New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-09-03
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
RECENT FICTION

~ COAMoN xox
TEE OTHER SIDE. Social STUDY Based on Pact
By N. 4; roHAS lamo' pp' Aei' "a'n'ns'''
NOT IN The PROSPECTUS BY PanKss paSr.HT rn
iemo. pr. so2 Boston; Hougetou. Mimin 20
Mr. DT IS ssa 9 Chicago. &c ~ s0 ssca1s Co.
. DEN OF THIEVES; o., The Lay Reader Of st. Marks
BY NARY CauoES lomo PIP iS%' FUNK
TUE FALL OF AsGARD. BY JULIAN CoRBkrr.
A"1 l6mo. rp l9s. Harper Bros
MAJOR FRANK BY A. l. q. BosRoos r ssssnYp.
Hsrper 4 Bros Franklin Square Library.
aAs Common Mortals" s the first essay IN
eo,;on NJ n new writer, and it ia good beginning.
IL shows keen observation life. shrewd percep-
ton OF motives natural gift OF character rea''p
not a little Judgment discrimination ano goo'
taste The heroine is a girl who Is pe'u''a' :"
many respects and her growth is oiowea WIN
delicate handling aud graphic skin OF de'ero'
Itch n practisod novenst might be proud OIL
Sme Of the episodes in Milly's youth are set ior'
with n completeness not alone CT rendering ou' Vi
apprehenson suggestive of Autobiography in0
account of how she " got religion IN her 'h,""'''
of her emotions in church. and especially % w.
proceeding in her sef-constrncted oraV"'S' ~
freshness and individuality OF per'O""
perieuce The pictures Of dramatic ite 'h oo' '
lsupposed to be Brooklyn are also irep"" Ivy
good Nor is il only in the nome o,'''0 80
nay student Of social Uiuho''
Tho nicture of Miss Reese. the very advanceo
-. ..o,,.n who has drifted through and out or
-, 49, r,l;g,ons extsnt and finally brought up at
s.,bsnmum.v where cranks OF every kna
,.rs or nreacb or make "orAtions. ~ fu'i OF
kno0ledge of modern type now pretty "'uey
5,,f,s.d Dr. Ballaud and his ins'tntion are Tess
realistic In Ferrarl aud Haslett may he discerhe"
the makings of strong characters. but the author
touch is apt to he uncertain when she deals with
man and in the incl lent Of Hasietts treason ID
Van Sittart she b ~ violated probability 1nlte au-
daeiously OF course crulities must Do expecSeu
in a 6rst novel and here tue ia { to be noted is
that there are really so few. Milly Barron IS NV
ing person Lot figure. ana her family are all
aonnne people. That is goot deal to say. and 1t
nm hit 10 be said TO encourage a writer who mas
given proof of special power in fiction. ana VINO II
She will realize aud strive honestly 10 overcome ner
defects, may be expected 10 do exceHeu' "o'N "oi0
after.
Ex-Coneressman Foran has written n story
which is Intended to illustrate the labor side OF the
social question. Unfortunately for the effect OF the
h,oE IL rms too much to the dlme-novel type. and
it's of the labor views is ton one-sdnd
and highly colored. The vii ain of tho plot Is a
wealthy capitalist aud employer OF Iaoor' au" ne
turns out to he a murderer who long ago R'ie ani
robbed the father of the hero. who Is sorC oil
oa,onized worKiugman The hero falls in love
with and finally marries a millionaires dangn'er'
II is true that the Chicago tire has lmpoVeriSne'
him so as to make things seem even, uut rs NC
continues TO occupy mansion and live luxurousy
tho ipferrnce must be that he was insured i'll com
NAMES which did not collapse Strikes. outrages, ar
vibrations discussions upon theiiferences between
labor and capital alternate curiously with meodra-
matte incidents The purpose OF the story IS opVi-
ously good. bat it takes very sklIlui am s'ious
writer to make a success OF any mover WIN pul-
pose
4 decidedly summer novel is Not in the
Prosnectus' 1t s light airy. cheerful ana
altogether unimportant. 1t deals with the advent
ures of young girl who joins personally
conducted party on round OF Europe love
story is woven into the sketches, and 1t turns upon
the rather hackneysd device of the girl VINO mates
a certain young man meeting him casually not
knowing WIN he is and falling IN love Win 1'I hv
The type Of American old maid re ptesenteI oy
Mr.. Danforth is possible. perhaps ou' ho' oio"'
ant.
In9Mr. Desmond, Y. S.A.." story of army life
Ia given The principal parsonage is a scampisn
Young fellow son to an old. colonel ihere Is
plenty of action and the sketches OF lie at Iron
tier most are natural and graphic. What is not
natural in the story is the account OF N'nds
seduction by George Desmond The intention,
evidently. is TO represent Nina as victim bat
tho rnskilfnlness of the narrator produces very
different impression. On the whol o. tne story ls
wanting in strength and clearness OF outline
"a Den of Thieves is another story with a
purpose The evils of intemperance among COM
munity of workingmen are shown. and also the
good work done by young man who Is luii OIL
enthusiasm and who has that delicate tempera-
ment which, when folud in curates, seems to ap-
peal with such my sterious force to the synpathies
of Young women. The lay reader OF st. Marks
is consumptive and a brutal saoon-keeper VINO
resents his attempts to close the bars on Sundays
strikes him on the breast and lays the seeds OF
fatal illness. There 8 beautiful gIl VINO Is IN
love with the interesting but doomed lay-resher.
and altogether there good deal of "a Their cheap
sentiment in the story.
.The Fall OF Aseard is a story of Morse life IN
the legendary period, or rather at the time when
legend and history mingled cOnfusealy. This KIND
of semi Historical novel is very difficult. The dis
tance of the theatre makes 1t scarcely possible 10
maintain the readers interest in the action, and
the only way by which this interest can be secured
IL by undermining the action. which OF course. in
wolves more or less sacrifice and faishcatlon OF the
historical side. Mr. Corbett however. has attained
more than the usual success His story has the
antiaue local flavor and it runs huently and sus-
tains the attention to the end. 1t is tale OF rude
men aud violent deeds but 1t is not repulslVe'
though from the first the coming doom OF the OLD
faith overshadows everything. The ravens brood
over the opening scene and descend 20 tnelr
CHASTITY feast in the closing one.
MAJOR Frank" is translation from the Dutch.
The story IS fresh. original and well told though
in that epistolary form which is generally so severe
a trial both for authors and the public. MAJOR
Frank 4" is young girl, and why and how she
obtained that military title it is the business of
the reader to discover. Certainly a more ILL
Judged education never produced stranger results
than in this interesting but capricous young lady,
an the courage and perseverance, of the man Who
undertook 10 win her for his wife are not more
remar kable than his success in the end.