New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-10-28
NEW NOVELS.
BY FOUR AMERICAN WRITERS.


aNrss rors nv Edward P. Roe 1omo. PIP. 3es
Dodd, Mead q Co
ri oRINDA A story. BY Mrs. Anna Bowman
Dodd l6mo PIP. 2o3 Boston: Roberts
. NAR.1INE woOING. BY Captain Charles King,
T. s. A. Illustrated. limo. PIP No. harper
d Brothers.
WHY WAS TT By Lewis Benlamin. IZmo PIP
o57. Bclford, Clarke & Co.
In his last romance, which he was not to complete,
though he left sufficiently full outline of its con
clusion Mr. Roe went back TO the war period for his
plot and placed his in that southern society
the analysis of which had evidently special attrac-
ton for him. There is no indication In : MISS Lou
of waning powers In some respects IL Strikes US
as one of the freshest novels its author wrote The
heroine is sweet Southern girl, unsophisticated
genuine American product, owing nothing to social
environments but nearly everything to heredity, In
nate virtue and selfculture novelty OF situation
I'm introduced IN making the chief perts OF this young
woman grow out Of the stubborn determination OF nef
selfish and hotheadcd cousin, Madison Whateiey, 10
marry her against her will and consen. Through ig
norance of her rights the girl narrowly escapes the
audacous conspiracy against her liberty, but young
Northern soldier opporuney arrives on the scene and
falls into the role Of rival TO turbulent Mad' Whate-
lev There is plenty of dashing movement, for the
tide of war rolls the Baron plantation, and
smart engagement takes place within sight OF the
tcrest is heightened by the presence Of both her
lovers in the opposed ranks.
There is much by-play among the negroes on the
plantation, and the author had evidently made care
full study of the old field hand, and the typical
nanny" for his darkcys, both men and women are
among the most easy and natural whether In move
ment or conversation, have encountered for
long time "Chunk" and Zanyn aud Aun Jinkcy'
are each and all drawn with skin and sympathy onl
less than the humor which pervades the studies and
the negro parts of The story consequently by no
means the least interesting. The realism OF the Held
hospital sketches too is striking, and Mr. Roe has
designed some pathetic tableaus here Young scovie
the Northern soldier, is naturally the hero Of the
story, but he IS altogether suborlinated 10 Miss
Lous who has been drawn with evident loving sym
patty, and who, Northern ideal of southern
girl certainly ought 10 be accepted In the light OF
a peace-oferine at the South. II Is scarcely ncces
sary to say that the story occupies the admittedly
high ethical plano upon which the author always
wrote. II it Is not high art 1t Is at least wholesome
work, breezy, bracing and manly, and In no sense
meretrcious
Mrs. Dodd's story is concerned with the develop
ment OF young girl, whom circumstances have so
deprived Of all discipline that whether she VIII turn
out well i'll question likely to be deter
mined by the mcrest accident. The daughter OF an
easy going Southern planter stranded ny INC war
motherless and without guidance of any Kind, the
girl Glorlnda Fearful namel grows up with a ten
dency to sentiment dangerously strong-a tendency
which practice Of spouting Shakespeare In the woods
for the edlcahon Of select audience OF small
darkeys docs not diminish. Glorndas dramatic pro-
clly1ties are purely natural. She Knows nothing Of
elocutior and her defamation is crude but she is
extremely pretty, and a young New-Yorker with
plenty Of money, who happens to witness one OF
her performances barely escapes falling In love with
her, and comes perilousy to wrecklng her life.
There IS homespun hero named Jake, who has long
worshipped Glornda, but she revolts from his COM
monness and like the average young person.
dreams OF romance and fairy princes.
1t will be perceived that the story cast familiar
lines 1t does not after all end in the conventional
way. ClorInda does not break her young heart for
the fascinating New Yorker who loves and rides
away.' Neither does she away to be great
hstrionc artst-thoug h shc tries TO do So But she
gradually develops sense; sees the sterling
worth Of homely Jake Crossey; and having realized
that after all she had been genuinely In love
with the brilliant stranger. marries Jake and is
happy a. anybody deserves to be- Mrs. Dodd's novel
Is gracefully written and the interest does not flag
She is fond Of describing scenery and does II with
poetic effect. Tho picture Of Glorinda In the woods
acting before the little negroes is quite striking I'm It's
way. Glornda herself is lovingly and dclIcatcly
moulded and is a gracious figure The old planter,
her father is lifeke wither is somewhat wooden,
and the Irish gypsy strikes scarcely possibility
at least do think that Borrow Leland Palmer
ever speaks OF Hibcmian ROmanys But the little
story IS natural and wholesome. Calypso consoles
herself, why should she not land she does so in
emincntly nIncleenth century manner by marrying
who has blossomed into president of the richest
mining company the Pacific slope. a prosaic
consummaon. perhaps, but practically preferable
unlimited plaintve yerse perennial tears and the
regulation early grave.
Captain King always writes interestingly, and one
Of this is that no takes his stories out OF his
professional experiences 10 great extent. and so
gives himself the advantage Of expert knowledge.
soldier writing about war and sailor writing about
the sea always command attention. and 1t must DO
added that both soldiers and saiIors have brisk and
attractive ways IN dealing with love stories. In A
Wartime woolng' Captain King has gone moro Into
mystlhcaons and cross purposes than Is usual with
him, and at first the idea suggests Itself that he is
trying TO follow Gaboriau's Bosgobey's methods
But the complications eventually prove to be not SO
very formidable, though the villains there ale two)
are rather mechanically villanous The plot Is
reader though the principal characters not par.
tlcularly solid the hero, a blue blooded Dostonlan
being somewhat too neutral tinted 10 evoke the In
terest a hero should attract. hut there are some
really admirable descriptive passages IN the volume
the best of these being the brilliant and beautiful
picture Of carly morning In the Union lines along the