New-York tribune., 1886-05-02
SOME MINOR VELS.
STUDIES OF AMERICAN AND FOREIGN LIFE.
A DAUGHTER OF FIFE. by AMELIA l.. BARR.
Pn 2H1 Dndh Meah 4 Go.

JOHN BoDEwIN's TESTIMONY. By MARY HALLocK
FooTE. PIP. 3il. Boston: Tcknor CO.
THE WEECKCRs. \ Social study. By GEORGE
TnouAs DgwLNG. PIP. 400. Philadelphia; D. b
Llprncott Company.
RUHAENAM s'ITy y g. g Asna" as.ae U Il co. EVAN
A RANCHMAN's STORIES. BY HOWARD SEELY. Pp
800. Dold. Mead " CO.
"a Daughter OF Fife is an interesting and we'll
written story. The opening chapters. which intro
duce the reader TO a quaint, strongly n'eryative
and deeply Cavnstic community of fisher FOLK on
the coast of Fife arc full of graphic, vivid portrait
ure The Promoters, Maggie aud David are real
people of clearly marked character. The Scotch
flavor of the book is agreeable and thoroughly
natural Maggie the heroine of the story. is mol le
Girl simple. religious. sweet and pure. and tho
possessor of a frmness and selfrelance to be eX-
pccted from one of her race. Davie her brother
the born theolog an who leaves the fishing boats
for the kirk and wins honors for himself and his
family is another successful stu V. though not so
pleasant an object of contemplation as Maggie
Allen Campbell is not so well defined and complete
rs the two Promoters, though not so vague as To be
unsatisfactory. The story is simple, altogether
unscnsational, and aboundng in fresh and charm
ing bits of nature. The writer has evidently
stndied her scenery with loving eye and has
clcycrlv caught the scotch atmosphere and local
color Tic unpretcntiOus plot is indeed more
romantic than realistic There Is no aiectatlon
about il OF a close adherence to stern reality Tho
romance, however, is delightful and the reader IS
sure TO partake of the enthusiasm with which tho
author dllates upon the resplcndent wedding les
t,y;t:es which brins the narrative to an orthodox
conclusion.
Mrs Foote'S story, HJohn Bodewin's Testimony"
is of a different kird of life TIE scene Is aId IN
Colorado mining camp in the Park range. Here
1,,,t IL upl
less creative force in tho character drawing. The
hero John Bodcwin belongs 10 4 qnccr KIND OF
literary con ;entionasm for the Orglna'lon OF
which perhaps Bret lIare must be held chiefly re-
spnnsibe. He s an impossible ewEnelandcr
Lozv and indefinite rs to character abnormally
sensitive and introSpcctivc; Il being whose ways
and words suggest the anomaly OF a wonans soul
in mans BODY This kild of M IN appears 10 be a
specll favoritc with some modern novellstS. per-
bans because he lends himself readily to subt 9
ana flnciiul Style OF dialogue In real iiie how
ever hc is conspicuous by his absence. We snail
no; encourage ndolcnre bv saving what "John
4 Bo1cwin's Testimony" is abont. and wly he hest
tatel to give It, and why when he dh give 1t he
found himself in 50 hopeless tansle. ne picture
Of poor Babe" is pretty. even II no snch gIIS are
th'nkablc under similar conditions We are "lrau
that a strictly logical deduction from Kccsner's
character
his danehtcr not rustic beauty resembling a
Creek rohdess bnt q lusty and exubcrant damSel
snch rs Clarence KING describe, in his " Noun
taineer.ng in the Sicrras"; the girl who wanted
him TO marry her and half her fathers hogs Mt one
fell swoop.
WHY Mr. Bowling should call The Wreckers
n Social Study is not conspIcnoaSly apparent. IL
is in fact a novel of common type. possessing no
special philosophy. no special significance IN any
wav. The title indeed is misleading the natural
suppos.ion beng that such name belongs to some
studv either OF Labor troubles or of the lcgitmate
methods by which wealth Is sometimes acquired
Mr. Dowling's wreckcrs however, are ordinary
sinners and criminals. and there IS nothing IN the
story or in the persDnages figuring in 1t to suggest
any special study." It is not brilliant novel by
any means and only escapes beng poor one by
reason of a certain earnestness which character
| ICES 1t.
\ story Of Afghan life is something new in fc-
ton. and Mr. stanton has told it mode,tly and
pleasantly. though 1t is evident that good deal
more meht have been made out of the material IN
more practiscd hands. The author appea to
! have visited the country of which he writes, and
! to be familiar with frontier AM station lie IN
| India The description of Afghan manners ana
customs domestic architecture, social uSages, and
| general mixture of hospitality with murderouS
treachery. have the air OF being from the lie mo
| idea of a European child saved from the massacre
of the English forces in the first Afghan war. ana
bronght M Ivan Afghan chief as his own daughter.
is not too fatfctchod to be credible and the pet
ure of Ruhanah ls a charming one. Inc advent
ures of Major Bertrand perhaps SAVIOR somewhat OF
the sensational, aud 1t seems doubtluf whether "a
real Afghan brlgand like llasan would have hesi-
tated to kill his enemy when he had him completely
frl
whole the story is a good one, ami well told.
Mr.. Howard Seely is a young writer who VIII DO
very well when he has worked out of his present
tendency to abuse the use OF adJectVes, ana To
mistake ornate phrases for huuor. If on finishing
storv in his present style he oull sit down and
strike out every third word. the probability is that
La would find the work much improved. 1t may
he that the monotoDy of life on shoep ranch oI
| cattle-range tends to encourage this lOrld and
ditluse STYLE but it is not good style. and tins Mt
| Seely will have to realize Apart from this deicc'
he tells his stories well, AMI they arc representa-
! tive wild West" stories sayorng ol the camp ahu
the COW boys. The author has no illusions about
the country he exploits lie pants firmly and pitt
essly all Tie discomiorts OF life III araw new region,
| among men as rough as the steers they hcrd ana
| women who.e uncOnventIOnaty is somehow more
painful than amusing. lie shows strongly th'
absolute lack of fear, Of all sense OF the beautiful
which is the most wofu characteristic OF American
frontier life. in Europe one tnds plenty oil pOv
crty and as mucL physical discomfort often rs OF
the plains but there is often feeling Tor nature
among even the poorest which finds expression II
picturesque ways. 1t ~ only the Ansl'-HaNoi
transpanted to the Far West VINO ~ content u
live IN "A state of unmitigated hdeousncss 80 lar a
| external things are concerned. and who even grow
TO take sort of pcrverse pride IN the nagrant ugll
ness of his surroundings. Certainly these Ranch
mans Stories " are not calculated To stimulate
enthusiasm for the life on the great ranges, AM
that il TO the authors credit. He has done hi
best 10 set down the truth. aud he has done 1t IN
sprightly and lively way. With II more Iestraihe
style he will do still better work hereafter
TIE BOSTON tina CRERA CARNIvAL
From The Boston Adrerf,s,r
The tableaus Tues lay night were representative
scenes depicted IN the novels Ot Ihachoiay. some
these historical verify. having been inonrbOra
by he novelist among the creations OF his ma mai on