New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-09-30
MINOR FICTION.
SOME LONG AND SHORT STORIES.


16mo, pp All. Dodd Mead d Co.
MERE CHILD. ByL.B walford. 1omo, PIP ao5
Henry Holt co.
.,,oS K1rpprGHT: HIS ADsCITITIOUS EXPERT
ENCEs: WITH OTHER STORIES. BY Frank H.
stockton 12mo, PIP. LAG. Charles scriphefs
Sons.
MY UNCLE FLORIMoND. By Sidney LusKa- l2mo'
pp 1913. Boston: ID. Lothrop Co.
Mrs Lyntons new novel appears to us to be IN
some respects q concession to the vulgar craving
after the sensational Certainly it contains not
n little matter reminiscent of Braddonism Inc
plot is complicated the tragedy IS wrought oy
wicked matchmaking mammas and passionate
lovers whose selfshness blinds them to the lack
of reciprocity in the arrangements they are max
ing There is benefccnt oaf, heir OF suddenly
enriched coalminer who goes through the s'ory
sacrificing himself ana bearing the contumely OF
his neighbors with seraphic meeknesS' Ihere Is
a Iara-lilxe person named Anthony Hartford who
has returned home to succeed 10 an old estate
after q wild life on the frontier of the Umted
States This Hartford is intended apparently lor
the hero The author seems to regard him as
rourh diamond He belongs to the class OF gen.
tlemen who prefer to wear their trousers IN their
boots and cut hicks in the butts of their reviewers
70 register the number of men they have Killed
OF course he is tall. dark, 1.-THE and dangerous
looking. and one can imagine the impression SO
peculiarlv trained landed proprietor would
make among conventional people. wicked
mother really abominable creature hteraily
sells her daughter to this veneered Corsalr' anu
he. knowing the girls heart to be pre-engageo
accents the villanous bargain. Notwithstanding
all this a Lady Elizabeth, described as a perfect
saint falls in love with the man. and in the end'
when he has got rid of his first WIFE, marrles NM
LADY Elizabeth is indeed a pleasant and carefully
drawn figure, but Anthony Hartford Is not deserv-
ing of the refining influence she exerts upon MS
coarse overbearing and brutlsh nature. "heuner
of malice prepense or not, Mrs LyntohS women
are nearly all much superior to her men. bstche'
the sacrificed bride, elopes wish her olo ioNer-a
door creature eaten up by egotism, destitute OF
moral or physical stamina, altogether unworthy
of her. The only really hgh-minded male person
in the book is Caleb Stagg, usually designated the
Omadbannn by his creator; but he is made so hope
aoes lubber that even his noble qualities scarcely
save him from contempt. The novel does not 1ail
as regards interest but the general effect OF IL IS
not pleasant.
aRcmember the Alamo is vigorous, we'll
told story Of the Texan war of independence
Mrs Barr has made good use of historical ma
,erial. introducing Houston, Crockett, Bowie,
and martyrs of the Alamo and of Goliad. The
story centres upon the family OF an American
doctor who has married Mexican lady and
lives at San Antonio. The associations and the
wonderful picturesque beauty of that old town
ft il peculiarly for the scene of stirring deeds
The mingling of the races imparts also special
interest and a quaint flavor to the story and the
author has evidently studied on the spot not
only the scenery but the modes of Dfe OF which
many models may yet be found, both IN texas
and Southern California. OF course, the facts OF
history are not followed with such eXactness as
TO interfere with the view naturally presened IN
sucb a romance: indeed, it might perhaps, be
Objected by a Mexican critic that his country had
received somewhat less than Justice in the nara
tive. But after ALL the point of view is that
of the American champions of Texan lndepen-
dence and Mrs. Barr has certainly succeeded IN
catching the spirit of the time and the fiery en-
thusiasm of the gallant men who knew so well
how to fight, though it cannot be SAID that thelr
browning sacrifices were distinguished by military
! iudpment The battle of San Jacnto was mag
nificent vengeance; but the massacres of the
Alamo and Goliad which inspired it cannot be
said 10 have been unavoidable, and, in sober
fact. they were made possible by direct breach
| of orders on the part Of the victims. But with
these considerations the novelist has little or
nothing TO do 1t is his or her business TO make
| a stirring story out of so much OF the facts or
history as lend themselves easily to the pur-
poses of fiction. This Mrs. Barr has done with
remarkable spirit and force and her story is
consequently excellent and to be commended
One expects always agreeable tales from the
author of The Babys Grandmother and
Mere Child" is not disappointment The mo-
| tive indeed is rather slight; the mild revenge
| of nice girl who loses her heart while in the
hoyden stage to youpg man, who at that time
does not suspect her OF other than tomboylsh
proclivities, and who consequently in all innocence
stimulates her nascent womanhood- Her revenge
for this short ightedness is, of course, taken
when tie mere child" becomes London belle,
and the peccant knight is at her feet But
she is not very cruel 10 him, after all, and no
hesrt-strngs are in any danger OF being wrung
by the narrative of the devious proceedings by
and through which the final and obviously
inevitable adjustment is reached. 1t is lightly
and gracefully written
Nobody can dispute the originality Of the
idea which underlies Amos Kilbrg ht' but
| il may be objected that in taking his fundamental
motive from spiritualism, Mr. Stockton evidently
did not make his study sufficiently thorough
to produce verlsimilitude. Apart from this the
story is odd enough TO satisfy the most exacting
reader Nothing can be more grotesque than
the conception of ghOstly visitant at a spirit
ual seance being inadvertently naterialized so
solidly that he cannot be dematerialized again;
and is, therefore, obliged to take up The life
he had laid down over century before and
20 on with it, When TO this notion is added
that of German scientist who possesses the secret
of Standardization. and is so to speak, on the
trail Of the materialized spirit it will be realized
that the material for bizarre situations is sufficient
MIR. Stockton makes every possible use Of 1t
moreover, and perhaps there arc few odder pass
ages in fiction that that in which he describes
the discovery of Amos kilbright's wedding clothes
On the floor in front Of the toilet tablc-thc
wearer having been suddenly dematerialized as
he was putting the finishing touches 10 his
festal array The other stories in the volume,