New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-01-04
TALES NEW AND OLD.
ROMANCES OF MANY LANDS.

D. D. Emo pp 800. Boston, Congregational
Publishing Society.
wormelcy. Latimer 12mo PIP. 325. Boston; Rob
erts Brothers.
TIE SHADOW OF. ROGER LARooUE; From the n,
French Of Jules Mary. limo, PIP. 2o4' 'asScu
Publishing Company.
THE SILVER CAVES. BY Ernest Ingersoll. 1emo,
PIP. 216. Dodd. Mead a Co.
Mr.. Blacks new story proves that this popular
author can, IL he peases leave salmonfshlng on one
side though II is not certain that he can do WITHOUT
either scotch people Scotch scenery. The hero OF
the new novel is an interesting and pcrpleXing old
Scotchman named George Bethune whose status III
regard TO social ethics It is extremely dnicult TO de
termine To the world he certainly appears an I'm
posor and perhaps IT would be hard 10 ma a pohco
magistrate who would not take this view of a
man whose foibles included Misrepresentation and
what the law calls obtaining money under false
pretcnces. Indeed, it is not easy TO sympa-
tbze with one who. however trppingly he may
ouote Scotch poetry and however loftly he may 'aT
Of his ancestry and his gentle blood. is not ashamed
IN adont career indistinguishabe in the main from
that of professional swindler Mr.. BLACK no uouD'
desires the sympathy OF his readers to so out to Mase
the old mans pretty granddaughter whose sweet looks
he utiljzes with more craft than delicacy. But MaiSe
is only one in the long gallery OF maldehs-'oo
like IL must be said-to whom Mr.. Black has INTRO
duced u.s. she is so negative and passive as 10 cA
cite little feeling way or the other The love soN
is picturesque and Maisre's lover the son OF the
millionaire Communist, is rather fine young fellow
HES father would have been very entertaining Inv lie
appears only In gllmpscs. old George Bethune Is
represented as having imposed more upon hsnseH
than upon the world He lives in world OF dreams
ont Of tonch OF reality. At the time he belongs
Enthusiastically to the Harold Skimpoc genus-that pc
culiar class of men who so despise money tal lheE
have scruplcs 70 the methods bN WHICH IL i
acquired George Bethune emptes his pockets to help
rbo ha
unhesitatinCly accents check for $50 from bord
Mussclburgh in subscriptions for book when lie mas
not written and never means TO write lie Is curious
psychological study. but his dcathbed is the best 4"
him. and he vanshes with sore dignity ana pat'oA'
Pierre Lofts Romance Of a Spahi" bears some re
semblance TO the authors "Pecheur dlolande' IT
in fact similar motive transferred from the sea TO e
land from the Parks OF Newfoundland 10 the deserts
Of Africa. The Spahi Is young French peasant VINO
is taken in the CONSUMPTION and sent 10 Algeria caV'
ing sweetheart behind him in the Cnvenues Plunged
into 50 new and strange a world exposed TO all the
seductive influences Of tropical climate. He iuiI
Of idleness and degrading comradoshp he detcHoat"'
and presently becomes the lover Of little black girl
named Fatou Gaye With her he takes up his lode-
ing ard though his officers frOwn upon the connecticut
and refuse to recommend him for promotion because
Of H. he seems 10 be under spell and for years Is
unable 10 break away. The description of this strange
half savage life Of the enervGtnc climate. Of the dc
pre- sing monotony Of the desert of all the features OF
the military colony is mastery and elective. ~"
author gives delicate vignettes. striking htile can
vases in page two. and at frequent interval
Meanwhils the story the tragedy winds slowly on.
The spahi breaks his chain he thinks and is rid If
Fatou.Gaye. But the girl loves him and follows him
like dog. He cannot shake her off, and when near
the end his term Of service he learns that MS ola
love has abandoned him and married richer man, he
goes carelessy TO his death in battle against negro
10 he Iap1 tgTt ntflf
on his body. A weird atmosphere of gloom and dark
destiny envelopes the whole story. the picturcsquenc,s
and fascination Of which are quite beyond verbal
description.
Nobody now living probably knows much about
the last DAYS of Old Japan as Mr.. Grilis. lie saw
the downfall OF The Tycoons Government the over
throw, of the Damios. the restoration OF the Mhado
TO his rghtful preeminence, all the train OF epocaI
changes that followed the opening the worlds com
merce Of the japanese Empire. In tie book calicd
"Houda and Samusa7 he has arranged some Of the
curious knowledge obtained during that period. The
disguise Of fiction is very thin. The story is Of the
simplest II is in fact merely thread upon which
TO hang The authors observations Of japanese man
ners and customs, history, tradition, mythology,
religion and politics. In the earlier chapters no
pretence is made Of telling story. Ties" chapters
are really essays upon various Interesting phases OF
Japanese life They are indeed more interesting and
oil lar Erdlcf value Ildll St'lN 'ouu 10 o4N IN
reader who begins the book is olerably TO inlsh
IL without all rcgrettng its weakness romsnce.
George Sands "Nanon" which has been yery well
translated by Mrs. Latimer is particularly faithful
presentation Of the feelings and position Of large
proportion of the French people. and especially the
peasantry of the remOter departments in relation 4"
the Revolution. Too far from Paris TO follow lis d.
yeopment inieigently. and not cultivated enough TO
apprehend the sentimental appeal by which 1t wa,
commended to the more educated CLASSES, these country
folks looked on Al the strange doings with moro
wonder than sympathy, and more doubt and Suspicion
than wonder. When the Jacoblns began 10 governor
mlsgovCrn rathcrthc country, the peasants saw IN tn
new regime only disastrous attack upon property
and a mischevous unscttling Of everything Too
Door for the most part TO buy Government lands they
could not enrich themselves from tic cOnnscatlon OF
enigran estates. They submitted 10 the brutal ns
of the Terror and kept quiet but they rejoccd when
Jacobinism collapsed. and perhaps they would havo
been ready 10 welcome back their old rulers This
is the social phase described in "NanOn7 and II i
wonderfully well DONE with frmness and free draw
ing vet with delcacy. too The heroine, peasant
girl who has educated herself. is delightful creature.
so modest 50 efficient, full Of resource and good
Judgment vet 50 innOcently unsuspcious that she j.
in every way superior 10 her surroundings. II is
capital story and possesses certain historic value.
Jules Maly's grim and powerful novel. which aD-
Roger Laroqueo Is, as should be well known, tho
source whence the drama Of Roger L'Ilonte" was
derived 1t is a book which exhibits much art IN the
conception and composition. The idea Of double
has, Of course, been used often. and the story Of
"The Lyons Mail7 will at once TO the reader.
But in this the consequences Of a double crime
upon the man who IS mistaken for him quite out
of the common way. The idea Of making the victims
wife and child witness the murder and identity.
they suppose the husband and father the murderer
is original, ana : is the whole situation Of Roger
Laroques fatal liaison with the wife of Lucien lie
Noir. The relations between these two are also
markabe. and nothing could be more dramatic and
effective than the discovery made by the lawyer
during the trial scene. A weak writer Of sensation,
would have sought to redress the cruel wrongs If
Laroque before the close Of the story, at least 10
bring the real murderer to justice. Not 20 jules
Mary. The murderer and the vengefu mistress pass
into oblivion. The shadow covers Roger Larodue to
The last; and when ne quits the scene with his
little daughter-a fugitive lfe-convict who has
a. p1a xrlo ha,H