31 OCTOBER 1908, Page 24

Miss Esperance and Mr. Trycheriy. By L. Allen Harker. Vohn,

Murray. 6s.)—This is a story of two charming children brought up by an even more charming old maid and old bachelor. The older people are Scotch and the little boys English, and the scene- is laid entirely in Scotland. It is impossible in a short review to do justice to the charming pictures of Miss Esperance and the other inhabitants of the village of Burnhead ; among them the study of Mr. Wycherly is perhaps the most highly finished, The scene in which he thinks it his duty to tell his little pupil the story of his own shortcomings is extremely well conceived and executed. It must be confessed that strong measures aiia necessary with a boy who announces that he intends to be "an Epicurean when he is grown up." All lovers of children should read this delicate little study, which, if it cannot escape OW

accusation of sentimentality, is at any rate very charmingly and sincerely written.