Pinches of Salt. By F. M. Allen. (Downey and Co.)—These
nine Irish sketches, if not all of the best quality, have yet so ex- cellent an average of merit that the volume which contains them may be accorded almost unqualified praise. The first story is a remarkably vigorous picture of an eviction, yet as a work f literary art it is scarcely as good as some of its companions. The " Theatrical Performance" is, perhaps, the weakest. " The Boy and the Bird " is a fine specimen of fancy. " Father Crotty's Hat" and "The Viceroy's Visit" have more of the rollicking humour which in Lever's days we used to think distinctively Irish than we have seen for a long time. "The Italian from Cork" is an effective piece of broad farce. But there is nothing to beat the pathos of the old woman's story in " Silver Sand." Her two sons were dead ; two of her three daughters seemed to have forgotten her; but the third sent her money from time to time, against her husband's will, or, at least, without his know- ledge. "'Twas sure to be found out on her an' to make mischief between her an' the husband. An' she was happy with the man, I could see." So she gets a friend to write and say that she was dead. And that was two-and-twenty years before.
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