The Washington herald., 1912-06-23
Literary Review of Latest Publications


gia was so graphically drawn and whose
sad, untimely death Is mourned not only
by Mr.. Taft, Of whose family he wal
a member. but by the whole American
nation as wen: for he was an able stan
officer and his work on army horse
transportation has been pronounced
standard by all nations.
The story itself Is pleasing and well
told. The author has pre-eminently
drawn upon two things: his work as q
newspaper reporter and the wrong Ideas
harbored. especially in New England
right after the civil war in regard "a
the South and Southern life and the
sufferings OF former well-to-do, vel
raised men who groaned under the load
of their heavily encumbered estates. and
whose wives and daughters, despite for.
mer social prominence, had been reduced
10 the necessity Of doing houseworh
and the cooking, but whose spirit was
not broken and whose hospitality had
remained the same lofty, ante-bellur
kind. That, as soldier he would weave
a military camp into the story which
finally led to the denouement and ulti-
mate happiness. was to be expected.
Poor ARCHER brave. kind friend, he
deserved a better fate, but as President
Taft said: II knew he would die like
a soldier" This little book, published
as a memento to him and his virtues
and fine qualities ought to find a rapid
and large sale.
JACoNETTA STORIES. by Fannie HeAslip Lea,
author Of ouieksand. sturgs Walton Com
pany, New York
The book contains a number OF pleas
antIy told short stories, affairs of the
heart Of Jaconetta, brilliant, subtle,
elusive, but quite irresponsible creature,
with a fascinating. but dangerous, irony
that is the terror Of her admirers. These
gay surface, but the climax is in ia
conetta's great AFFAIR with the hand
some, wary young cynic.
A sparkling flow OF dialogue, the cease.
less play Of a tricky and irresistible wit
the shrewd understanding of the ways
of a man with a maid and a general
sense that we are introduced to very
real people in a very real worId-all
these things blend to make for the read
er most engaging bit Of fiction.
THE GOoDLY FELLOWSHIP, by Rachel C.
schauhler. The Macmillan Company. New
YoTk.
A love story, with Persia as the back.
ground. with characters chosen from the
Christian missionary station at Muir
ANNA 1t makes a strong human appeal
because in a particularly happy way II
refers to the charming company Of peo.
pie named in the title. Jean Stuart, the
heroine, improved upon acquaintance
She is Of the fashionable world Of Amer.
ica- and she goes to the missionary sta.
tion because she is obliged to.
On a sight seeing tour around the world
she is betrayed, while in the hills of
Northern Persia, by her Moslem ''cour.
ier," Hadji, who bribes her muleteers and
abducts her into the mountains, but is
rescued by Thorley Prescott, who, though
one OF the missionaries Of that secluded
Persian station, is not in the least like
the popular conception OF a missionary
Because Of the difficulties Of winter
travel, Jean stays several months at
the station, and the change in her out
look upon life, made by The Goodly
Fellowship" forms not the least inter.
esting phase Of the story.
In Thorley Prescott, Miss Schauffier
has presented a character which is quite
as remarkable as her heroine. A mar
Of tireless energy, he sees the purpose
Of the missionary to be, first Of all to
improve the economic and social condi.
tions Of those among whom he has 70
labor. The love OF Jean and ThorIey IS
a very real example OF the trite saying
that the course of true love never runs
smoothly. The Goodly Fellowship is
interesting far more than its story, pre-
senting what may be taken to be a
true picture Of the life of the mission
airy in country full of unsOlved prob
lens
Miss Schauffier 10 a member Of a fam
lily OF missionaries, and it is said that
the murder Of Mr.. B. W. Labaree, her
brother-in-law, formed the first inspira-
ton for the beginning Of The Goodly
Fellowship"