The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-02-04
LITERATU RE.
Novels and Tales for the
Idle Hour.
SOME BOOKS FROM BOSTON.
Bret Harte's "Story Of Mine"-The
Mystery Of "Seola."

.Rcnee and Franz is the title OF the latest addition
TO Appetons collection of foreign authors. Tho
thor's nnme on III" title page Is Gustave Halter and
the book Is translation from tho French. The story
IL prefaced by q note written by George sand in
which shc gives, rs her opinion, that the author is
woman. After carefully reading the story We
agree entirely with the acute French woman.
II tho namc Gustave Halter Goes not cover
petticoat there is no such thing as
discovering sex in literature. Tho story deals with
friendship rather than love. II Is to show how
may love woman simply as a sister Franz adored
Renee, but not as lover Indeed, so unlover-likc
were his sentiments that no did everything In his
power 10 got her married to another. II that
he was Incapable OF tho love which makes man un-
happy unless marry tho object OF his Affection
10 adored Augusta, but no would never have thought
Of marrying her II she bad not proposed
IT. There IS no telling what might have
happened II he had not watched her
night from tho top OF treo after shc
had retired. Hc saw then how vain she
was OF her charms. Not vain a simple girl
might be. but vain after tho manner of courtesan.
or course no fettcrrbly, the blow severe and
was so agitatcd that he could scarcely climb down
from tho tree. Unconscious Augusta Unhappy
.Franz He never married. but wont to live with
Renee ard her husband. Now Rcpec's husband. the
love- He owed everything to Franz, but when wicked
people tried to poison his mind his best friend
he listened aod became blind with jealousy. Franz
left him brokcn-h oartcd The Count found
TINT his jcalouscs woro groundess. followed
Franz and begged his p,rdon his knees Tho
blow had boon too severe Tor Franz, and he died In
his ola friends arms The story, which s full OF
beautiful sentiment, proves that man may focl
love for woman which Is purely brotherly but that
he can successfully carry this love in tho faco OF
the world and Of the husband still question: We
believe that it Is not impossible Others. however,
would laugh us to scorn Franz was man for friend
ship of the est Sort but hardly for love- 1t may
be complained that he was somewhat eGcminate. 1t
is generally tho purest qualities in that are
called eleminatc.
''MY INTIMATE FRIEND"
In "My Intimate Fricnd." by Fioronoe l. Duncan
u. B. LippncolD friendship is again tho theme This
time 1t is school girl friendship that is treated Of
How clumsy the treatment aitcr the graceful French
style of the foregoing. Lucia Thorp, New York GIRL
and Mona Tcxador, native Of Toxico or Mexas. we
forget which, but the name suggests either, wero
friends during tho course OF thcir education in New
jersey convent The day they graduated they crossed
the raging Hudson together In Hobokep ferryboat
and eternal friendship they leaned over tho
railing. On this erryboat was young man, n hand
lovely mustache. Hc noticed tho girle, though they
barely glanced at him. Stu they saw enough to
remember his face. Lucia Is met at tho
Barclay street wharf by her father, Mona
by her brother. hey tako different cabs,
and arc driven apart. Mona goes to IA fashionable
boarding house with her father, who Ia a wldower
Her father Is fond OF her and decks her with cheap
jcwelry; makes her wear a watch whom dressed for
dinner, WITH tho chain roaching from her brooch
to her belt. OF course, something comes OF tho
handsome young man with the lovely mustache Ho
turns out TO be friend OF Iucias father. lie is not
long in becoming friend OF Lucia herself Trey
visit the Academy OF Design together and criticisc
the pictures on tho walls. Their remarks arc very
amusing. although unintcntionally so. Mona also
meets the young man; his nnmo is Har-
old Dcurochc, and no falls IN love with
her. This docs not alter Lucia's friend
ship. Mona and harold marry. They do not
live happily and after about hundred ana nry or
two hundred pages Mona dies 1t then ransprcs that
Harold married. the wrong girl. that II was Lucia
whom no loved Lucia, still loyal to her friend qucs.
lions propre,y Of marrying Harold after his treat
ment Of Mona. He explains away the unpleasant part
OF his rcatlonE with Mona. Lucia Is persuaded ana
they are married Tho book Ia not absolutely bnd
but 1t is common. There Is an attempt at character
drawing but falls far short OF the mark We have
no doubt but that My Intimate Friend" will ind ad-
mirrors, particularly among school girls, those who
subsist on such upwhoiosomo diet as pickles ana
slate pencils.
'sHEPnERDs ALL AND MAIDEys FAIR"
ssshcphcrds All and Maidens Fair'' is tho title of
recent addition Harpcr's Half Hour Series by Wal
tor Besant and James Rice. This Damon and Pythas
of the novel writing fraternity are conspic-
nous for tho singularty of their titles
III of he win, In
story II would be hard 10 tell. Fortunately
The tale s good that Its tile Is secondary cou.
s!deration Messra Bcsant aad Rice have caught tho
popular oar and wonder, tor their stories abound
IN dramatic situations and bright Dialogue; and what
is N ore the tone OF thor Is healthy. If vice
be introduced II is made odious We ike tho good
people in their books and dislike the bad Let not tue
odmrer OF the vicious in literature think that no will
get nothing but Sunday school stories from these
tLors. On tho contrary, while they might be read
by Sunday school SCHOLARS with profit, while they
tcach n much better lesson than most sunday
school books. they thorough novels Tho present
little volume is OF absorbing interest," Its characters
are VOL drawn its plot strong and It's language good
To begin to read IL is to finish IT, Though hardly
novel In size II has more material In IL than many
three volumed works OF fiction.
'pA cAro.n
"Da Capo," by MISS Thackeray, is another OF tho
"Ha-Hour' series. II IS only short story, but any
thing the pen OF this writer Is worthy Of nttcn
zion, be It one page or three hupdrcd. We confess
however, that ''Da Capo" does not interest us as
thoroughly might, Tor tho reason that the lovo Of
n widower lacks freshness. BY making Colonel Bax-
ter wdowcr Miss Thnckeray mas taken or the keen
edge OF interest," II Is all well enough for a Wild
over to fall In love with young girl and marry her
II she WILL but hc cannot expect the sympathy from
the world at largo In his case that would DO given
to iovcs 'youDg" dream. We feel more interest
In tho dead lover james or In that tresonc vulgar
Jasper than In Colonel Baxter. Why, this amorous
widowcr had daughter nearly as old as his sweet
heart IL Is not as II she had been suitable age
he had loved her in years gone by, before crcum-
stances had tied him 10 hts late wife, but he dclbcr-
atcy falls In love with this girl OF eighteen, having
had his ego on her since sho IN short dresses.
The redeemed by tho run about tho Cont cnt
Miss Tpackcray Is charming when she gets into Swliz-