The relations of labor and capital form the basis of this story in which appear “The young mechanic who becomes a leader of trades-unions; the lovely daughter of the plutocrat mill-owner, who cannot marry the Italian prince and fortune-hunter because the remembrance of the mechanic haunts her; the contrasted pictures of boundless wealth and the misery of the poor strikers and their families on the brink of starvation.” (Critic.)
“There is nothing in this book that can be called original in matter or effective in manner.”
| — | Critic. 46: 94. Ja. ‘05. 130w. |
“This underworld of labor among the iron furnaces, this moneyed aristocracy, so resentful of its origin, so tenacious of its position, are etched in with keenness and delicacy. Such books as this, with their sympathetic comprehension, absence of rancor or partisan bias, make for a better understanding and ultimate peace.”
| + + | Reader. 5: 624. Ap. ‘05. 520w. |
[*] Oxley, James MacDonald. Family on wheels; adapted from the French by J. M. Oxley. [†]75c. Crowell.
Four interesting French children left orphans, with a mountebank’s wagon, an old horse, a trick dog and a remarkably clever elephant as their sole possessions, bravely continue the business of their father, and give little performances in one little provincial town after another to earn a scant living. They meet with many adventures and suffer many hardships, but in the end the happiness of all seems assured. The children are plucky little things thruout, the dog and the elephant are heroic, and the hearts of both young and old readers will go out to them all.
[*] “An odd and attractive story.”
| + | Nation. 81: 450. N. 30, ‘05. 90w. |
[*] “A readable story.”