CONCLUSION.
SOLON TALBOT went home in high spirits. It was only recently that he had
become aware of the great value of the Golden Hope shares. It had come
to him as an agreeable surprise.
"With what I was worth before," he soliloquized, "I may now rate myself
at one hundred and fifty thousand dollars. That is very good--for a
beginning. I can afford to buy the house in Forty-Seventh Street, for I
shall still have a hundred thousand dollars over, and in five years I
mean to make it half a million."
He paced up and down his library in a state of joyous excitement. No
thought of giving his sister-in-law her rightful due entered his mind.
"How can she find out?" he reflected. "Old Mr. Doane never told any of
us of his mining shares. I presume he looked upon them as rather a risky
investment. It has proved to be a splendid speculation, but it was
rather a lucky accident than a shrewd purchase."
[Illustration: "'Mark!' exclaimed Talbot. What brings you here!"--Page
303.
_Mark Mason's Victory_.]
It was after breakfast on the morning succeeding the sale of stock. Mr.
Talbot was preparing to go over to the house which he proposed to
purchase for a last examination before making up his mind, when the
servant entered the library.
"There is a boy down-stairs wishes to see you, Mr. Talbot," he said.
"Perhaps a boy from Crane & Lawton," he reflected. "Show him up."
Directly afterwards Mark Mason entered the room.
"Mark!" exclaimed Talbot. "What brings you here!"
"A matter of business, Uncle Solon."
"Then you will have to wait, for I am just going out."
"The business is important," said Mark significantly.
"Well, what is it?"
"I understand you sold yesterday the shares in the Golden Hope Mine
belonging to grandfather's estate."
"What!" exclaimed Solon Talbot, his face showing his surprise and
dismay.
"There were four hundred shares, and they were sold to Luther Rockwell,
the banker."
"Who told you this? Have you had any communication from Crane & Lawton?"
"No; though I know the sale was made through them."
Solon Talbot paused long enough to pull himself together. It would never
do to surrender at discretion. He would brazen it out to the last.
"Your information is partly true," he said. "I did sell some shares of
mining stock, but they belonged to me. You have nothing to do with
them."
"Uncle Solon," said Mark composedly, "it is useless to try to deceive
me. The four hundred shares were bought by my grandfather, and belonged
to his estate. Half of the proceeds rightfully belongs to my mother."
Spots of perspiration stood on Solon Talbot's brow. Should he allow
fifty thousand dollars to slip from his grasp?
"You audacious boy!" he exclaimed. "How dare you make such an
assertion?"
"Because I happen to know that the four hundred shares stood in the name
of my grandfather, Elisha Doane."
"That is a lie. May I ask where you got this information?"
"From the purchaser of the stock, Luther Rockwell."
"What do you know of Luther Rockwell?" demanded Solon Talbot,
incredulous.
"He is one of my best friends. Before buying the shares of the Golden
Hope Mine he asked my advice."
"Do you expect me to believe such ridiculous stuff? What could you know
about the mine?"
"I have recently returned from California. On the way I stopped in
Nevada, and I have in my pocket a statement signed by the secretary of
the company, that four hundred shares of the stock stood in the name of
my grandfather."
It was a series of surprises. Solon Talbot walked up and down the
library in a state of nervous agitation.
"What do you expect me to do?" he added finally.
"This letter will inform you, Uncle Solon."
"From whom is it?"
"From my lawyer, George Gerrish."
Mr. Gerrish, as Mr. Talbot knew, was one of the leaders of the bar. He
opened it with trembling hands, and read the following:
* * * * *
"Mr. Solon Talbot:
"Dear Sir:
"My client, Mark Mason, authorizes me to demand of you an accounting of
the sums received by you as executor of the estate of his late
grandfather, Elisha Doane, to the end that his mother, co-heiress with
your wife, may receive her proper shares of the estate. An early answer
will oblige,
"Yours respectfully,
"GEORGE GERRISH."
"Do you know Mr. Gerrish well, too?" asked Talbot.
"No, sir, but Mr. Rockwell gave me a note to him. I have had an
interview with him."
"Say to him that he will hear from me."
Mark bowed and withdrew. Within a week Solon Talbot had agreed to make
over to his sister-in-law, Mrs. Mason, a sum of over fifty thousand
dollars, representing her share of her father's estate. He reconsidered
his purpose of buying the house in West Forty-Seventh Street, and
decided to remain in the flat which he then occupied.
Mrs. Mason and Mark took a handsome flat up town, and henceforth were
able to live as well as their pretentious relatives. Mark was advised by
Mr. Rockwell as to the investment of his mother's money, and it has
already increased considerably. He is himself taking a mercantile course
at a commercial college, and will eventually enter the establishment of
Mr. Gilbert, with whom he is as great a favorite as ever.
It never rains but it pours. One morning Mrs. Mack, the aged miser, was
found dead in bed. She left a letter directing Mark to call on her
lawyer. To his surprise he found that he was left sole heir to the old
lady's property, amounting to about five thousand dollars.
"What shall I do with it, mother?" he asked. "I have no rightful claim
to it. She only left it to me that her nephew might not get it."
"Keep it till he gets out of prison, and then help him judiciously if he
deserves it. Meanwhile invest it and give the income to charity."
Mark was glad that he was able to follow this advice. Jack Minton is
still in jail, and it is to be feared that his prison life will not
reform him, but Mark means to give him a chance when he is released.
Through Mark's influence, his old friend, Tom Trotter, has been taken
into a mercantile establishment where his natural sharpness is likely to
help him to speedy promotion. Mark has agreed to pay his mother's rent
for the next three years, and has given Tom a present of two hundred
dollars besides. He is not one of those who in prosperity forget their
humble friends.
And now after some years of privation and narrow means Mrs. Mason and
Mark seem in a fair way to see life on its sunny side. I hope my
readers will agree that they merit their good fortune.
On the other hand, Mr. Talbot has lost a part of his money by
injudicious speculation, and his once despised sister-in-law is now the
richer of the two. Edgar has got rid of his snobbishness and through
Mark's friendship is likely to grow up an estimable member of society.
THE END.
A. L. BURT'S PUBLICATIONS
For Young People
BY POPULAR WRITERS,
97-99-101 Reade Street, New York.
Bonnie Prince Charlie: A Tale of Fontenoy and Culloden. By G. A. HENTY.
With 12 full-page Illustrations by GORDON BROWNE. 12mo, cloth, price
$1.00.
The adventures of the son of a Scotch officer in French service. The
boy, brought up by a Glasgow bailie, is arrested for aiding a Jacobite
agent, escapes, is wrecked on the French coast, reaches Paris, and
serves with the French army at Dettingen. He kills his father's foe in a
duel, and escaping to the coast, shares the adventures of Prince
Charlie, but finally settles happily in Scotland.
"Ronald, the hero, is very like the hero of 'Quentin Durward.' The lad's
journey across France, and his hairbreadth escapes, make up as good a
narrative of the kind as we have ever read. For freshness of treatment
and variety of incident Mr. Henty has surpassed himself."--Spectator.
With Clive in India; or, the Beginnings of an Empire. By G. A. HENTY.
With 12 full-page Illustrations by GORDON BROWNE. 12mo, cloth, price
$1.00.
The period between the landing of Clive as a young writer in India and
the close of his career was critical and eventful in the extreme. At its
commencement the English were traders existing on sufferance of the
native princes. At its close they were masters of Bengal and of the
greater part of Southern India. The author has given a full and accurate
account of the events of that stirring time, and battles and sieges
follow each other in rapid succession, while he combines with his
narrative a tale of daring and adventure, which gives a lifelike
interest to the volume.
"He has taken a period of Indian history of the most vital importance,
and he has embroidered on the historical facts a story which of itself
is deeply interesting. Young people assuredly will be delighted with the
volume."--Scotsman.
The Lion of the North: A Tale of Gustavus Adolphus and the Wars of
Religion. By G. A. HENTY. With full-page Illustrations by JOHN
SCHÖNBERG. 12mo, cloth, price $1.00.
In this story Mr. Henty gives the history of the first part of the
Thirty Years' War. The issue had its importance, which has extended to
the present day, as it established religious freedom in Germany. The
army of the chivalrous king of Sweden was largely composed of Scotchmen,
and among these was the hero of the story.
"The tale is a clever and instructive piece of history, and as boys may
be trusted to read it conscientiously, they can hardly fail to be
profited."--Times.
The Dragon and the Raven; or, The Days of King Alfred. By G. A. HENTY.
With full-page Illustrations by C. J. STANILAND, R.I. 12mo, cloth, price
$1.00.
In this story the author gives an account of the fierce struggle between
Saxon and Dane for supremacy in England, and presents a vivid picture of
the misery and ruin to which the country was reduced by the ravages of
the sea-wolves. The hero, a young Saxon thane, takes part in all the
battles fought by King Alfred. He is driven from his home, takes to the
sea and resists the Danes on their own element, and being pursued by
them up the Seine, is present at the long and desperate siege of Paris.
"Treated in a manner most attractive to the boyish reader."--Athenæum.
The Young Carthaginian: A Story of the Times of Hannibal. By G. A.
HENTY. With full-page Illustrations by C. J. STANILAND, R.I. 12mo,
cloth, price $1.00.
Boys reading the history of the Punic Wars have seldom a keen
appreciation of the merits of the contest. That it was at first a
struggle for empire, and afterward for existence on the part of
Carthage, that Hannibal was a great and skillful general, that he
defeated the Romans at Trebia, Lake Trasimenus, and Cannæ, and all but
took Rome, represents pretty nearly the sum total of their knowledge. To
let them know more about this momentous struggle for the empire of the
world Mr. Henty has written this story, which not only gives in graphic
style a brilliant description of a most interesting period of history,
but is a tale of exciting adventure sure to secure the interest of the
reader.
"Well constructed and vividly told. From first to last nothing stays the
interest of the narrative. It bears us along as on a stream whose
current varies in direction, but never loses its force."--Saturday
Review.
In Freedom's Cause: A Story of Wallace and Bruce. By G. A. HENTY. With
full-page Illustrations by GORDON BROWNE. 12mo, cloth, price $1.00.
In this story the author relates the stirring tale of the Scottish War
of Independence. The extraordinary valor and personal prowess of Wallace
and Bruce rival the deeds of the mythical heroes of chivalry, and indeed
at one time Wallace was ranked with these legendary personages. The
researches of modern historians have shown, however, that he was a
living, breathing man--and a valiant champion. The hero of the tale
fought under both Wallace and Bruce, and while the strictest historical
accuracy has been maintained with respect to public events, the work is
full of "hairbreadth 'scapes" and wild adventure.
"It is written in the author's best style. Full of the wildest and most
remarkable achievements, it is a tale of great interest, which a boy,
once he has begun it, will not willingly put on one side."--The
Schoolmaster.
=With Lee in Virginia=: A Story of the American Civil War. By G. A. HENTY.
With full-page Illustrations by GORDON BROWNE. 12mo, cloth, price $1.00.
The story of a young Virginian planter, who, after bravely proving his
sympathy with the slaves of brutal masters, serves with no less courage
and enthusiasm under Lee and Jackson through the most exciting events of
the struggle. He has many hairbreadth escapes, is several times wounded
and twice taken prisoner; but his courage and readiness and, in two
cases, the devotion of a black servant and of a runaway slave whom he
had assisted, bring him safely through all difficulties.
"One of the best stories for lads which Mr. Henty has yet written. The
picture is full of life and color, and the stirring and romantic
incidents are skillfully blended with the personal interest and charm of
the story."--_Standard_.
=By England's Aid=; or, The Freeing of the Netherlands (1585-1604). By G.
A. HENTY With full-page Illustrations by ALFRED PEARSE, and Maps. 12mo,
cloth, price $1.00.
The story of two English lads who go to Holland as pages in the service
of one of "the fighting Veres." After many adventures by sea and land,
one of the lads finds himself on board a Spanish ship at the time of the
defeat of the Armada, and escapes only to fall into the hands of the
Corsairs. He is successful in getting back to Spain under the protection
of a wealthy merchant, and regains his native country after the capture
of Cadiz.
"It is an admirable book for youngsters. It overflows with stirring
incident and exciting adventure, and the color of the era and of the
scene are finely reproduced. The illustrations add to its
attractiveness."--_Boston Gazette_.
=By Right of Conquest=; or, With Cortez in Mexico. By G. A. HENTY. With
full-page Illustrations by W. S. STACEY, and Two Maps. 12mo, cloth,
price $1.50.
The conquest of Mexico by a small band of resolute men under the
magnificent leadership of Cortez is always rightly ranked among the most
romantic and daring exploits in history. With this as the groundwork of
his story Mr. Henty has interwoven the adventures of an English youth,
Roger Hawkshaw, the sole survivor of the good ship Swan, which had
sailed from a Devon port to challenge the mercantile supremacy of the
Spaniards in the New World. He is beset by many perils among the
natives, but is saved by his own judgment and strength, and by the
devotion of an Aztec princess. At last by a ruse he obtains the
protection of the Spaniards, and after the fall of Mexico he succeeds in
regaining his native shore, with a fortune and a charming Aztec bride.
"'By Right of Conquest' is the nearest approach to a perfectly
successful historical tale that Mr. Henty has yet
published."--_Academy_.
=In the Reign of Terror=: The Adventures of a Westminster Boy. By G. A.
HENTY. With full-page Illustrations by J. SCHÖNBERG, 12mo, cloth, price
$1.00.
Harry Sandwith, a Westminster boy, becomes a resident at the chateau of
a French marquis, and after various adventures accompanies the family to
Paris at the crisis of the Revolution. Imprisonment and death reduce
their number, and the hero finds himself beset by perils with the three
young daughters of the house in his charge. After hairbreadth escapes
they reach Nantes. There the girls are condemned to death in the
coffin-ships, but are saved by the unfailing courage of their boy
protector.
"Harry Sandwith, the Westminster boy, may fairly be said to beat Mr.
Henty's record. His adventures will delight boys by the audacity and
peril they depict.... The story is one of Mr. Henty's best."--_Saturday
Review_.
=With Wolfe in Canada=; or, The Winning of a Continent. By G. A. HENTY.
With full-page Illustrations by GORDON BROWNE. 12mo, cloth, price $1.00.
In the present volume Mr. Henty gives an account of the struggle between
Britain and France for supremacy in the North American continent. On the
issue of this war depended not only the destinies of North America, but
to a large extent those of the mother countries themselves. The fall of
Quebec decided that the Anglo-Saxon race should predominate in the New
World; that Britain, and not France, should take the lead among the
nations of Europe; and that English and American commerce, the English
language, and English literature, should spread right round the globe.
"It is not only a lesson in history as instructively as it is
graphically told, but also a deeply interesting and often thrilling tale
of adventure and peril by flood and field."--_Illustrated London News_.
=True to the Old Flag=: A Tale of the American War of Independence. By G.
A. HENTY. With full-page Illustrations by GORDON BROWNE. 12mo, cloth,
price $1.00.
In this story the author has gone to the accounts of officers who took
part in the conflict, and lads will find that in no war in which
American and British soldiers have been engaged did they behave with
greater courage and good conduct. The historical portion of the book
being accompanied with numerous thrilling adventures with the redskins
on the shores of Lake Huron, a story of exciting interest is interwoven
with the general narrative and carried through the book.
"Does justice to the pluck and determination of the British soldiers
during the unfortunate struggle against American emancipation. The son
of an American loyalist, who remains true to our flag, falls among the
hostile red-skins in that very Huron country which has been endeared to
us by the exploits of Hawkeye and Chingachgook"--_The Times_.
=The Lion of St. Mark=: A Tale of Venice in the Fourteenth Century. By G.
A. HENTY. With full-page Illustrations by GORDON BROWNE. 12mo, cloth,
price $1.00.
A story of Venice at a period when her strength and splendor were put to
the severest tests. The hero displays a fine sense and manliness which
carry him safely through an atmosphere of intrigue, crime, and
bloodshed. He contributes largely to the victories of the Venetians at
Porto d'Auzo and Chioggia, and finally wins the hand of the daughter of
one of the chief men of Venice.
"Every boy should read 'The Lion of St. Mark.' Mr. Henty has never
produced a story more delightful, more wholesome, or more
vivacious."--_Saturday Review_.
=A Final Reckoning=: A Tale of Bush Life in Australia. By G. A. HENTY.
With full-page Illustrations by W. B. WOLLEN, 12mo, cloth, price $1.00.
The hero, a young English lad, after rather a stormy boyhood, emigrates
to Australia, and gets employment as an officer in the mounted police. A
few years of active work on the frontier, where he has many a brush with
both natives and bushrangers, gain him promotion to a captaincy, and he
eventually settles down to the peaceful life of a squatter.
"Mr. Henty has never published a more readable, a more carefully
constructed, or a better written story than this."--_Spectator_.
=Under Drake's Flag=: A Tale of the Spanish Main. By G. A. HENTY. With
full-page Illustrations by GORDON BROWNE. 12mo, cloth, price $1.00.
A story of the days when England and Spain struggled for the supremacy
of the sea. The heroes sail as lads with Drake in the Pacific
expedition, and in his great voyage of circumnavigation. The historical
portion of the story is absolutely to be relied upon, but this will
perhaps be less attractive than the great variety of exciting adventures
through which the young heroes pass in the course of their voyages.
"A book of adventure, where the hero meets with experience enough, one
would think, to turn his hair gray."--_Harper's Monthly Magazine_.
=By Sheer Pluck=: A Tale of the Ashanti War. By G. A. HENTY. With
full-page Illustrations by GORDON BROWNE. 12mo, cloth, price $1.00.
The author has woven, in a tale of thrilling interest, all the details
of the Ashanti campaign, of which he was himself a witness. His hero,
after many exciting adventures in the interior, is detained a prisoner
by the king just before the outbreak of the war, but escapes, and
accompanies the English expedition on their march to Coomassie.
"Mr. Henty keeps up his reputation as a writer of boys' stories. 'By
Sheer Pluck' will be eagerly read."--_Athenæum_.
=By Pike and Dyke=: A Tale of the Rise of the Dutch Republic. By G. A.
Henty. With full-page Illustrations by Maynard Brown, and 4 Maps. 12mo,
cloth, price $1.00.
In this story Mr. Henty traces the adventures and brave deeds of an
English boy in the household of the ablest man of his age--William the
Silent. Edward Martin, the son of an English sea-captain, enters the
service of the Prince as a volunteer, and is employed by him in many
dangerous and responsible missions, in the discharge of which he passes
through the great sieges of the time. He ultimately settles down as Sir
Edward Martin.
"Boys with a turn for historical research will be enchanted with the
book, while the rest who only care for adventure will be students in
spite of themselves."--_St. James' Gazette_.
=St. George for England=: A Tale of Cressy and Poitiers. By G. A. Henty.
With full-page Illustrations by Gordon Browne. 12mo, cloth, price $1.00.
No portion of English history is more crowded with great events than
that of the reign of Edward III. Cressy and Poitiers; the destruction of
the Spanish fleet; the plague of the Black Death; the Jacquerie rising;
these are treated by the author in "St. George for England." The hero of
the story, although of good family, begins life as a London apprentice,
but after countless adventures and perils becomes by valor and good
conduct the squire, and at last the trusted friend of the Black Prince.
"Mr. Henty has developed for himself a type of historical novel for boys
which bids fair to supplement, on their behalf, the historical labors of
Sir Walter Scott in the land of fiction."--_The Standard_.
=Captain's Kidd's Gold=: The True Story of an Adventurous Sailor Boy. By
James Franklin Fitts. 12mo, cloth, price $1.00.
There is something fascinating to the average youth in the very idea of
buried treasure. A vision arises before his eyes of swarthy Portuguese
and Spanish rascals, with black beards and gleaming
eyes--sinister-looking fellows who once on a time haunted the Spanish
Main, sneaking out from some hidden creek in their long, low schooner,
of picaroonish rake and sheer, to attack an unsuspecting trading craft.
There were many famous sea rovers in their day, but none more celebrated
than Capt. Kidd. Perhaps the most fascinating tale of all is Mr. Fitts'
true story of an adventurous American boy, who receives from his dying
father an ancient bit of vellum, which the latter obtained in a curious
way. The document bears obscure directions purporting to locate a
certain island in the Bahama group, and a considerable treasure buried
there by two of Kidd's crew. The hero of this book, Paul Jones Garry, is
an ambitious, persevering lad, of salt-water New England ancestry, and
his efforts to reach the island and secure the money form one of the
most absorbing tales for our youth that has come from the press.
=Captain Bayley's Heir=: A Tale of the Gold Fields of California. By G. A.
Henty. With full-page Illustrations by H. M. Paget. 12mo, cloth, price
$1.00.
A frank, manly lad and his cousin are rivals in the heirship of a
considerable property. The former falls into a trap laid by the latter,
and while under a false accusation of theft foolishly leaves England for
America. He works his passage before the mast, joins a small band of
hunters, crosses a tract of country infested with Indians to the
Californian gold diggings, and is successful both as digger and trader.
"Mr. Henty is careful to mingle instruction with entertainment; and the
humorous touches, especially in the sketch of John Holl, the Westminster
dustman, Dickens himself could hardly have excelled."--_Christian
Leader_.
=For Name and Fame=; or, Through Afghan Passes. By G. A. Henty. With full
page Illustrations by Gordon Browne. 12mo, cloth, price $1.00.
An interesting story of the last war in Afghanistan. The hero, after
being wrecked and going through many stirring adventures among the
Malays, finds his way to Calcutta and enlists in a regiment proceeding
to join the army at the Afghan passes. He accompanies the force under
General Roberts to the Peiwar Kotal, is wounded, taken prisoner, carried
to Cabul, whence he is transferred to Candahar, and takes part in the
final defeat of the army of Ayoub Khan.
"The best feature of the book--apart from the interest of its scenes of
adventure--is its honest effort to do justice to the patriotism of the
Afghan people."--_Daily News_.
=Captured by Apes=: The Wonderful Adventures of a Young Animal Trainer. By
Harry Prentice. 12mo, cloth, $1.00.
The scene of this tale is laid on an island in the Malay Archipelago.
Philip Garland, a young animal collector and trainer, of New York, sets
sail for Eastern seas in quest of a new stock of living curiosities. The
vessel is wrecked off the coast of Borneo and young Garland, the sole
survivor of the disaster, is cast ashore on a small island, and captured
by the apes that overrun the place. The lad discovers that the ruling
spirit of the monkey tribe is a gigantic and vicious baboon, whom he
identifies as Goliah, an animal at one time in his possession and with
whose instruction he had been especially diligent. The brute recognizes
him, and with a kind of malignant satisfaction puts his former master
through the same course of training he had himself experienced with a
faithfulness of detail which shows how astonishing is monkey
recollection. Very novel indeed is the way by which the young man
escapes death. Mr. Prentice has certainly worked a new vein on juvenile
fiction, and the ability with which he handles a difficult subject
stamps him as a writer of undoubted skill.
=The Bravest of the Brave=; or, With Peterborough in Spain. By G.A. Henty.
With full-page Illustrations by H.M. Paget. 12mo, cloth, price $1.00.
There are few great leaders whose lives and actions have so completely
fallen into oblivion as those of the Earl of Peterborough. This is
largely due to the fact that they were over-shadowed by the glory and
successes of Marlborough. His career as general extended over little
more than a year, and yet, in that time, he showed a genius for warfare
which has never been surpassed.
"Mr. Henty never loses sight of the moral purpose of his work--to
enforce the doctrine of courage and truth. Lads will read 'The Bravest
of the Brave' with pleasure and profit; of that we are quite
sure."--_Daily Telegraph._
=The Cat of Bubastes:= A Story of Ancient Egypt. By G. A. Henty. With full
page Illustrations. 12mo, cloth, price $1.00.
A story which will give young readers an unsurpassed insight into the
customs of the Egyptian people. Amuba, a prince of the Rebu nation, is
carried with his charioteer Jethro into slavery. They become inmates of
the house of Ameres, the Egyptian high-priest, and are happy in his
service until the priest's son accidentally kills the sacred cat of
Bubastes. In an outburst of popular fury Ameres is killed, and it rests
with Jethro and Amuba to secure the escape of the high-priest's son and
daughter.
"The story, from the critical moment of the killing of the sacred cat to
the perilous exodus into Asia with which it closes, is very skillfully
constructed and full of exciting adventures. It is admirably
illustrated."--_Saturday Review._
=With Washington at Monmouth:= A Story of Three Philadelphia Boys. By
James Otis. 12mo, cloth, price $1.00.
Three Philadelphia boys, Seth Graydon "whose mother conducted a
boarding-house which was patronized by the British officers;" Enoch
Ball, "son of that Mrs. Ball whose dancing school was situated on
Letitia Street," and little Jacob, son of "Chris, the Baker," serve as
the principal characters. The story is laid during the winter when Lord
Howe held possession of the city, and the lads aid the cause by
assisting the American spies who make regular and frequent visits from
Valley Forge. One reads here of home-life in the captive city when bread
was scarce among the people of the lower classes, and a reckless
prodigality shown by the British officers, who passed the winter in
feasting and merry-making while the members of the patriot army but a
few miles away were suffering from both cold and hunger. The story
abounds with pictures of Colonial life skillfully drawn, and the
glimpses of Washington's soldiers which are given show that the work has
not been hastily done, or without considerable study.
=For the Temple:= A Tale of the Fall of Jerusalem. By G. A. Henty. With
full-page Illustrations by S. J. Solomon. 12mo, cloth, price $1.00.
Mr. Henty here weaves into the record of Josephus an admirable and
attractive story. The troubles in the district of Tiberias, the march of
the legions, the sieges of Jotapata, of Gamala, and of Jerusalem, form
the impressive and carefully studied historic setting to the figure of
the lad who passes from the vineyard to the service of Josephus, becomes
the leader of a guerrilla band of patriots, fights bravely for the
Temple, and after a brief term of slavery at Alexandria, returns to his
Galilean home with the favor of Titus.
"Mr. Henty's graphic prose pictures of the hopeless Jewish resistance to
Roman sway add another leaf to his record of the famous wars of the
world."--_Graphic._
=Facing Death;= or, The Hero of the Vaughan Pit. A Tale of the Coal Mines.
By G. A. Henty. With full-page Illustrations by Gordon Browne. 12mo,
cloth, price $1.00.
"Facing Death" is a story with a purpose. It is intended to show that a
lad who makes up his mind firmly and resolutely that he will rise in
life, and who is prepared to face toil and ridicule and hardship to
carry out his determination, is sure to succeed. The hero of the story
is a typical British boy, dogged, earnest, generous, and though
"shamefaced" to a degree, is ready to face death in the discharge of
duty.
"The tale is well written and well illustrated, and there is much
reality in the characters. If any father, clergyman, or schoolmaster is
on the lookout for a good book to give as a present to a boy who is
worth his salt, this is the book we would recommend."--_Standard._
=Tom Temple's Career.= By Horatio Alger. 12mo, cloth, price $1.00.
Tom Temple, a bright, self-reliant lad, by the death of his father
becomes a boarder at the home of Nathan Middleton, a penurious insurance
agent. Though well paid for keeping the boy, Nathan and his wife
endeavor to bring Master Tom in line with their parsimonious habits. The
lad ingeniously evades their efforts and revolutionizes the household.
As Tom is heir to $40,000, he is regarded as a person of some importance
until by an unfortunate combination of circumstances his fortune shrinks
to a few hundreds. He leaves Plympton village to seek work in New York,
whence he undertakes an important mission to California, around which
center the most exciting incidents of his young career. Some of his
adventures in the far west are so startling that the reader will
scarcely close the book until the last page shall have been reached. The
tale is written in Mr. Alger's most fascinating style, and is bound to
please the very large class of boys who regard this popular author as a
prime favorite.
=Maori and Settler:= A Story of the New Zealand War. By G. A. Henty. With
full-page Illustrations by Alfred Pearse. 12mo, cloth, price $1.00.
The Renshaws emigrate to New Zealand during the period of the war with
the natives. Wilfrid, a strong, self-reliant, courageous lad, is the
mainstay of the household. He has for his friend Mr. Atherton, a
botanist and naturalist of herculean strength and unfailing nerve and
humor. In the adventures among the Maoris, there are many breathless
moments in which the odds seem hopelessly against the party, but they
succeed in establishing themselves happily in one of the pleasant New
Zealand valleys.
"Brimful of adventure, of humorous and interesting conversation, and
vivid pictures of colonial life."--_Schoolmaster._
=Julian Mortimer:= A Brave Boy's Struggle for Home and Fortune. By Harry
Castlemon. 12mo, cloth, price $1.00.
Here is a story that will warm every boy's heart. There is mystery
enough to keep any lad's imagination wound up to the highest pitch. The
scene of the story lies west of the Mississippi River, in the days when
emigrants made their perilous way across the great plains to the land of
gold. One of the startling features of the book is the attack upon the
wagon train by a large party of Indians. Our hero is a lad of uncommon
nerve and pluck, a brave young American in every sense of the word. He
enlists and holds the reader's sympathy from the outset. Surrounded by
an unknown and constant peril, and assisted by the unswerving fidelity
of a stalwart trapper, a real rough diamond, our hero achieves the most
happy results. Harry Castlemon has written many entertaining stories for
boys, and it would seem almost superfluous to say anything in his
praise, for the youth of America regard him as a favorite author.
="Carrots:"= Just a Little Boy. By Mrs. Molesworth. With Illustrations by
Walter Crane. 12mo, cloth, price 75 cents.
"One of the cleverest and most pleasing stories it has been our good
fortune to meet with for some time. Carrots and his sister are
delightful little beings, whom to read about is at once to become very
fond of."--_Examiner._
"A genuine children's book; we've seen 'em seize it, and read it
greedily. Children are first-rate critics, and thoroughly appreciate
Walter Crane's illustrations."--_Punch._
=Mopsa the Fairy.= By Jean Ingelow. With Eight page Illustrations. 12mo,
cloth, price 75 cents.
"Mrs. Ingelow is, to our mind, the most charming of all living writers
for children, and 'Mopsa' alone ought to give her a kind of pre-emptive
right to the love and gratitude of our young folks. It requires genius
to conceive a purely imaginary work which must of necessity deal with
the supernatural, without running into a mere riot of fantastic
absurdity; but genius Miss Ingelow has and the story of 'Jack' is as
careless and joyous, but as delicate, as a picture of
childhood."--_Eclectic._
=A Jaunt Through Java:= The Story of a Journey to the Sacred Mountain. By
Edward S. Ellis. 12mo, cloth, price $1.00
The central interest of this story is found in the thrilling adventures
of two cousins, Hermon and Eustace Hadley, on their trip across the
island of Java, from Samarang to the Sacred Mountain. In a land where
the Royal Bengal tiger runs at large; where the rhinoceros and other
fierce beasts are to be met with at unexpected moments; it is but
natural that the heroes of this book should have a lively experience.
Hermon not only distinguishes himself by killing a full grown tiger at
short range, but meets with the most startling adventure of the journey.
There is much in this narrative to instruct as well as entertain the
reader, and so deftly has Mr. Ellis used his material that there is not
a dull page in the book. The two heroes are brave, manly young fellows,
bubbling over with boyish independence. They cope with the many
difficulties that arise during the trip in a fearless way that is bound
to win the admiration of every lad who is so fortunate as to read their
adventures.
=Wrecked on Spider Island;= or, How Ned Rogers Found the Treasure. By
James Otis. 12mo, cloth, price $1.00.
A "down-east" plucky lad who ships as cabin boy, not from love of
adventure, but because it is the only course remaining by which he can
gain a livelihood. While in his bunk, seasick, Ned Rogers hears the
captain and mate discussing their plans for the willful wreck of the
brig in order to gain the insurance. Once it is known he is in
possession of the secret the captain maroons him on Spider Island,
explaining to the crew that the boy is afflicted with leprosy. While
thus involuntarily playing the part of a Crusoe, Ned discovers a wreck
submerged in the sand, and overhauling the timbers for the purpose of
gathering material with which to build a hut finds a considerable amount
of treasure. Raising the wreck; a voyage to Havana under sail; shipping
there a crew and running for Savannah; the attempt of the crew to seize
the little craft after learning of the treasure on board, and, as a
matter of course, the successful ending of the journey, all serve to
make as entertaining a story of sea-life as the most captious boy could
desire.
Geoff and Jim: A Story of School Life. By Ismay Thorn. Illustrated by A.
G. Walker. 12mo, cloth, price 75 cents.
"This is a prettily told story of the life spent by two motherless
bairns at a small preparatory school. Both Geoff and Jim are very
lovable characters, only Jim is the more so; and the scrapes he gets
into and the trials he endures will, no doubt, interest a large circle
of young readers."--_Church Times._
"This is a capital children's story, the characters well portrayed, and
the book tastefully bound and well illustrated."--_Schoolmaster._
"The story can be heartily recommended as a present for
boys."--_Standard._
=The Castaways;= or, On the Florida Reefs. By James Otis. 12mo, cloth,
price $1.00.
This tale smacks of the salt sea. It is just the kind of story that the
majority of boys yearn for. From the moment that the Sea Queen dispenses
with the services of the tug in lower New York bay till the breeze
leaves her becalmed off the coast of Florida, one can almost hear the
whistle of the wind through her rigging, the creak of her straining
cordage as she heels to the leeward, and feel her rise to the
snow-capped waves which her sharp bow cuts into twin streaks of foam.
Off Marquesas Keys she floats in a dead calm. Ben Clark, the hero of the
story, and Jake, the cook, spy a turtle asleep upon the glassy surface
of the water. They determine to capture him, and take a boat for that
purpose, and just as they succeed in catching him a thick fog cuts them
off from the vessel, and then their troubles begin. They take refuge on
board a drifting hulk, a storm arises and they are cast ashore upon a
low sandy key. Their adventures from this point cannot fail to charm the
reader. As a writer for young people Mr. Otis is a prime favorite. His
style is captivating, and never for a moment does he allow the interest
to flag. In "The Castaways" he is at his best.
=Tom Thatcher's Fortune.= By Horatio Alger, Jr. 12mo, cloth, price $1.00.
Like all of Mr. Alger's heroes, Tom Thatcher is a brave, ambitious,
unselfish boy. He supports his mother and sister on meager wages earned
as a shoe-pegger in John Simpson's factory. The story begins with Tom's
discharge from the factory, because Mr. Simpson felt annoyed with the
lad for interrogating him too closely about his missing father. A few
days afterward Tom learns that which induces him to start overland for
California with the view of probing the family mystery. He meets with
many adventures. Ultimately he returns to his native village, bringing
consternation to the soul of John Simpson, who only escapes the
consequences of his villainy by making full restitution to the man whose
friendship he had betrayed. The story is told in that entertaining way
which has made Mr. Alger's name a household word in so many homes.
=Birdie:= A Tale of Child Life. By H. L. Childe-Pemberton. Illustrated by
H. W. Rainey. 12mo, cloth, price 75 cents.
"The story is quaint and simple, but there is a freshness about it that
makes one hear again the ringing laugh and the cheery shout of children
at play which charmed his earlier years."--_New York Express._
=Popular Fairy Tales.= By the Brothers Grimm. Profusely Illustrated. 12mo,
cloth, price $1.00.
"From first to last, almost without exception, these stories are
delightful."--Athenæum.
=With Lafayette at Yorktown=: A Story of How Two Boys Joined the
Continental Army. By JAMES OTIS. 12mo, cloth, price $1.00.
The two boys are from Portsmouth, N. H., and are introduced in August,
1781, when on the point of leaving home to enlist in Col. Scammell's
regiment, then stationed near New York City. Their method of traveling
is on horseback, and the author has given an interesting account of what
was expected from boys in the Colonial days. The lads, after no slight
amount of adventure, are sent as messengers--not soldiers--into the
south to find the troops under Lafayette. Once with that youthful
general they are given employment as spies, and enter the British camp,
bringing away valuable information. The pictures of camp-life are
carefully drawn, and the portrayal of Lafayette's character is
thoroughly well done. The story is wholesome in tone, as are all of Mr.
Otis' works. There is no lack of exciting incident which the youthful
reader craves, but it is healthful excitement brimming with facts which
every boy should be familiar with, and while the reader is following the
adventures of Ben Jaffreys and Ned Allen he is acquiring a fund of
historical lore which will remain in his memory long after that which he
has memorized from text-books has been forgotten.
=Lost in the Canon=: Sam Willett's Adventures on the Great Colorado. By
ALFRED R. CALHOUN. 12mo, cloth, price $1.00.
This story hinges on a fortune left to Sam Willett, the hero, and the
fact that it will pass to a disreputable relative if the lad dies before
he shall have reached his majority. The Vigilance Committee of Hurley's
Gulch arrest Sam's father and an associate for the crime of murder.
Their lives depend on the production of the receipt given for money
paid. This is in Sam's possession at the camp on the other side of the
cañon. A messenger is dispatched to get it. He reaches the lad in the
midst of a fearful storm which floods the cañon. His father's peril
urges Sam to action. A raft is built on which the boy and his friends
essay to cross the torrent. They fail to do so, and a desperate trip
down the stream ensues. How the party finally escape from the horrors of
their situation and Sam reaches Hurley's Gulch in the very nick of time,
is described in a graphic style that stamps Mr. Calhoun as a master of
his art.
=Jack=: A Topsy Turvy Story. By C. M. CRAWLEY-BOEVEY. With upward of
Thirty Illustrations by H. J. A. Miles. 12mo, cloth, price 75 cents.
"The illustrations deserve particular mention, as they add largely to
the interest of this amusing volume for children. Jack falls asleep with
his mind full of the subject of the fishpond, and is very much surprised
presently to find himself an inhabitant of Waterworld, where he goes
though wonderful and edifying adventures. A handsome and pleasant
book."--_Literary World_.
=Search for the Silver City=: A Tale of Adventure in Yucatan. By JAMES
OTIS. 12mo, cloth, price $1.00.
Two American lads, Teddy Wright and Neal Emery, embark on the steam
yacht Day Dream for a short summer cruise to the tropics. Homeward bound
the yacht is destroyed by fire. All hands take to the boats, but during
the night the boat is cast upon the coast of Yucatan. They come across a
young American named Cummings, who entertains them with the story of the
wonderful Silver City, of the Chan Santa Cruz Indians. Cummings proposes
with the aid of a faithful Indian ally to brave the perils of the swamp
and carry off a number of the golden images from the temples. Pursued
with relentless vigor for days their situation is desperate. At last
their escape is effected in an astonishing manner. Mr. Otis has built
his story on an historical foundation. It is so full of exciting
incidents that the reader is quite carried away with the novelty and
realism of the narrative.
=Frank Fowler, the Cash Boy.= By HORATIO ALGER, JR. 12mo, cloth, price
$1.00.
Thrown upon his own resources Frank Fowler, a poor boy, bravely
determines to make a living for himself and his foster-sister Grace.
Going to New York he obtains a situation as cash boy in a dry goods
store. He renders a service to a wealthy old gentleman named Wharton,
who takes a fancy to the lad. Frank, after losing his place as cash boy,
is enticed by an enemy to a lonesome part of New Jersey and held a
prisoner. This move recoils upon the plotter, for it leads to a clue
that enables the lad to establish his real identity. Mr. Alger's stories
are not only unusually interesting, but they convey a useful lesson of
pluck and manly independence.
=Budd Boyd's Triumph=; or, the Boy Firm of Fox Island. By WILLIAM P.
CHIPMAN. 12mo, cloth, price $1.00.
The scene of this story is laid on the upper part of Narragansett Bay,
and the leading incidents have a strong salt-water flavor. Owing to the
conviction of his father for forgery and theft, Budd Boyd is compelled
to leave his home and strike out for himself. Chance brings Budd in
contact with Judd Floyd. The two boys, being ambitious and clear
sighted, form a partnership to catch and sell fish. The scheme is
successfully launched, but the unexpected appearance on the scene of
Thomas Bagsley, the man whom Budd believes guilty of the crimes
attributed to his father, leads to several disagreeable complications
that nearly caused the lad's ruin. His pluck and good sense, however,
carry him through his troubles. In following the career of the boy firm
of Boyd & Floyd, the youthful reader will find a useful lesson--that
industry and perseverance are bound to lead to ultimate success.