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THE ATLANTA GEORGIAN AND NEWS. SATURDAY, JUNE 8, 1907.
SOME NEW BOOKS OF LITERARY MERIT
"THE PRINCESS VIRGINIA.” By
C N. and A. M. Williamson. (McClure,
Phillips & Co.)
•The Princess Virginia" Is a veiy
charming romance. It is similar and
vet unlike tlio many "Prisoner of Zen
,ia" stories. It is far superior to tlie
many novels and romances which have
followed in' the wake of Mr. Hope’s
••7cmla" stories, but It Is based on a
mythical kingdom, with Its reigning
„rlnre finding his sweetheart and con
sort In the girl he loves and who loves
him also.
“The Princess Virginia” is the daugh
ter of a poverty-stricken princeling and
has royal blood In her veins. Negotia
tions were begun for her marriage with
Leopold, the young emperor of Rhae
tla—a paragon of manly beauty, abll
Ity uprightness and all those things
calculated to catch the fancy of a
voung girl. Virginia had already fallen
in love with Leopold and secretly
dreamed of him as the one man of the
whole world ever since she was a child,
therefore she is not willing to be trad
ed off by England, as is usual in most
royal marriages, so the story 1% laid
around the trip of the princess and her
mother, under a disguise and name of
an accommodating relative, to the em
peror’s kingdom. The princess first
meets the emperor, both Incognito and
both climbing mountains, near the roy
al city. When she arrives in the em
peror’s city she has an opportunity
which she quickly grasps of saving his
life from-an anarchist The emperor Is
as hopelessly In love with the princess
:ls any young person could desire, and
it is around the plots of tho old cold
blooded chancellor, who attempts to
break up this love-making, that the
story is laid. The chancellor, of course,
Is unaware of the princess’ identify—he
really is fighting to protect the inter
ests of tho genuine Princess Virginia,
and insists that tho emperor shall car
ry nut the partly begun negotiations
for her hand.
There are many thrilling adventures
and curious complications, enough to
satisfy the most romantic reader. The
Princess Virginia was charming and
the emperor. If he had failed "to be Im
pressed with her, or even under any
name to recognise her sweetness, should
have been remoVed not only from his
throne, but from association with nor
mal humanity. The book Is very
bright and clean all the way through,
and the Williamsons have produced an
other fine rapidly-moving romance most
delightfully rose colored. In ‘‘The
Princess Virginia” the reader often
wonders why the lovers do not exert
their mental equipment and straighten
out matters, but he Is recompensed
with the thought that if the characters
In such stories did do so, there would
be no such' books as tho one in ques
tion, which always will find welcoming
readers, with the discriminating liter
ary public.
Mr. and Mrs. Williamson must surely
have been to America or they must have
had unusual opportunities to thorough
ly post themselves on American history.
Therefore, It Is a little startling to rend
of Princess Virginia that she was half
English. ‘‘And In her there’s a dash
of American blood which comes from a
famous grandmother, who was de
scended from George Washington,” etc.
The Williamsons ought to know that
George Washington, while a great man.
and u domestic one, was never the fa
ther of anything but his country.
For summer reading, with the heart
filled with the desire for light, bright
things, one could not find a more pleas
ing book than “The Princess Virginia.”
Hire’s to her, and her kind, even If
such a lovely young woman was denied
of lineal descent from George Wash
ington.
THE WATTERSONS.. By William
Murabell. (Published by the author
through Stanley-Taylor Company, San
Francisco, Cal.)
There has come to the literary de
partment of Tho Georgian a book which
is way ahead of anything of Its kind
that bus been published since the time
Of the great English novelists, Thack
eray. Dickens, Charles Reads and
George Eliot. This book, “The Wattor-
sons.” by Mr. William Marabell. 1s
remarkable in Its worthiness. It Is Just
such a book as will please anyone who
bus become 111 over attempting to dl-
*..“ LETTHE LAW DEAL WITH THE MADMAN; IT 13 MY WILL.*
Illustration in “The Princess Virginia,” by C. N. and A. M. Williamson.
gest the numernns trashy products,
served ns realistic novels, to the public
at large.
Mr. Marabell may In the eyes of
book-buyers labor under the handicap
of having published his own book, but
if any reader hesitates to purchase be
cause of this fset he will make a great
mistake; should he fall to get and read
It he will commit a serious blunder. Mr.
Marabell says, and It Sounds truthful,
quite plausible, "If Thackeray,
known, entered a modem publishing
establishment with "I’endcnnle" under
his arm, he would be laughed to scorn.
Cut It down.’ he would be told,” and
so on. Mr. Marabell, so this reviewer
thinks, Is rather harsh and unjust to
bonk publishers, but he does state sev
eral truths In his preface and the fact
that ho has published his own book
must not be taken os an Indication of
lack of literary merit.
‘The Wattersons” deals with a small
city in Illinois, about the time of the
presidential campaign of 1898. The
principal charactor, or one of them, Is
Watterson, a “boss," a good boss, who
in spite of his calling lives honestly.
The author admits that he has drawn
an exception in the "boss.’’ as he does
In a minister of the gospel, who is not
honest, but he proves In the story bis
good excuse for tho selection of his
characters. They are all excellently
well drawn. Thera Is the young daugh
ter of ’’Boss” Watterson. who has
Ideas” as to woman's suffrage—the
athletic girl, and the fine old Southern
gentleman, then publishing a newspa
per In tho Northern city. Tho charac'
ter of General Hamilton, late Briga
dier General. C. 8. A., stands out llk<
few delineations have done for many
years. General Hamilton Is a real "ua-
reconstructed,” In the hands (and some
of the hearts) of the enemy.
Tlio plot is finely drawn—the Interest
r
Bratmen & Anthony’s
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o£ It unusual and positive, and strongly
holds the reader right through tile en
tire book. -
It wnukl really be unfair to prospect
ive readers to give moro of the plot
than to say that It Is concerned with
the "Boss” Watterson and his family,
a degenerate preacher, an up-to-date
-"captain of Industry," his family and
the life and troubles, likewise pleas
ures, of a small middle West town.
It Is a thoroughly enjoyable book.
Splendidly written. It Is hard to see
that If Mr. Marabell over did submit
the manuscript of “The Wattersons'
any of the large publishers, how he
could have failed to gst an offer, right
oat of hand. As previously stated, the
fact of hU publishing the book himself
should not prejudice the prospective
buyer and reader; on the contrary, tho
author deserves thanks for the courage
of his convictions, as shown In sending
forth "Tho Wattersons” upon his own
responsibility.
The book carries one back to the high
plane of Thackeray and more pleas
ingly than anything published, for a
long, long time. It Is to be hoped that
Mr. Marabell’ will have a deservedly
great sale of this charming book. No
discriminating reader will regret tho
purchase, and this department expects
to receive many unexpressed tha '
for bringing to the attention of lot
of good books such a fine literary pro
duction as "The Wattersons."
“ARE YOU A BROMIDE?” By Oe-
lett Burgess. (B. W. Huebsch, ;(Jv
York.) One of the brightest small vol
umes which has been issued for many
a month Is a Uttle skit entitled "Are
You a Bromide?—Or the Sulphite The
ory," by Mr. Gelett Burgess.
Mr. Burgess very properly says. Just
what evrybody knows, namely, that
people and things are or should be di
vided Into two ports. Instead of call
ing his two divisions—the common
place and the unusual or Interesting
people, "he designates the two species
as the “Bromide" and the ’’Sulphite.”
The book Is sent forth, as an Invitation
to all readers, to take a look Inward
and properly and promptly label them
selves. The author's “Rromidisns.” of
course, are the people who pour forth,
os original remarks, such exas|>rrut-
iDg expressions os "Of course If you
leave your umbrella at homo It's sure
to rain,” or “No. t never Intend to be
married.” "I don’t care for money—
it's what I can do with It.” "The Sul-
vatlon Army reaches a class of people
that churches never do.” "You arc a
sight for sore eyes." ’’It Isn’t so much
the heat (or the cold) as the humidity
In the air.” "Nothing can stop a cold,
unless you take It right at the start,”
and so on. Mr. Burgess admits that
the Intentlng or unusual people, his
"Sulphites,” may have Just these same
thoughts, but unable to frame In words
nothing better, tbo "Sulphite'.’ re
strains himself and says nothing.
Mr. Burgess says the "Bromides"
may love "and oven marry wisely.”
Your own mother, your sister, your
sweetheart may be bromldtc, but you
Reviewed by
Arthur Pendennis, Jr.
are dot less affectionate. They aro
restful and soporific. You may not
nave unJrntood them; before you
JJ555} °\ "Sulphite" theory ypu were ‘
annoyed ut their dullness, and their
matin’® b n l W,th th,s wh,te ,, » ht Hlu-
tfem, you accept them, now.
aro nnd expecting noth-
Paginal from them, you find a new
If 11 * ,l new Joy in their society.”
o *7 r - . ldett ls that we should
strive to attain to that great height of
human excellence, "Where we can ac-
I?* 1 they are. even while
!3Zt5?* g » t . ha f..J htre arc two k,nd *. the
comfortable ‘ Bromldians” or the most
interesting and electric “Sulphites."
Are you a Bromide?” is very bright
a'^? rth ,he reding, and It
makes no difference whether the reader
!S , or U ! e “H 1 ” 1 ' of t,lp author’s
classes, to enjoy his delightful mile cs-
“RED RUSSIA,” by John Foster Fra.
scr. (The John Line Company.) One
of the most Instructive, as well as most
Interesting, books on Russia and her
troubles yet Issued Is ’’Red Russia,” by
Mr. John Foster Fraser. Mr. Fraser
has made a number of trips to Russia
and ho hns lived In the midst of the
hotbeds of revolutionary sentiment and
strife in that much affllrted country.
The charm of the book is that it
reads, in spile of Its facts and figures.
Just like a romance. So many contra
dictory reports have been sent from
Russia regarding tho terrorists, the
Black Hundred” and the many-sided
Social Democrats, that Mr. Fraser's
book comes like a flash of light In the
gloom of differently Inspired reports.
Mr. Frasor. an Englishman of relia
bility, spent quite a time in Russia,
at Moscow, Odessa, St. Petersburg
Warsaw and “Bloody Baku." and of
each Place where he lingered he glvea
the reader a distinct. Instructive and
Interesting picture of not only the
effects, but the causes back of all of
!?.? * tr '£® and , ^niggles in Russia.
S , ..‘t 10 rea der has finished "Red
Russia ho whl have gathered a clearer
Idea of Just what Is tile trouble in that
country than cun be possibly gotten
from, any other book of so few pages,
5?“| i ; lt *■ , to| d In such an Interesting
fashion. Instead of reading a disser
tation on revolutionists, filled with dry
facts and figures, the reader will have
enjoyed a romance. Practically the
principal thought which Mr. Fraser
brings out In his excellent book is that
all classes of the Russian people are
actuated by the same sentiment, which
ho styles "graft." The author insists
and endeavors to prove that the terror
ists, tho Social Democrats, the Labor-
Ites, the Black Hundreds, the Jews; In
fact, all are of the same kind—that
placed In the position of the grand
dukes, or the reactionaries, the revo
lutionists would do,* from the very In
born traits within every Russian, the
very things that the "upper classes'*
are doing today. The author Insists
that it Is in Russia strictly a fight
for spoils of the "outs” against the
Ins. He proves that the labor lead
ers cheat the laboring men under them
even while attempting to pose as light
ing for tho common good.
The reader can get from "Red Rus
sia" a better Idea, free of any preju
dice, of Just what Is going on and may
happen In the near future In the czar's
empire, than from any other recent
book published. The author gives us
pleasing descriptions of tho czar, his
empress and their children, and by
Interesting pictures of the prominent
men of Russia, now In tho eyes of
the world through the douma, one gets
a thorough basis for Judging the news,
paper reports as they come day to day
from St. Petersburg and Moscow.
Another thing which Impresses Itself
upon the reader from a perusal of the
book (tuklng Into consideration Its fair,
ness) Is the point well brought out by
Mr. Fraser, namely, that of the utter
callousness of the Russians regarding
death, bomb throwing and assassina
tions. The author opens his book with
a description of the murder of a Rus
sian citizen by an officer—the former
Insulted by the officer In a prominent
cafe. To people outside of Russia It
seems so cold-blooded, the utter In
difference of the lookers-on In that res.
taurant. The diners In the cafe were
startled, of - course, but the body of
the murdered man being covered up
by a table clotb, the "Joy unconflned”
went on, as If nothing (at least, out of
the ordinary,) had happened. All
through the book such incidents Im
press the reader—Just that spirit of
utter disregard of death In all classes
of the Russian people. "Red Russia” Is
a most Interesting contribution to pres,
ent-day literature.
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