S C R I B N E R ' S M A G A Z I N E Important ... - Rparchives.org

December 10, 1912.
chosen to be his companion through
liie.
It is a story refreshing in its simplicity,
and naturalness, and of great
value to the young in encouraging
faithfulness to every day duty.
"John O'Partletts." By Jean Edgerton
'Hovey. Cloth. 313 pages. Price
11.25 net. Four page illustrations.
This is, without doubt, one of the
best books of the season. It deals
with a small self-righteous community
where even the minister has a feeling
tbat what he believes must be right
because he believes it, and he cannot
be mistaken; where even the
wash-woman believes that her young
son, an imp of cruelty and mischief,
cannot do wrong, for is not he the
man of the family, etc. So much for
Partlettsville. But up on the mountain
is a cottage witb flower garden
and vegetable garden, all in bloom,
and otherwise productive, but the old
woman has had sore trials witb tne
world and has a grudge against the
self-righteous, and so, on account of
her desire to keep to herself, is considered
little better than a witch. A
poor little colored boy, tbe only one
in the village, is left without a home
when his old grandmother dies. The
washwoman's son and his companions
secretly persecute the little colored
boy, and when at last he almost
loses his life through their cruelty,
the old "hag" as they call ber, rescues
and adopts him.
Then a poor forsaken dog "John
Frenchy of Parletts," is hounded and
even shot and left for dead by tbese
same persecutors, but recovers enough
to seek refuge with the "witch."
The minister takes the part of his
parishioners and lectures sorely the
old woman and demands the boy, but
she refuses. At last, on the day of a
children's picnic, after the minister
and others had secured the promise
of the owner of the cottage that he
would evict the old woman in a few
days, a great snow storm overtakes
the little children, while they are In
the woods up on the mountainside
somewhere; the sky is so thick witb
snow, that lne mountain at an early
hour is enveloped in darkness; the
parents, among them the minister,
lace the' storm, searching for tbe
children, who cannot be found. When
all hope of findingthe children aliye
has been abandoned, the barking of a
dog is heard, and after following the
sound to be a different pathway from
that taken by the children in the
niorning, they discover the old woman,
the negro boy. and the dog, all
tied together by a strong rope encircling
the lost children in the shelter
Of a great rock over the edge ot
a partly frozen stream. As the rescuers
are almost near the children,
the minister's delicate youngest child
steps backwards and falls into the
time reappears with the dress of the
unconscious child in his mouth.
There are many startling situations
and guilty discrimination, confessions,
repentance, forgiveness, etc.,
but the lame dog is afterwards considered
a hero. The exposure in rescu-ng
the children causes the death
ot tbe negro lad, but the "witch"
loses that title and is afterwards
pointed out proudly as "Partletfs
own." It is a splendid story, where
kindness triumphs.
"The Blossom Shop." By Isla May
Mullins. Cloth. 223 pages. Illustrated
by John Goss.
Nothing appeals to the tenderest
sympathies like blindness. The story
torrent, and is rapidly borne away charming story.
before anyone can reacli her, and The part that the neighbor children,
as well as their father, the col­
disappears under the ice. There is a
bark of distress, a sudden spring ored servant's In both homes, ana
through the air, and "John O'Partletts"
disappears also, but in a short contributing to the child's comfort
even the parrot and puppies take in
is
A t^AMILY PAPER.
delightful, but tbe conduct of the
doctor and grand-aunt in helping tc
recover the child's sight* and the
romance which ends in a double wedding,
is r.cb in happy situations and
proves that there is great goodness
and kindness to be found in many
hearts.
J. B. LIPPINCOTT COIVIPANY,
PHILADELPHIA, PA.
"The Unafraid." iBy Eleanor M. Ingram,
Cloth. 3C8 Pages. Price $1.25
net. Illustrated in color.
The plot Of "Unafraid" is laid in
Montenegro, tbat country so devastated
by tbe wars with Turkey. Delight
Warren, a young American society
put off. She decides to go to Montenegro
with a friend. She goes without
tbe consent of her uncle and aunt,
and even the friend advises her to
desist, but she is| deaf to advice.
Reaching Montenegro, she sends
ivord to her fiance to meet her
at a certain place, but on her way she
is kidnapped by 'Count Balsic, who
claims that Michael is an enemy to
his country, and wants to get hold ot
her money to prolong hostilities. She
StiU insists on marrying Michael,
when Stefan compels her to marry
him with the understanding that he
will then keep her as a prisoner ol
war at bis bouse, that at the end of
the war she may get a divorce from
him and marry Michael if she still
wishes to do so. It is a story full of
intrigue, but all ends well.
" MY heart's in the HIGHLANDS."
From "Xlie Keeper ofthe Vineyard." Published by Fleming H. ReveU & Co. A charming story depicting the adventures
of three children who
of the wonderful sacrifices made by girl, whose parents are dead, has all
a young mother for her little blind the wilfulness of a girl that has not through adversity and the wrong-doing
of others, are forced to give up
daughter; her self-repression and continual
care that nothing unlovely oi Sbe meets a young Montenegro noble­
their luxurious home in the city. En­
been curbed by parental authority.
disagreeable shall shock the exquisitely
sensitive nature of her darling; gaged. He must return to his own
man, Michael Balsic, and becomes enduring
se.paration from a loved father,
the manner in which the little one ia country, but tbey agree to meet in they accompany their mother fo a
taught to feel beauty to such an extent
as to take the place of seeing and aunt oppose the marriage, but to live in a barely furnished house
France and be married. Her unc'.e lonely spot in the country in England,
it; and the joy that the mother and finding Delight obdurate, and determined
to give Michael her fortune, many privations, depending solely on
near a railway. They had to suffer
child take in working among the blossoms
and flowers, which iwork enables
them to provide the necessaries France for the wedding. Michael had story writer, can earn with her ipen.
they reluctantly go with her to what their mother, who is a famous
of life and to retain the ownership of told Delight that his brother Stefan, They cannot understand why they receive
no letters from their father,
their home, all together make a most being the elder, inherited the title of
Count and all tbe landed estate, and
had given him barely enough to exist
upon.
Word reaches Delight in France
tbat Michael had met with an accident
and that the wedding must be
W. A. WILDE & COMPANY, BOS­
TON, MASSACHUSETTS.
"Phillida's Glad Year." By Grace
Blanchard. Cloth. 299 pages. Price
$1.00 net. Frontispiece.
This story is a sequel to "Phil's
Happy Girlhood," and traces the lives,
occujpations, and aspirations of a
bevy of boys and girls, after they
have left scbool, and entered upo.u
the practical, domestic and social activities
that attend the more advanced
time in young people's lives, lhe
girls bad been classmates in a girls'
seminary, and are a very charming
group. Each one bas her distiiicdve
characteristics, but they work well together,
one supplying what is lacking
in another's contribution to the
com-mon weal, of joy, tender-heartedness,
self-sacrifice, knowledge, wisdom,
hopefulness, faithfulness, and
each contributing true affection. Of
course Romance bas its place and
buoyant youth has its full measure of
happiness in the companionship ol
kindred spirits in whom the spirit of
God has come to make bis abode.
THE MACMILLAN COMPANY, NEW
YORK.
"Tbe Railway Cbildren." By E.
Nesbit. Cloth. 309 pages. Illustrated.
Price 50 cents net
and are requested by their mother to
ask no questions concerning bim, but
to continue loving him and all will
yet be well. There is much mystery
in the book and much of nobleness of
character displayed, not only by the