Stewart, Charles David. Fugitive blacksmith. $1.50. Century.
Two stories which run along side by side; one concerning Finerty, the jovial Irishman and his family, the other the tale of the fugitive blacksmith, as told by his one-time partner, Stumpy, the tramp, in Finerty’s sand house in the railroad yards. The whole is in dialect, and the characters are both witty and interesting. The blacksmith, Bill, a fugitive from justice for the murder of a friend, Tilten, is hounded from place to place, meeting with many exciting adventures, and at last comes across the man he was accused of murdering. Here the devoted Stumpy loses sight of him but later discovers him in health and prosperity and shares his changed fortunes.
“A peculiarly fascinating story.”
| + — | Acad. 68: 569. My. 27, ‘05. 390w. |
“Stumpy’s story is well told and worth telling.” G. W. A.
| + | Bookm. 21: 544. Jl. ‘05. 430w. |
“A more diverting story has not appeared in many a long day.”
| + + | Critic. 46: 478. My. ‘05. 290w. |
“‘Fugitive blacksmith’ is no unworthy successor to ‘Tom Sawyer’ and ‘Huckleberry Finn.’”
| + + + | Ind. 59: 393. Ag. 17, ‘05. 180w. |