23 NOVEMBER 1889, Page 23

Sam Silvan's Sacrifice. By Jesse Colman. (Mackie and Son.) —This

" Story of Two Fatherless Boys " is very harrowing. There is a selfish brother and a good brother, and the good one is killed by a bull while he is helping his brother to get over a wall. There is no particular meaning or purpose in the incident, for just at that time the selfish Fred did not happen to be doing anything wrong. We do not see why young readers should have their feelings lacerated for nothing.