Commodore Barney's Young Spies: A Boy's Story of the Burning of the City of WashingtonOtis, James
History
Commodore Barney's Young Spies: A Boy's Story of the Burning of the City of Washington
Otis, James
Washington (D.C.) -- History -- Capture by the British, 1814 -- Juvenile fiction
A book rather out of the ordinary is this "Spirit of the
Border." The main thread of the story has to do with the work
of the Moravian missionaries in the Ohio Valley. Incidentally
the reader is given details of the frontier life of those hardy
pioneers who broke the wilderness for the planting of this
great nation. Chief among these, as a matter of course, is
Lewis Wetzel, one of the most peculiar, and at the same time
the most admirable of all the brave men who spent their lives
battling with the savage foe, that others might dwell in
comparative security.
Details of the establishment and destruction of the Moravian
"Village of Peace" are given at some length, and with minute
description. The efforts to Christianize the Indians are
described as they never have been before, and the author has
depicted the characters of the leaders of the several Indian
tribes with great care, which of itself will be of interest to
the student.
By no means least among the charms of the story are the vivid
word-pictures of the thrilling adventures, and the intense
paintings of the beauties of nature, as seen in the almost
unbroken forests.
It is the spirit of the frontier which is described, and one
can by it, perhaps, the better understand why men, and women,
too, willingly braved every privation and danger that the
westward progress of the star of empire might be the more
certain and rapid. A love story, simple and tender, runs
through the book.
=RICHELIEU.= A tale of France in the reign of King Louis XIII. By G.
P. R. James. Cloth, 12mo. with four illustrations by J. Watson Davis.
Price, $1.00.
In 1829 Mr. James published his first romance, "Richelieu," and
was recognized at once as one of the masters of the craft.
In this book he laid the story during those later days of the
great cardinal's life, when his power was beginning to wane,
but while it was yet sufficiently strong to permit now and then
of volcanic outbursts which overwhelmed foes and carried
friends to the topmost wave of prosperity. One of the most
striking portions of the story is that of Cinq Mar's
conspiracy; the method of conducting criminal cases, and the
political trickery resorted to by royal favorites, affording a
better insight into the statecraft of that day than can be had
even by an exhaustive study of history. It is a powerful
romance of love and diplomacy, and in point of thrilling and
absorbing interest has never been excelled.
* * * * *
WINDSOR CASTLE. A Historical Romance of the Reign of Henry VIII.,
Catharine of Aragon and Anne Boleyn. By Wm. Harrison Ainsworth. Cloth,
12mo. with four illustrations by George Cruikshank. Price, $1.00.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account