19 DECEMBER 1891, Page 26

Little Que,enie. By Emma Marshall. (J. F. Shaw and Co.)—

A solitary child—this seems a favourite situation for writers of children's stories just now—is the theme of this tale. The pity of children is easily aroused for such hard cases,—and " Queenie " is certainly a hard case. She is rather bewildered when she makes friends with a regular romp. Mrs. Marshall knows how to contrast such characters. The sadness and loneliness of " Queenie's " life in the large house and amongst the old servants, with no relative but a great-aunt, who is a chronic invalid, is touchingly portrayed. The heroine herself is quite one of Mrs. Marshall's creations, a gentle, refined creature, and Barbara, the romp, is a most natural girl. "Queenie's " great grief is the coming home from India of an unknown step-mother. The lady in question wins her step-daughter's affection by a ruse that must be extremely rare in real life. There is also another step-mother, a typical one, be it said. Is there not rather too much of this element getting into children's stories nowadays ? It does no more good to anybody, than talking about mothers-in-law does. All the characters are good, the housekeeper particularly, and so, too, is the lame governess. It is a good story, with the appropriate spice of adventure in it.