New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-08-04

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reader ncsh-andbood being, She other people OF tho
story being mostly marionetcs and suggesting little
but the footlghts Can Mr. Jessop " do an lfishman
badly? We doubt It. His knack is unique and de-
llgh.frl and he ought not 10 waste 1t on the play
novels Judge Lynch is decidedly ephemcrai' but
we will not call dull. Its movemont Is rapm' lis
episodes are exciting, II can be read through IN an
hour or so-and what more need We a'h vi s"'S
in the lazy DAYS Of summerF
Uncle Piper IS thus far the most notable novel
of the summer The style IS easy and NATURAL Inc
plot IL developed with the ingenuity of an artist Inc
characters are few and are strongly Differentiated, and
the surroundings are lightly but wildly skctchcd in.
The fresh scene rresstby peases the reader weary Of
a background of London, Boston, Paris and New
York The two central figures arc Uncle Plper'
millionaire who began life as butcher, ana his DAINTY
little daughter who at the close OF the story acts as
the good fairy healing all differences ana making all
things smooth for those she loves. she Is winning
little creature, and she Is made to play her part
natbetcally but still without any of the tiresome
senhmentality which In most novels mars the rep
rcsentation of chld-characters. Uncle Piper" Is
literary gem. shrewd vugarian. with many good
traits 10 be shown 10 those who have the vii to eau
Them out and with coarse and hard s'de exhibited
frankly 10 those who tread on his vanity and hs
t,diccs The old man and his little girl
clearly and vigorously drawn that they inspire lively
homes for "Tasma'sn next novel; Both In Its I'M
onc Of character and in It's style this book has dis
tnctiOn.
Mr.. Allen is. as he admits an old fogy" regards
,ho education of women and he has used his story
IN illustrate his conservatism in an amusing way. 1t
s an modification of his recent Forum article In
which he touk strong ground against intrusive feminine
brains and tho absurd amount of culture enjoyed by
the modern woman OF the two beautiful herones of
The tents of shem,7 is an English girl, who has
r,f(. irtou nd has IS
CIasslcp of the university. The other is Kabyle
maiden the daughter of savage mother and an Eng
sh father and creature utterly unframed ana I'M
taught through her sixteen years of wild life in the
North African mountains The English girl IS the
elimination of all that is beautiful and lofty in mental
training; the Kabyle can neither read nor wrie
and has been nothing but the drudge OF her mothers
halfbarbaric relatives Yet OF these two girls, when
stress of trouble comes tho wild Arab chooses the
nobcr part. shows the most unselhshness, bravery,
Unborn refinement and dignity of character ana ends
by falling in love with that one OF the Two heroes
who is best worth loving What pity that Mr..
Allen should be obliged to 60 to North Africa for
a heroine to support his position IN REGARD 10 inc
foolishness of educating womenl
Mr. Aliens men are poor things-his forging cad
OF a villain is the stock character of the modern
English story. and the reader knows exactly what
he will do when he first appears The plot cleYery
conceived, and there are two episodes IN the DOCK
which real force ana WHICH VIII po
when the rest Of it IS forgotten These are the
kabyie siege of the French post, and lie Marchants
adventure on the railway bridge when he hangs by
hath hands to a tie and lets the train pass over
him.
Mrs Woolley-who is. by the way, president OF the
Chicago Women's Club-las followed tbs example of
Mr. IIoweUs Major Kirkland Mrs. Coombes and Mrs.
Rates and has written realistic novel disclosing
types which she appears TO have closely studied
The heroine IS the daughter of American mechanic
who ACQUIRES good high school education and Is made
disconnected with her pr0sac and uncultivated sur
roundings she lmagincs that she feels tenderness
for a flirting Young man who Is above her in station
but She ends by marrying the good youth whose
affections She outs in the greenes Of her saia1 days
Her ambition to reach a higher social place, her hnal
submission and the reward which is indcacd-a seat
In Congress for her husband-ae set forth in strict
accordance with the current American theory of real
ism. If the novel teaches anything it is such copy
book morals as that bind in the hand is worth two
in the BUSH and that "Contcnlment is the best
wisdom Maggie's old father is skeched with trutn
and power; as much hardly be said of the other
characters.
The History Of a slavc7 Is. in this form. felton,
but il Is nevertheless the truth. 1t is made up o.
incidents and experiences known personally TO Its
author or related to him by negro slaves In the
Earbary states and in Western Equatorial Africa II
Is picturesque and stirring story. rich with tropical
color and told with a kind Of rough simplicity which
is very attractive The admirable illustrations, en-
rraved from drawings by the author, show that he IS
an accomplished draughtsman, well daring
plorer and entertaining writer