New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-05-05
SOME NEW NOVELS.
. TIE OPEN DOOR, By MISS B. W. HOWARD

d. Appleton Co.
FORTUNES OF Mr. AND MRS. THOMAS GARDI-
NER. BY Sidney Luska (Henry HailandJ LIMO,
pp. 36T. Casssil Co.
Miss Howards last work is a very good one indeed,
and thoroughly fresh and unhackneyed both In the
prevailing motive and in the types Of character pre-
scnted The idea which gives the title TO II IS tho
fierce struggle which proceeds In the mind OF Count
Kronfels as to his destiny. gallant young
noble of wealth and position, he has, through fall
from his horse, been crippled for life. His spine Is
Injured and he finds himself condemned like Hcne, to
mattress grave Just life opening before him
most aurngly. In this situation he applies for coun.
sci TO the old philosophers and he finds in Epctes
this passage above all things remember that the
door is open BE not moro tImd than boys at play.
As they, when they cease to take pleasure in their
games declare that they will no longer play, so do
YOU, when all things begin to pail upon you re-
tire. But II you stay do not complain This
comforts him. lie reflects that the door is always
open and that he decides TO play no longer he can
always retire and the assurance that he Is the arbter
of his own fate prevents him from acting prcipat"ly.
The purpose OF the story to show how at last the
open door is closed by Love. and this is Worked on;
with great skill. dclcaCy. power and charm. NO.
where has the author conceived so many original and
ell-sustaIned characters. Count Kronfr%'s mother.
the Counties Adehed. with her pet dog Mouscy," Is
really a revelation. The utterly and mNany selfish
old woman, with her pride, her sham sentiment, her
ridiculous devotion to the cOnditonei cur that alone
possesses such affection is possible TO her. is al
miratly presented. As to "Mousey,' he is entitled to
bench in the Temple Of Fame by the side Of Marry
ats "Snarlry0v- and THE Laird'S Jock OF " Red
gauntletthouGh the latter is consigned BY tho legend
10 a sulphurous locality, and one which may seem
more in consonance with the advanced diabolIsm eX
hibted by "MouScy7 himself All the scenes in which
the dog and his mistress figure capital. and he
In LIAR inIn
Countess is touched enhances the sometimes grim
humor OF the situation. The old Countess + In tho
habit OF prhurinc young girls "a companions She
always begins BY lavshinG eXravagant dcmorsu ATOMS
Of affection and confidence upon them. She always
ends by distressing, misliking and packing them on
The heroine, Gabrielle Donna distant relation Of
the Kronfcls is the latest experiment In cOnndantes
and companions Gabrielle is charming young
creature and 1t is no wonder Nat poor Hugo. tho In
valid, feels her presence to be benedicon. and in
spite of his utmost resistance falls In love with her.
But TIE gloomy mood Of Hugo Is exercised meantime
by another delightful person, one Dietz bernhard.
stonecuer, with beautiful tenor voice and noble,
simple, strong nature.
Detz comes TO chat with the Count every day. being
at work on a new building near by, and his very
atmosphere SO abOundS IN calmncSs. health and in.
egrity that he stands between Hugo and that
" open door, to which in HIS solitude his despair.
ing eyes turning. For time
the Counts mood is proof against all forms OF con
ISOLATION for the pressure of material facts is terrible,
and what can gainsay neuralze the unaltCI-ble
reality OF his !py wreck the hopeless prospect q
his parslyzed life Inevitably the contest within Is
fierce and obstinate, and when the crippled man
realizes that Gabrielle has his heart. all his manhood
rises up in revolt against the thought Of re,e ealing
his secret TO her and he Is than tempted to
avA all himself Of the open door" and take himself
out Of her way The honest sunny souled Diez comes
the here and gently leads the tormencd
valid to take interest in the and suferings
OF Others Thus insensbly he reataches himself to the
world from which he had seemed 10 be cut OF, and no
Is stopped on the descent toward mIsanthropy
Gabrielle, who has had thoroughly unconventional
education her father having taught her hinsclf. and
her mother being dead enters the world Sng1lary
sophisticated and with habit Of plain speaking and
straight thinking which soon brings her into dsfavor
with the old Countess and puts her odds with the
false and hypocrcs society TO which she Is intro.
dured.
Her intolerance Of the marriage OF convention IN
spires her with much boldnc>S toward the pretty
but wilful Mercedes who Is afancrd to hdcouS
decrept old Ambassador, that the girls conscience
stirred TO the point Of breaking the iht"lcouS ell
gagement, with happy results for herself thanks 10
the sdroitness Of tho Frau Won Funnel, who is an
other highly original aud most amusing perSOnaS" The
Frau Major she is commonly called, manages
everybody by Tie Simple pan Vi pIdsIbS eHoi S"phS
Nobody ever head q caumHous or unpieas-
antly critical word from her lips. sh,
has only cOmmendatIun apology, defence excuses for
every one. and her remarks repeated they make
friends for her in all directions. The Frau Major
Is the only person who can manage the Counties
Adelhcid but she does It with and BY making the
pervcrse old think she is having her own way.
There is much plot in the stGy, but the various
tableaus are spiftcdy drawn that the reader does
not miss It az all. The story Is. moreover. 81 kind
not need ln;Icacy Of situation, for ia" main In
tcrcst concerned is psychological. Therr is a final
vulson. the most aGOnizng Of all and Hugo think,
he Is very near the open door. when tho supreme
moment comes and Gabrellcs rsOlufC love closes II.
and takes position there to guard It forever. Whether
IN the beauty and subtety OF the central conception
In the shll insight humor and orllancy OF the work
Inc out the story Is equally admirable and deserving
Of high praise.
Mrs Campbell Praed and Mr.. Mccarthy continue to
work togethe- IN fiction with satisfactory results. In
Tho Ladies' Gallery the obalent OF romance Is
stronger than In The Right Honorable" but whether
this Is due to q larger infusion Of feminine ideas is
question not easily answered There is novelty In the
plot. and room and verge enough for the most dra
matte and sensational situations. An Aus n-aan girl
N axes unhappy marriage. Her husband turns out
gambler, drunkard and nnally defau!ur. He Is
sent to prison for lonG and she to England
Another man falls In with the husband. who has cs
capped from prison and wandered into the bush. They
discover together rich gold mine and beoome part
and close friends, the escaped convict having
pented and reformed and become a OF Jean Val
Joan. The other. Richard Ransom, goes to England
millionaire. meets the cOnvicrs WIFE not knowing hel
position. and falls In love with her despite her
lngs Out Of this complication Inevitably ar1ss grea,
difficulties and suerngs for Ransom and BeTenoe and
they are severely tired but out OF the ordc pure
and steadfast. Ransom is placed between his duty to
lss bosom friend and his love for that friends wife
The wife hates the memory OF her husband who III
treated and Inundated her and the relations Of all
concerned appear to be so intoerahe that nothing
short OF cooperative suicide is capable Of bringing
about a solution. This dnicut and delicate state VI
Affairs Is nevertheless unravelled with much sotnes s.
nv the authors though In the end they find 1t necessary
n remove" one OF the principal tho. and shall
say which one The interest Is well SUSTAINED through
out and the characters are natural and vivid though