LITERATURE.

Otago Witness, Issue 3429, 2 December 1919, Page 62

LITERATURE.

" The Hermit of Far End." By Margaret Pedlef. London: Hodder and

Stoughton. (Cloth, 6s net.)

This is a story of the making of Sara. Tennant, and how she learns to accept love when it has the appearance of shame. Her mother dies in great poverty, and sends for the only man who truly loved her, and demands that he will look after her little, lone, friendless girl rather than send her to her father's people. Patrick Lovell takes up his work in a most thorough manner. His theory is that no one should be afraid, and his method is, suppose everyone to be brave, and they will not be anything else. When Patrick dies he leaves a letter and instructions, ".When Love comes do not forget that it is the biggest thing in the world, the one altogether perfect gift. Do not let any twopenny-halfpenny considerations ot worldly advantage influence you, nor the tittle-tattle of other folks, for if it is real love your faith must be big enough u> remove the mountains in the way—or go over them." Up to this creed she lives, and when Patrick's brother brings his wife and son to Barrow Court Sara leaves her home as soon as she finds that the son demands her to marry him. As she has four hundred a year of her own left to her by Patrick, she goes to board out in a most interesting doctor's family '.n Cornwall. On the way she meets the Hermit, a dour, crabbed young man named Garth Trent. Sara and Garth have been both brought up in the same school, and are stern, strong characters, but misfortune has brought out all Sara's good points and all Garth's bad ones. Sara, takes over the doctor's family, and brings peace, happiness, and comfort. Garth shuts himself up in his house at Far End, and refuses to see anyone. Sara trespasses twice, and at length storms the fortress, and Garth ioins the rest of the people. Naturally they get engaged, and then the woman who has ruined Uarth's life tries to separate them by telling Sara that Garth has been cashiered for cowardice, the unforgivable sin. Garth and Sara fight it all out, and their conquest is where the book should have ended, but does hot, for at the last they prove that Garth had been cashiered to save the man whom his sweetheart married. The book is well worked out, and one of the most exciting scenes is where the doctor's daughter runs away with a married man, and Sara rushes to Garth to save her. Garth gets out his mr'-r, and he and. Sara have a most ride in the dark, and rescue the lady. Patrick's teaching bears fruit, and though sorely tried Sara makes good every time. The book is well written, and the characters are wonderfully well portrayed. Patrick, the cool, loving, stern man who has learned that to face danger is to end it; Garth, the man who has trie 1 to bury himself and his sorrow under a cloak of unapproachableness; Mrs DurWi.jd, who has played fast and loose with a good man because she loved a weak one ; the dear old careless, clever doctor, who never can hurt the feelings of his sood-for-nothing wife; not to mention the' ether people who help to make the story—they are one and all well and clearly drawn, and? what is more, are worth knowing. No one who reads the book can be disappointed. "Hush Corbell's Wife." By Henry Kitchell Webster. London: Hodder and Stoughton. (Cloth, 7s net.) The heroine, Jean Gilbert, has been taken by her father and mother with them in their wanderings from the time she was born till the story opens, when she is sixteen and a-half. Jean's grandmother, Mrs Crawford, had quarrelled with her daughter when she married a captain in the United States army, who had nothing but his pay; but she relents, and Jean is invited by her aunt to come and be taught the manners of societv. On her way to her grandmother her train is delayed, and then makes up time in the carious way that United States trains have. There is no one to meet her, so she waits on the platform. Several young men get lively, but they are stopped by the appearance of Hugh Corbett. As these two have not been introduced theycannot speak, but Hugh stands guard until she is met by Frank Crawford, when she is properly introduced- to her guard. The next step is the falling ill of a bridesmaid, and Jean is commandeered to fill the vacancy. Hugh's grandfather has a large manufactory, and he still keeps the Teins in his own hands. He approves of Hugh because he can "lay his own rails.' Hugh, like all men, tries to find a modus operandi whereby the workers will be made more contented. He fails, and a big strike is engineered by a Russian cirl exile. This kills the old man, and Hugh's father is left to manage the works on condition that hjs two sons have an ..equal say in the management. Hugh marries the Russian, and is thoroughly unhappy, but turns his attention to scientific research. He discovers the ideal method of treating lead, and so makes -i perfect frictionless metal. His wife again gets mixed up with anarchists and is killed by one of them. Hugh and Jean become engaged, and they then are left on the point of setting off for the war. Within the pages of this book the author has tried to show.his ideas concerning the position of Labour and Capital.' and those who take the trouble will finrLmuch to think about both in Hush's position and in that of the leading workers.

"Mee-ow." Bv E. M. "Lesslie. Melbourne : Melville and Mullen Proprietary Co. (Paper.) These are the aphorisms of a society lady who excuses them by saying— Oil I reactors sweet, pray when yoti read, Bo kind to each, defect. Remember she ia but a Garden Cat, So what can you expect'?

These lines tell -us just* what to expect, and we get it. Some of the best are: " One wants a still tongue and good teeth* to eat the bread of charity." " The woman who hedges and runs away will live to be tempted another day." "Kisses are good stepping-stones but bad stopping-places." There are many home truths which will not be palatable to everyone.