13 OCTOBER 1894, Page 11

The Magic Half-Crown. By the Author of "Crib and Fly."

(F. Warne.)—The " half-crown " is a remarkable coin of which the young hero of the story becomes possessed. He is not sure whether he ought to keep it,—inclination says "Yes ; " duty says " No." And the coin helps the right side by its extra- ordinary and disquieting behaviour. This is very well in its way ; it is amusing, Aid it tends to good ; but is it art to introduce a clearly preternatural element into a story which is otherwise wholly real P If it was the boy's lively conscience that made him imagine these antics in the coin, we are still in the region of the preternatural.