A NOVEL BY MRS. ALCOTT.*
MRS. Accorr, whose specialiti consists in her vivid and truthful delineations of life and character, has perhaps in her last story succeeded even better than in any of her preceding ones in carrying with her the sympathies of her readers. Human nature, its aims and objects, its motives and its passions, being much the same on one side of the Atlantic as on the other, we can enter into Christie Devon's experiences just as well as if they were those of an English girl, and like the narrative all the better for the little oddities which continually crop up, in that the life described is American life, and therefore, notwithstanding our increasing intercourse with that country, to a certain degree unfamiliar. The theme upon which Mrs. Alcott this time chooses to enlarge is Work—self-chosen, earnest work, as necessary for young women. She says that there is "a large class of women moderately endowed with talents, earnest and true-hearted, who are driven by necessity, temperament, or principle out into the world to find support, happiness, and homes for themselves ;" and she gives us a heroine, who being thus impelled by temperament, carves out her own destiny, and earns at last " the best success this world can give us, —the possession of a brave and cheerful spirit, rich in self-knowledge, self-control, and self-help." Now we do not quarrel with Christie, who is a good girl, if impetuous • Work: a Story of Experience. By LoubsOL Aloott 2 'vols. London: Sampson Low and Co. and self-willed, and who grows into a noble woman ; neither do we quarrel with the many and various kinds of work in which she engages, and which severally contribute to the moulding of her character ; but we do quarrel with her start, and we object to the theory that any girl whose " tem- perament " does not happen to square with her position in life should forthwith go off to seek "fresh fields and pastures new," instead of quietly "doing the duties nearest to her," and adapting herself to those circumstances which a higher view of life would show her to be probably those best calculated for her spiritual and moral training. We are not saying that Christie's view of the case is not that of hundreds, nay, thousands of girls, who with the presumption of early youth think they know themselves and their capabilities so much better than does their Creator ; nor that Christie's mode of proceeding is not perfectly natural and exceedingly well told, indeed there are few parts of the story which we do not thoroughly admire ; but we think that instead of making her conduct seem the legitimate result of her possessing "a head, a heart, a pair of hands, also the dower of most New England girls, intelligence, courage, common-sense, and many practical gifts," it might have been shown that she could have developed every one of those useful qualifications in her own home and by helping those who surrounded her ; in fact, we think that "Aunt Betsey" has much the best of the argument with her niece, when under the homely simile of two logs of wood, one of which blazes and crackles in a cheery manner, while the other "lies sizzing despondently among the cinders," she endeavours to show that she has not found her vocation. This discussion, although very amusing, is too long to extract ; but the astonished old lady shrewdly remarks, "Bless me, what
an idee ! They are both a-burniu' where they are put A good smart blowin' up with the belluses would make the green stick burn most as well as the dry one after a spell. I guess con- tentedness is the belles for young folk, ef they would only think so." However, Christie not possessing this "belles," and, in fact, despising it, leaves the stern old uncle and kindly old aunt, who have brought her up since she lost her parents, and whose life in the old farm-house she contributed materially to brighten ; and though she never sees "Aunt Betsey" again, she does not regret her high-flown proceeding, nor are we ever led to suppose that it was other than the right one, or to doubt that it formed part of that necessary training whereby she is led to understand and embrace religion. "God," says the author towards the end of the story, "was very patient with her, sending her much help, and letting her climb up to Him by all the tender ways aspiring souls can lead unhappy hearts." And at forty Christie says of herself, " Nearly twenty years since I set out to seek my fortune. It has been a long search, but I think 1 have found it at last. I only asked to be a useful, happy woman, and my wish is granted ; for I believe I ant useful ; I know I am happy."
Christie, having cut herself adrift from her moorings, and taken up her quarters in a city boarding-house, where at first she feels delightfully independent, with no milk-pans to scald, and no hum- drum district school to attend to, attempts to find a situation as governess. But that walk in life is beyond her, as she has no accomplishments, and she brings down her ideas so far as to be- come a domestic servant. Being thoroughly in earnest in her wish for work, and, moreover, having been excellently taught by poor "Aunt Betsey," she acquits herself famously in her new capacity, aided by a negress, her fellow-servant, whose simple earnestness in her work (finding means to redeem her old mother) is very touch- ing. This engagement comes to an abrupt conclusion because our heroine reads in bed and sets fire to her room ; and after three years of life upon the stage, where she makes a hit and might perhaps have become a minor star, she thinks it better to return to the old ways, "dull, but safe," and undertakes the tuition of two small, but exceedingly rebellious children, whose uncle becomes her lover. Christie intends to marry him, but cannot do so much violence to her honest nature, seeing that she neither loves nor respects him. We rather agree with this out-spoken young person when she tells Mr. Philip Fletcher that "a man should have energy enough to save himself, and not expect the weaker vessel,' as he calls her, to do it for him ;" and we applaud her for sacrificing her situation to her peace of mind. Hence, although her changes of employment in quest of work are rather numerous, we accompany her willingly to other scenes of action, in which she figures first as companion and thou as sempstress. In this latter occupation, one to which she had resolved never to come down, Christie finds .a friend, but a friend on a lower level than her own, whom she first assists, and who afterwards saves her from despair, when being too proud to ask for help from Uncle Enos, she is about to yield
to temptation, and throw herself into the river. At this part of the story we come upon some of the beat characters in the book, "C. Wilkins, clear-starcher," and her minister being pre-eminent. Their theology, if peculiar, is exceedingly practical, leading them in their several ways to help everyone who needs help, and that in the kindest manner. So the washerwoman takes in Christie, and says in her vernacular, "I'll let her have a right nice time, and warm, and feed, and chirk her up, and then I'll see what's to be done for her ;" and while this process is going on, Christie remains with Mrs. Wilkins, her five uproarious children, and
Lisha," her wonderful husband, and learns more about " work " of a certain kind than she ever thought to do ; and there is other and very different work awaiting her afterwards, in which she acquits herself well and nobly. It was a good idea to make 'David" a gardener, and to give him a peaceful employment among the flowers be loved so well, while he was fighting that fierce battle with himself, and learning "to pity and protect womankind, as the only retaliation for the life-long grief one woman brought upon him ;" and the sweet little home, with its Quaker mistress, is a most appropriate resting-place for Christie before her final struggle. This part of the plot is very well worked out ; no one would guess that " Rachel" and "Letty " were one and the same person, or that Letty bore to David the close and tender relationship which we afterwards find she does. It is natural that war incidents should form a considerable part of any recent American story, and Mrs. Alcott has not failed to make good use of them. She is pathetic and humorous almost in a breath ; of course David enlists, he would be no true hero—and he is a hero, have we not said so ?—if he did not. Therefore,— " Next evening, as Mrs. Sterling sat musing in the twilight, a tall man in army blue entered quietly, stood watching the tranquil figure for a moment, then went and knelt down beside it, saying, with a most un- soldierly choke in tho voice, 'I've done it, mother; tell me you're not sorry.' But the little Quaker cap went down on the broad shoulder, and the only answer he had was a sob that stirred the soft folds over the tender old heart that clung so closely to tho son who had lived for her so long. All that happened in the twilight no one ever know ; but David received promotion for bravery in a harder battle than any he was going to, and from his mother's breast a decoration more precious to him than the Oros of the Legion of Honour from a royal hand."
Quite another affair was it, however, to induce ' Lisha ' Wilkins to join the recruits, yet Mrs. Wilkins, loyal to her country and loyal to her spouse, determines that he shall do his duty as a man, and so she sets to work, saying :—
" Ef I can't make no impression on his soul, I will on his stomick, and see how that'll work.' Which threat she carried out with such skill and force, that Lisha was effectually waked up, for he was partial to good vittles,' and Cynthy was a capital cook. Poor rations did not suit him, and he demanded why his favourite dishes were not forthcoming.
'We can't afford no nice vittles now, when our mon are suffer- in' so,—I should be ashamed to cook 'em, and expect to choke tryin' to eat 'em. Every one is sacriflcin' somethin,' and wo mustn't ho slack in dein' our part—the Lord knows it is precious little—and there won't be no stuffing in this house for a considerable spell No one has a right to be comfortable in such times as those, and this family ain't going to be, ef I can help it ;' and Mrs. Wilkins sat down her flat-iron with a slam which plainly told her Lisha war was declared."
Of course with weapons such as these Mrs. Wilkins is victorious— as wives are wont to be when determined—upon which she thus soliloquises "I'm glad I done it, for it will make a man of Lisha ; and ef I've sent him to his death, God knows he'll be fitter to die than ef he stayed here idlin' his life away." But after she has seen him march off, and has shown him every one of his blessed children, " seven cheerful faces as he passes by," even the stout-hearted C. Wilkins is overcome by a passion of tears. But "Lisha" is " made a man of," and does not meet his death, although many better men meet theirs ; and when we take leave at last of his determined help- meet, she is dispensing her kindly deeds and quaint, wise speeches with as cheery a manner and as happy effect as in the days before she sent her Lisha to the war, "to do her share of the fighting."
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