetheart. Indeed there
are several heroines, and the former
senator portrays them in u glamor OF
touching and tender sentiment.
He breaks the heart of one pure, no.
ble-minded girl, who, but for the ne
cessities of a realistic political novel,
deserves far better fate. Two other
beautiful characters, rare types OF
womanhood, are dealt with more leni
emily, and live happily eevr afterwards,
while the real heroine, through hcl own
Athenic spirit eventually receives her
reward.
The moral Of the story is suggested
in these quoted lines from Richard
Brinsley Sheridan as foreworl.
''Believe not each accusing tongue,
AS most weak mortals do;
But still believe th.t story wrong
Which ought not to be true"
Only few persons have had a
glimpse at the manuscript Of "The
Second Amendment. One Of these is
Mrs. Lima Brown Reed, who was for
some years the head of the catalogue
ing department of the Minneapolis pub
lie library and who is well known
| among the library folk and bookish
people generally as a lady Of discrimi-
mating critical literary ability and
judgment Mrs. Reed has given the
Tribune the following interesting COM
ment on the new book:
"The complex drama Of American
politics and business is well staged at
Washington, and it has never received
adequate literary Interpretation by
any. of our writer's. One Of the dra-
mats personae, now sufficiently re-
moved from the scene to mediate upon
all of which he has been a part, re-
Gently has exercised his pen upon the
passing show in such wise as to make
good reading.
"I have read the manuscript of for
mcr Senator Hansbrough' 3 "The Sec
ond Amendment with much interest.
This story, showing how politics is
sometimes the handmade Of business,
moves along briskly from beginning to
end. There is good plot, which sus-
tains the interest throughout and draws
Tits readers to a singular littl enubbin
Of an anti-climaN, while the real climax
| is seen mounting to another and more
exhilarating height.
"The characters, including noble
senator or two, a high minded editor
a clever Englishman, a lady Of quail
ty as well as a Madam Newly-Rich and
her prodigal son, some very good Amer.
lean girls, charming young Spanish
American, . Mexican Padre, many poll
ticians, lobbyists, and villains botl
heav! and light, are numerous, Of great
variety and distinctly individualized
All but two or three Of them seem tc
be people we have known.
:. "'rhe heroine, being chiefly under ;
cloud during the progress of the tale
is so peculiarly circumstanced tina
she does not reflect any Of the higl
light Of the picture-with one excep
ton. Although she occupies the cente!
of the stage, SO to speak, it is with TIN
singular effect of standing yelled, an
with her back to the audience. AS
counterpart to the heroine of this des
cription we have hero who is a!mos
entirely absent from the scene, yet h
and his bereft heroine dominate TIN
story
Mr.. Hansbrough' style is easy
fluent and pleasant to read; possibly
| little oevrweighted at times with dis
cursive observation There are goo
bits Of description, and the humor
Of genial and smiling quality. TIL
dialogue, for the most part, is natura
| and is frequently entertaining. But t
/ all who will take up this book doubt
/ less the chief interest of the story wi
Il lie in it's dramatic movement. In man
Il places it is Of that good kind in whic
the reader entirely loses himself.
'tIt would be easy to point out tn
imperfections Of the book, but the1
are other features on which it is plea
anter to dwell. This is certainly a yer
3 commendaohle first effort. Good move
: of American political life are strangel
wanting from our literature. TIL
story is so good that Senator Han
second and even better one,'' sa
Mrs. Reed.
1t is expected that "The Secor