The Washington herald., 1913-09-07
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volume have seemed sufficient to tell its
story. Hence when the author says
religious life he means the Christian re-
ligion. Practically the story begins with
Pope Gregory l, who, toward the end
of the sixth century, met two Anglo
Saxon boys in the mar"et at Rome, OF
fered for sale as 81, :. The Anglo
Saxons did not become Christians until
they had settled in Britain. The story
thus begins on British soil, and forty
three OF the fifty-three chapters of this
books are given TO the religious life of
the Anglo-Saxon in the British Isles. Six
chapters tell the story in the United
States while one each suffices for Canada.
South Africa, New Zealand. and Aus
tralia.
1t is the spiritual history of the Eng
lsh speaking people from the close OF
the sixth century to the opening OF the
twentieth. We see how the religious life
OF a people touches sor veal or woe
every department of their existence. II
is conceded by all that that sturdy Anglo
Saxon, the Puritan, gave democracy 10
the world. The reader can see that, when
the inherent characteristics OF the Anglo
Saxon combined with the essentials OF
Christianity, the Puritan was sure to
come sooner or later. and with his COM
ing democracy would be a fact.
THE SCARLET RIDER: By Bertha Runkle New
Nork-The Century Company.
To condemn this book one would have
to condemn the whole category of
''swash-buckling'' fiction, which came
Knighthood was in Flower were at
the height of their popularity. But ad-
judged within this category, The Scarlet
Rider" is an excellent piece of work.
The material is familiar as that of a
certain type Of novel, but II is handled
skilfully enough not TO interfere with
the readers interest and enjoyment.
Those who liked THE Helmet of Ma
varre'' doubtless will like the authors
latest story. The Scarlet Rider is called
a romance, and this designation may be
accepted as probably exact We may
cling, however. to our idea of romance"
and We may notice in Miss Runkle's new
tale of cross purposes and tangled ad-
venture the absence of certain qualities
which we would probably like to find.
Withal there is no occasion for issuing
warning against the book, and it may
safely be predicted that il will find favor
with the reading public The scene OF
The Scarlet Rider" is an old English
manor house on the Isle of Wight, its
exciting events and conflicting plottings
and plannings being contemporaneous
with the American Revolution. Lettice
Yarracombe, young, pretty, and viva
cious,, is a delightful heroine, and there
are the ancient butler. two young men,
and the girls father. who are involved
in numerous complications perilous to
life and reptation, especially the one who
from compulsion has to pose as the
Scarlet Rider until the real culprit is
in no less a parsonage than
Lord Yarracombe himself.
THE FFoLLIoTs OF REDMARLEY: By L. Allen
Harker. New York-Charles Scribners Sons.
There is something satisfying in the
entertainment of an English countrJ
novel such as Mrs. Harken has been CIV
inc to the public, and her latest story
possesses the same attributes. The
Ffolliots of Redmarley are such a large
Mr.. and Mrs. Ffolliot and six
as well as the "Gamples." tha.
thers is scarcely any necessity for an
author to construct a plot, after Great
ing them. Mr.. Ffolliot's aesthetic but
selfishness, the mature
pranks of Tx and Buz, the infantile
of the kitten, the lovabIe-
ness of the imaginative Ger, and the
energy and sweetness of Mary-these
sketches alone would make a Consider
able" family novel,
The author has woven a plot around
the Ffolliots by bring in an anti Fflolliot