The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1889-04-14

ILLUSTRATION OF tne pregnant neuhih6 VI '"N
poet Omar ]. Khayyam's fatalistic words on
the cover OF the book:
awe are but pieces In the game He plays,
Upon this checker-board of nights and days.
Hither and thither moves. and checks and Stays
And one by one back in the closet lays"
Poor Selma Dolaro Published by
Bedford, Clarke & Co.. OF New York, Chicago
and San Francisco, and for sale by Mansford.
All misers have not the dramatic pictur-
esqueness of old "Gaspard,' in lies Cloches
de Corneville," and the novelist who chooses
as hackneyed motif as the avaricious love
of gold TO build q romance on must be an |
artist in words and feelings II he succeeds in
clothing this old idea in new and attrac-
tive dress. This task, however, Emile Richie
bourg has accomplished most admirably IN
his charming novel lie Million du Pere
Raclot," in which the contrast between the
sordid baseness of miserly greed of the peas
ant, Mathurin Raclot and the noble mag
nahimity OF his daughter, Marthe, Is
strikingly and effectively drawn. George
Sand says in regard to romance writlng.
"Art Is not study Of positive reality, IT is
search for ideal truth" In the character OF
the miser, Richebourg proves that art Is akin
to nature, and is study of positive real
ity," while in the portraiture OF Marthe
and the Sautenays, the'author appears to
have found ideal truth" Richebourg evil
IDENTIFY has old-fashioned notions, and does
not believe that pure love- virtue, truth and
honor arc myths, and in the development
of this story he finds no other elements har-
monious or essential. The moral atmosphere
of the book, therefore, is clean, pure and
| fresh, untainted by the slightest breath OF
| the feverish and artificial excitement char
acteristic of the average French novel, but
which would be utterly out of place in
work of this genre. Not that the author is
canting or priggish but he provesit possible
to produce novel equally realistic and as
full of absorbing human interest with these
simple, homely materials as II painted with
a holder hand and in broader colors and
effects The story Is told with the greatness
of simplicity and naturalness. There are no
complex situations, no morbid phases OF
feeling to sound and analyze. Neither is
there any dramatic or philosophical effort.
The events appear TO follow in natural Sc
quence. bringing out on the whole the better
side of human nature which the writer's
pen is not yet too blasc 20 believe in or de-
pict MathuFin Raclot was a peasant and
farm laborer in whose sordid soul the
germ Of avarice steadily grew and devel-
oped until he becomes the apacious
miser aud Insurer We find him when his
daughter Is grown and about to be married.
lie Is the typical money lender, conscience
less, linthearted and grasping. lie argues
10 himself that ''since II is with money that
we buy the land. which we cultivate to
render productive, so like the land
money must yield money" This was
old Raclots creed aud he lived up TO IL.
Twelve francs for ten francs or six francs for
five francs at the end Of two or three months,
was TO him perfectly legitimate and honest
Like Others OF his villainous calling. he
stopped at nothing that tended to swell his
Golfers and increase his territory. lie had
determined 10 become a millionaire and he
succeeded many times over, at the expense
4 Others, by dcfrauding them and spcculat-
ing upon their misfortunes and extravaganza,
and by methods shamefully and abominably
crooked. Early and late hc plots and plans,
gaining farms, vineyards meadow lands and
property, steadily accumulating and laying
up, ever cold bloodcd and callous TO the
prayers, tears and misery he scattcrs about
him until lac is posscssor Of the whole ooun'
try around, and finally buys the old Chateau
d'Aubecourt" and outbuildings "for an old
song" II was said, and becomes Monsieur
Raclot," whom the poor villagers hate
but salute when they meet him because
they fear him." This Is a marvclously
drawn portrait Besides being ayaricious,
. Raclot Is yainglorious, ambitious aud boast.
: ful, which may account IN some degree fol
his generosity In sending his daughter e
the convent OF the DANES Dominicaincs'
TO be educated. II Is while there, through
her cherished friend and schoolmate, Ma.
{ thilde de Santcnay, that Marthc an,
3 Georges de santcnay meet and fall In love
, with one another. Old Raclot consents {,
; the marriage proposed by Gen. DE santcnay
, GcoTcs's father, and In the end grudgingl!
spares Marihe dot OF $1,000 francs, con
Z selling himself with the reflection, however
y that Il Is not the twelfth part Of what hii
daughter could claim, and In less than six o
3 eight months he will OH the void made II
: his money chest" As soon, however, a
{ Marthc learns the ignominious secret Of oil
! this enormous fortune, how Il had beef
i cruelty wrcstcd from widows aud orphans
E how much ruin aud despair her father ha'
i brought about, she experiences a sense o
d shame aud rcyulsion too horrible 20 de
! scribe. She frankly tells Georges she can
> not marry him without giving hin
= the reason why, aud departs at once for th
J. Pcnsionnat In Paris with her mind made al
y to earn her living as a teacher rather thai
Q eat the bread Of one who has gained hi
wealth by such monstrous means a. those
G she now knows her father has employed
p Marihc Is filled with the spirit Of justic
$ and honesty, aud icnaciously adhcrcs TO he
a purpose. After her fathers death she set
u about the work of restitution unninchingly
+ seeking out all whom ho had dcfraudcd, AM
: paying them 10 the last farthing The sac
G rifco Is n noble one, and channingin a. por
y tuiturc. but We fear there arc few Marthe
u In real life So much mngnanimiiy deserves
Il a rich reward. which her own con
4 science fret Of all gave her, and the
y the faithful love Of Georges, who, liz
x few othcr IN the story. show
i that there are kind and loyal hearts Il
. the world after all. While other novelist
d arr bitten by the iads Of the day, Tor instanc
= rcincanntlon and psychology and some hav
d simply gone down 10 the bedrock IN thei
d dissection % human passion, Richcbour
y finds another and equally olamorous them
z / t.aFIuVa atta mora t.urfsuftnua LA Ia