New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-04-08
A HUNDRED PAGES OF ID1oTIC DEIVEL
From The Philadelphia Record.

1t is time that an emphatic protest was entered
against the scky. maudln fiction which the pubic
script of real life. short time ago we heard great
deal as to a literary movement in the south ana
mai development Of that section Among the untricd
authors who were ser down as giving promise n o a
mitted that in her first story. rothcr 10 DRAGONS
published in The Atlantic Monty h%rr Wrro N pMt
i'm her subsequent efforts there has been hotccape
steady decline. failure Of vital force mental psrs r
age she has rot only rt been She s'hha ass
clothed her characters in dress which is perfect
bnrlcsquc of the garb that they really wore NJ Ialne
in his hs9ry OF EP ba ons Jehovah gave
Charles /. and that we see his grand fuucd cloak.
his roInfcd VandyFc beard his velvet colorrd throne
and golden dals: and so Miss Rivcs IN the story OF
nonan episode which IS supposed to ta haY io s Mr.
.Iowells's Lemue Barker" and seems TO mink. N
her sketches Of English life in the middle ages; ina.
LADY, or DDS boGkns7 the unies are preServed, and
the age and body Of the lime IS given lis FORM ana
Rnf there IS grpvcr accusation 10 p" modS aga,nst
Miss R'ves than The absence Of vcrism!uude the
complete novel which now forms mon hly the piece
nc resisal r. OF Lippn cits Maea/nr has Dcen InI
Under ,hs tito Tho onck or tho Dead' A study"
schnol # feiion which sets school girls dreaming Of
Dyrnnc hnroes With inrneddown collars aud eyes In
fine frenzy roll ng OF knights on Goa b,ck ste "a
urder the vcr Sc OF ha She draIon VIII Is personi
fed by maiden teacher wear ne corIs screw Gu and
comp rcd with thai eroc gospel Of which Mss Tives
is high priestess. Barbara POmfret, young Virginia
widow, "eets with Jock Dcering. cousin of her
dead husband. and his physical counterpart. They
fall in love with zach other but Just as the reader
eXrects them marry Barbara changes her mind and
dsmsses 10 because there Is open grave between
them There arc nearly hundred pages OF the most
doc drvs thai wa PUT 9e the
The rain does not fall, but soughs the lightning
glmpses, tho autumn sky Il suave, the moon shines
YAM the heroine IL super AMY ana draws
ragged and uneven breaths; little negro boy whom
Violet woods where the wind slthers and soughs has
blue. black feet and yellow lined toes and yet she
hat wonld have set Oscar Wilde's teeth edge sho
dreams dreams and secs visions. She has black
maid. Martha Ellen. whom sho calls Ramcscs Just as
Dick Swveller cbristencd the London slavey" the
NarchloneSs. When this African factotnm has robed
inc there "a a circus She takes the pins out Of her
cOppercoOrrd hair. and no donht puts th"m between
Lcr teeth. lies down on her bed but finds the linen
cold Gets np throws herself on lounge, yclls sols
shiycrs shudders. laughs. until the eyes Of Harnesses.
who listening outside so I'm to edseS IS
Tho table half-smoked cigar. which Law In a neat
little ash-tray among frs ashes Just as me man who
years before Suddenly she fc on her knees hes de-
The table and snatchns up the biz OF t v, bs,ed
byefercal sens OF humOr and presently sic he a. 10
i?S t bvstercallv but qnicily and apprec atively
seem 70 an on loORcr- Thcn Barbara la" sup r
cscrts useif Vast waves Of passionate regret swept
ovcr ber each one more vast and annihilling than
h ih a. She could not think OF her husband as
having existed he was mere mass OF rcpuisve
powerlessness in Shiny wedge OF EARN perhaps no
was not even that She imagined his chastity sbcle-
tnu ,rIcled ont in all the mocherv Of fashionable
attire What a lghtfu', smart OF tn" VOID " ordl9
coats he had WON. Why. II he wcre a skeleton now,
could see LIS ailqrS nam ~ gu letier through
then Martha Ellen alias Ramosc aias the Mar hon IS
overcome nv the display Of this terrible sense Of
humor feels the blood chill in her rlgd black body
and ,nnttsrs between her clacknc teeth. Miss
Psrb'ra done gone mad She done gone mad -
And so tbe story II such II can he called goes on,
inflated and siilted in style anu W''no. n' SIsntost
Earbara and Jock are surcharged with what he author.
seems to think Is passion. but IS really hanty, as
| witness this specimen: A., -
"You love me You love me, theh' my tlgresS T!
| You are OF ycurself7'
Il am sure I am sure" ~,
"You are changed, you mean you may change
again"
Jock hiss mes
I" II vas pity
! "You thought you would atone want Won to mn.
dcrsisnd lOAthe your PITY aborn'nate It. would
rather
"Jock. kiss me-
/ " ' tell ycE II.
| [" Kiss me-
a. would rather
| And this IL confirmed sd nausoam, ad lnhnum.
Yet hero 10 story which mas Oesn herAiued ny ad.
Sunday newspapers, and pufed IN fnlsome biographies
Of the author o her claims OF high descent her wealth
her beauty and her genius Jnsi as we are ased to
pet Of society. In drss from worth and diamonds FROM
TIFFANY success In Literature s TO II associated with
Virginia blood and family estates III" Outlnoh i not
. cheerful Nor Is IL pleasant TO think that yOnng
and heahfnl American women are 10 10 asked 10 satu-
rate themselves with the scky ard morbid ancies and
the eshly thoughts which run through and dominate
| this product Of hyseria and nightmare