Mr. Leslie Montgomery will be welcomed as an acquisition to the ranks of humorous novelists. Like George Birmingham he writes of the North of Ireland and shows the everyday life of a small town. The competition of the local managers of the two banks to secure the account of the heir to a fortune is very amusing and always strictly probable. How Mr. Wildridge gets the capital subscribed for the woollen factory: how the confiding Rector and his daughter are saved from dishonour, and how Orangemen and Sinn Feiners, Protestants and Catholics are cunningly induced to work for the prosperity of the town in order to ‘dish’ each other are all related in an easy and convincing way. The story is told in light comedy vein, at times becoming madcap farce, and yet it cannot be said that the bounds of possibility are ever surpassed. There is not an unpleasant or disagreeable character in the book, and the humour is at the expense of everyone in the town. Anthony Wildridge is always cultivated, adroit and audacious, and deserves all his success. At the close he discovers that he is younger and more susceptible than he thought he was. -------- DUCKWORTH & CO., COVENT GARDEN, LONDON, W.C. Transcriber’s Notes The original spelling was mostly preserved. A few obvious typographical errors were silently corrected. Further careful corrections, some after consulting other editions, are listed here (before/after): [p. 68]: ... to an end just as the picture of the French count ... ... to an end just as the picture of the French court ... [p. 86]: ... back to the table so that nobody “poked.” She ... ... backs to the table so that nobody “poked.” She ... [p. 252]: ... and canons and things make a frightful noise.” ... ... and cannons and things make a frightful noise.” ... [p. 277]: ... That life and such happiness in store for him is ... ... That life had such happiness in store for him is ... [p. 283]: ... lounge seemed to have deserted her; and almost ... ... lounge seemed to have deserted her; and almost at ...