The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1889-05-19

original purpose anu stanuaru' ihVio
nothing better than Book Chat to aid one in
selecting the newest and best things in cur
rent literature. Published by Brentano,
New York. Price 81 per year or 10 cents
copy Mansford has it.
1.-THE Black Ball. is the unique title OF
new novel by Ernest Delaney Pierson,
which reveals considerable originality and
and though some of the Incl
dents SAVIOR of the Eighty and improbable
yet the purpose that prompts them is
healthy one and serves to point the moral OF
the story. The significance OF the black ball
is monstrous In its fendishness and recalls
to mind similar motif in Victor Hugo's
great play of "Hernani," in which the fero-
cious spirit Of jealousy and revenge is por-
trayed with such marvellous picturesqueness
and power The same high sense of honor,
too, which at the sound OF the far of
fatal horn cruelty tears Hermann from the
arms of Dona Sol, his new made bride,
equally pervades and obliges Paul Rexton, a
young millionaire and hero OF this story, TO
remember the ominous day and hour which
he must make his last OH earth. The differ
ence between the denouements Is one the
readers Of Mr.. Persons story will rejoice at.
II is upon the special incident Of the black
ball that our noyeist's romantic story rests.
Instead of the ordinary duel with pistols
the usual kind rcsorted TO in America
Gilbert Ordley the husband In the novel,
suggests to Paul Rexton, the wrongfully
suspected lover Of Mrs. Ordley, "a much
more poetic style Of squaring accounts"
Two small balls, one ebony the other ivory,
arc placed in small square walnut box,
from which the antagonists each draw n
ball. The black means death and obliges
the one drawing II 10 commit suicide three
months from that date. Paul Rexton draws
the black ball and the three months that
follow are full Of absorbing but weird inter
est, involved by the movements, feelings,
thoughts and acts Of Il man who knows that
his stay here is limited TO a certainty and is
haunted by the idea OF doing all the good he
can to his fellow creatures during that short
period OF time. Under an assumed name he
goes down into the very slums Of New York
City-the scene OF action-and while better
ing the miserable conditions he finds there,
Paul falls In love with the "Angel Of the
Alley" Linny Merriek, and what Is more
unlikely thing, marrics her. which, but for
the discovery that his enemy, Gilbert Ord
ley. makes, that his wife had liboled Paul,
and releases him from his OATH he could
never have done. Published by Belford
Clarke & Co. For sale by Mansiord. Price
50 cents.
Frederick Struther's Romance" by Al
bert ulman. Is life drama, the scene New
York City, in the form OF letters, which scrv,
to show the hopeless avail Of human struggle
against the pitilcss incxorableness Of fate
From the deplorablc beginning to the tragil
end the same malignant influences appear &
control Frederick struther's whole career
II is not easy TO say what might have beer
the case had his early home training beer
different but spoiled INDUCED and undis
ciplined as no is, he proves a susceptible
subject for the doyilish Vaccinations OF hi
brother.in-law, who "lcads him away from
his books" teaches him TO drink, gamble
aud do all sorts ofoyil things until finally h
is discnhcritcd aud turned out into tn
/ MNAAA INNAAiNaa hhNAAHAs AAAa NARAhf
dies broken hearted, his sister has bccom
cstnnged aud Is allied with her HUSBAND
against him. The next we sec Of him he Is
jewelers. clerk, through which capacit
Frederick makes the acquaintance Of kin,
hearted old matchmaker named Glashuttc
who proves good friend, aud will
whose pretty daughter Nina, Frederick fall
In love. Ills tender feeling is reciprocaied
and things run smoothly until the retur
Of Thckla, Mina's sister, from Europe. The
begins before long the desperate oonliC
between passion and duty, the two opposin
forces Of his soul In the bcyitching sum
brightness OF Thckla's beauty and prcscncl
poor Nina with her gentle. sensitive swee
ness Of nature, might very easily be for
time put aside, but when Frederick realize
that II Is Thekla, and not Nina, thst B
madly loves, the horror OF the wretchcd sta
alton Is only increased by the knowledge thi
Thekla rcciprocaies his passion and shar
equally In the disloyalty 10 Nina. Accordin
TO his letters at this time Frcdcrcks strul
giles with himself became intense and torribl
In vain does hc repeat the talismanio wor,
duty. duty 10 his pledged faith with Min
the sophisiry Of his fate tells him that "lo'
Is not created by ourselves, II comes 10
from above, does Il notg II must be GOO
aud right 10 loyc-but we cannot ohoo
I whom we shall love. We are slaves wi
|. obcy-not masters who direct Where Of
, passion leads we must follow. II must
/ our duty 10 do 10, for Is II not heaven Tia
inspires "a with lover To tho sp
! oiousncss Of such reasoning the war
. ing, and plc~Se Of conscience a
Of little avail, aud finally Frederic
finding himself alone with Thekla one ia
4 poun out a burning a~owal Of his ps
4 sion for her, aud, while claspng her to i
4 heart. Nina suddenly enters the room NJ
l at sight Of the scene before her, falls sen,
. less To the floor In his rcmorso and dcspa
% at Mina's death few days after. Frcdcr
!. writes his FINAL letter, In which he says -
life isa failure. From the beginning I ha
always had 10 struggle against fate.
r have tried 10 live like other men, but
q have failed utterly. | have tried TO be 20
j. and upright I have no pleasure In brir
J. ing misery 10 others but through some ~
@ ycrsiiy Of fate. | could never come into hi
J. mony with those around me. II has alwa
4 been tug and battle with the world-t
!. fatos have conquorel--so let Il bc-lot IN,
J. take the miserable creature they have ma
). Of me and dance the death dance round th'
q victim. have no strength left and no
. / IL A. l. "A 4