The sun., 1912-07-27
NEW BOOKS.
Battle ana Love and Sarcasm.

The story tellers are an engaging COM
pany and they are faithful friends. They
take us upon lively adventures to all
places at all periods Of time. Mr.. W. NJ.
Ardagh in "The Knightly Years (John
Lane Company transports us to the
Canary Islands in the days OF Ferdinand
and Isabella. This Is stirring and
curious story of love and battle. We
may mention the burly Don Herman. who
killed seven men before he was slain.
His numerous assailants had drawn away
muttering and disheartened when the
vengeful Hautacuperche appeared above
him on the ledge against which he was
backed and drove q spear into his neck.
The great form reeled and fell and in
an instant was hidden under heap of
yapping hellhounds. Ten men claimed
to have struck tho Governor his death
blow; but they boosted. lie was dead
before his body touched the ground"
and the reader will be sorry. for he had
generous traits and he was an interesting &
philosopher.
n Is a striking part Of the story that
tells how Queen Isabella compelled Don
Herman to marry the frivolous lady who
had been flirting with the King. She
was dangerous as well as frivolous. 1t
did not do to speak lightly of her after
her husbands death. The story says:
"When man whispered that her widow
hood had not been spent as a widow
should spend il. Doha Beatriz had him
behesded and buried near Don Herman s
grave. saying that one no jealous for her
husbands memory must share the honors
Of his tomb. But II one were to note all
the men che wantonly murdered or be-
trayed to their deaths one could fill
another book as long as this"
The punishment of tho vengcful Hauta-
cuperche was desirable When ne and
the other insurgents attacked the castle
boy who appeared Oh the battlements
and stuck out his tongue at him--the
we'll known sign Of inockery. Hautacu-
perche crept forward with his spear He
would .cleave that small red target.
II would be q lesson to the Spaniaris
II the lads body were found with his
tongue spitted to the roof OF his mouth
A dart was too small TO kill; IL would need
the spear TO pierce tongue. skull and
brain. But q spear needs careful throw
ing upward. So Hautacuperche crcpt
nearer and Tonito lolled his tongue
But the deed with the spear was not per-
formed. A man with u crossbow waited
behind a slit in the castle wall Only
he lot f'y; the bolt sped true and Hau'a-
cuperche was no more.
We shall not dwell upon the strange
experiences Of the faithful Doramillo
and the lovely and fiery Candelaria. hero
and heroine Of the story The two We're
not lovers always: his broken nos. was
her work But we must set down one
Of tho tales that he told her after they
were married II ran: "Long ago. whcn
there were still kings in Gomera. a great
plague came to the Seven Islands An0
the King Of Gomera said to his people:
Hush ye. Go quietly. then pcrchanc"
the plague will overlook us 80 the
men Of Gomera went about their work
silently. saying nothing. But the women
went on talking. Then the King said.
BE silent. women. else the piagu. will
come upon US hut the women went
on talking. And the King said: II ye
keep not silence I will send the exccn-
tioner 10 cut your tongues out But
the women went on talking, So the King
sent his executioner and he cut all their
tongues out. But the women went on
talking" Candelaria wanted to know
IL the plague did come. hut upon this
point Doramillo could not inform her.
After a period Of thought she put out
the tip Of her own small red tongue.
evidently as an expression of contempt
and said. THAT is a fools tale" Perhaps