By Still Waters. By Edward Garrett. (Henry S. King and
Co.)— Stories with a purpose are apt to be tiresome ; Mr. Garrett's story is certainly an exception to the rule. He has chosen for his theme the simple record of a woman's life. It is the story of one who had made a condensed sorrow turn the wheel of a joyful activity; there are hundreds of such women, and there is nothing overdrawn in Mr. Garrett's sketch of this one, only we wish she had not had to do so much of her thinking aloud. We have no doubt the thoughts are genuine enough, but the effect is a slight " preachiness." Some of the minor characters are admirably drawn. Mrs. Stone is but a type of a class with which we are all familiar, and the " Tibbies " are certainly in- creasing in number. It is no slight thing to be able to say of the religions element, which is a very large one in this book, that it is thoroughly vigorous, deep, and clear, and free from the least touch of snere sentimentality.
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