The state herald., 1920-06-25
than If they were thistledown or feath.

"By Saint Joan of Arc" said Ivan
hoe, raising himself joyfully on his
couch, "methought there was but one
man in England who might do such u
deed."
Ivanhoe was right; the Black Knight
of the Fetterlock was Richard Plantag-
anet of the Lion Heart, king of Eng
land, only just returned to his king
dom from the Holy Land, though but
few knew of his arrival as yet. In
his absence England had been under
the selfish rule of the kings younger
brother John, who was planning to
usurp the kingdom.
The great story teller gathers his
characters together at the tournament
of Ashby. There come for the sports
Saxon rulers, now dispOsscSsed by the
NOrmans, accompanied by her sturdy
uncle, Cedric; Rebecca, beautiful jew
Sh maiden, whose fate is constantly
Joined with that of IvanhOe, dlsinher-
tied son of Cedric, a father who will
have naught to do with a Saxon son
who is willing to accept the NOrmnnS
and their ways, and even to be a de-
vout follower of Richard the king;
Isaac of York, Rebccca's father wan
dering Jew of vast wealth, who is
constantly the prey Of the ruthless
Norman mobiles, who would wiring his
riches from him by torture and i'm
prisonment; Robin Hood and his mer-
ry men Of the forest glades. not for
getting the redoutable Friar Tuck,
equally adept in the ways Of the clerk,
the yeoman or the roisterer. To them
are added of Norman stock the re-
doutable Front-de-BOeuf, Brian de
BOis-Gu!lbert, the prior of Jorvaulx,
and Prince John; Athelstane, Saxon
lord, destined by Cedric for the hand
of Rowena; Gurth the swine.herd, and
Wanda, the jester; and the mysterious
Black Prince, who, like Ivanhoe. makes
his appearance incognito till he shall
discover how things have gone in his
absence.
Sir Walter prided himself on his
mastery Of what he called "the big
bow-wow" style; no other of the Wa
verify novels illustrates his power bet
ter than "Ivanhoe." One stately and
stirring event follows another, all hold
ing the reader rapt IN thrills, but none
quite as much as the siege OF the cas-.
tie of Front-de.Boeuf by Richard and
MS Saxon friends. Rebecca from the
lattice recOunting to the wounded Ivan
hoe the fortunes of the battle stands
out In the memory Of many reader
as Sir Walters greatest success in the
Grand style And despite the heroic
mold In which the characters are cast,
they yet surpass in the hold they gain
upon the reader. Few have closed the
book without sigh NJ regret that the
hero had to make choice between Re-
bccca and Rowenn; and in our day and
country few can fail to see the Ike
ness In many respects between Rich
ard Of the Lion Heart and the presi-
dent so lately gone.
The knights are dust.
And their good swords axe rust,
Their souls are with the saints, we
trust.
In the passage at arms at Ashby ap-
pears the Mysterious Knight. whom
the reader knows to be Ivanhoe, fresh
from the Crusade In the Holy Land
in the contests Of chivalry he valiant
iy defeats the Norman champions. and
hestows the prize OF Queen Of Beauty
upon his youthful love, Rowena; the
reader gets but glimpse Of n still
more mysterious knight, whom we
can only suspect to be the king. From
the lousts all journey on their several
ways, but In the forest the Normans
plan lawless ambuscaae and carry
on to the castle OF Front-de-Boeuf for
greed. rvanhoe, who had been wounded
at Ashby: Rebecca. Rowcnn and Isaac
OF York. The mysterious Knight OF the
Fetterlock appears as the timely lead.
er Of the merry men OF the greenwood.
who beslege the castle. to the great
disaster Of the lordly brignnds. After
the rescue OF the prisoners. all save
Rebecca, there follows the Joyous cele-
bratlon of the forest outlaws, n happy
lnterlude between the scenes OF der
ring-,lo.
The strenuous king departed for stlll
more strenuous struggles In winning
his kingdom; Rowena and Cedric
sought their home; Ivanhoe followed
his chief; Brian de .Gu.lbcrt.
Templar though he was and pledged to
holy practices. bore on his unhappy
prisoner. Rebecca, But he was dis.
covered In his wicked designs by the
nustcre hcad of his order. In an ns.
scmbly Of the Tcmplnrs. however, Re.
bcccn was condemned 10 death as
snrccrrss who has scduccd from the
paths " virtue nn unwilling knight,
Her only chance FOR life Hes IN tho
ordeal by battle, Her one champion is
lyanhoe, far away though he IL, whom
she had cured or the wound received
M Ashby. Brian de- Bol@GuIhort by
the Irony OF chiynlry, ls the champion
of his order and of virtue In distress.