In Our County. By Marion Harland. (G. P. Putnam's Sons.
6s.)—Miss Harland's short stories, of which there are ten in this volume, have something of the charm which her gatherings in historical byways possess. "The Big Revival at Pine Creek" and "Samuella " are good specimens, set off as they are by a touch of humour. " Dodder" we could have spared. It is the old story, which will hardly be told bettor than when Thackeray told it about George Warrington. "Our Family Skeleton" is terrible and tragic ; so is " The Deal+ e of His Eyes," with both adjectives put into the superlative. Is it right to publish such stories? Tn.!. they may be; there is no imaginable horror which may no:, lie true; but that they can do anything but harm to any human creature, we cannot believe. That they could possibly give any pleasure is not to bo thought of. What, then, i. their raison &are?
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