20 NOVEMBER 1897, Page 9

Chirrupee. By E. Boyd Basted. (Hodder and Stoughton.)—

This is a pretty little story of bells and bell-ringing. The ringer's passion is as much a matter of heredity as anything else.

"Gaffer," though far on in the eighties, makes his last effort to ring in the New Year—hence the title of Chirrupee--and Polly, his great-grandchild, is taught by her brother to pull a rope her- self. The old man's determination, and the children's stealthy delight, for, of course, the thing has to be done in secret—the belle are tied, it must be understood—are excellently described. All this is finely linked with graver matters, and the whole is as sweet a little idyll of the village as one would wish to see.