The morning call., 1891-06-21
LITERATURE.

NNY OFFICIAL WIFE-By Richard
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@NA' 231 pp) This book with its singu-
lar title is a work of fiction that is written
in style well calculated to occupy the close
attention Of the reader and make him ex-
tremely anxious to reach the end IN order
that he may become aware OF the manner
in which the principal parties got out OF the
ENHANCEMENT in which they found them
selves. The story is that OF an eX-officsr OF
the United States army, who was travelling
on the Continent with his wife. They ind
themselves in Paris, and the officer is sum-
moned TO st. Petersburg, Russia, to attend
to some legal affairs in connection with the
settlement of the estate Of the deceased
husband of their daughter, she having be-
come the wife of a member of one of the
most arist0cratic families of the empire.
At first the officer intended TO take his wife
with him, bur she decided not to go, and he
started on his journey with q passport for
himself and wife. When he reached the
Russian frontier he-was accosted by beau
tilul young woman who claimed that she was
an American, that she had missed her nus
band and found herself on Russian territory
without passport, and having acquired the
knowledge that his passport was for himself
and wife, and not having a wife with him.
would he allow her to accompany him as tar
as q certain point, as his wife, and there she
would meet her husband and relieve him of
further trouble. His gallantry to the fair
sex is such that he does not refuse
the request, and when they reach the
place she had Indicated he Is Informed That
the husband had gone further on, and he
finds himself forced to have putatlve wife
with him 10 his point OF destination. She
claims to be the wife Of an old classinate of
his, and he finds her a very agreeable COM
pauOD, but it is not long before she gives
him to understand that she Is not what she
represented herself, but woman with
mission, and that is to revenge herself on
the head of the Russian Government for
great wrong done her parents, who were
Russians. On tine way to st. Petersburg he
forms the acquaintance of a number of the
nOblesse, persons of high station, and finds
himself forced to introduce his travelling
companion TO them as his wife, aud
from that time on begin his troubles.
To protect the woman and save her from be-
ing taken by the authorities as a declasse
without passport, and to save himself from
arrest for smuggling spy into the country,
he agrees to continue to represent her as his
wife until he can get her out of the country,
and he makes the formal declaration that he
will recognize her as his "Otfical wife,"
while she make the compact that III public
she will play the part of wife, but when
away from the gaze Of others they must be
as strangers vino never met. AT the capital
the eX-army officer is received with open
his daughter who at that time is absent from
the city, and in order to keep up the decep-
ton he teegraphs her to remain where she
is until he calls for her as soon as be has
completed his legal business. Then follow
series of entanglements which place the
ex-officer and his official wife in very embar-
RAISING positions, and finally the official wife
Is invited to ball at which the Gar was to
attend. She goes there with the intention
of shooting tbs Car in the ballroom. but
the ex-ofiicer having OWNED her purpose
gives her glass of drugged wine, she be-
comes unconscious, and is carried to her
hotel The charms OF this woman turned
the head of the Chief of the Sc
eret Police and OF Russian ofhcer.
Alter engendering number or Jea-
ouses she makes one mistake, which
leads the Chief to suspect that the woman is
not what she represents herself. and he is
sues orders to prevent her leaving the city,
Finally she works upon the feelings OF the
Russian officer, makes him believe she is
dead in love with him and induces him to
elOpe with her, 10 desert the army and for
telt all his estates, but when she gets out
side the border she deserts him. The officer,
who had passed the woman off as his wife,
is brought to the Chief of the Secret Police
and is confronted with his real wife, who
had been sent for, ana he acknow Lodges
her. After that lie Is threatened with im-
prisonment but he argues with the Chief
and makes him understand that the woman
who eloped with the Russian officer was
one he wanted very much TO have in his
power, and that ii the Car was made
aware Of how he had flirted with her and
had been the means OF introducing her to
the ball where She might have committed
the crime of Emperor killing, the head of
the Chief would not be safe. The Chief,
believing that self-preservatiOn is the first
law Of nature, concludes not to press that
matter any further and accompanies the ex-