10 JANUARY 1891, Page 19

CURRENT LITERATURE.

GIFT-BOOKS.

Old Mat's Lad. By L. Joyce Tomlinson. (Biggs and Co.)— This little book consists of two stories, of which the one that it -takes its title from is incomparably the more natural and in- teresting. The hero of it is a little boy named Roy Righton, who, 93y way of reward for a small service he renders a young lady, gets from her a half-sovereign in place of a sixpence. How he almost becomes dishonest, how his conscience stands him in good stead, how he hunts for the young lady till he finds her and returns her the half-sovereign, and how, of course, all goes well with him, the young reader must find out for himself. A sturdy old market- woman, who plays an important part in this story, is remarkably well drawn.