New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-01-26
NOVELS AND SHORT STORIES.


MARCIA, BY W. E. Norris. 12mo PIP $685. Harper
ALAsl Ey Rhoda Droushon. 1emo PIP. 377 John
W. Lowell CO. 49,.
13mo. DID, 4s2 Robert Boomers sons.
TIE NUGENTs OF CARRCoNNA: BY Tshe HOP
hins. 12mo PIP. 300. u, Appc'on q w. ooo
PAULINE. BY Julian Hawthorne 12mo pp' -'o
United states Book Company
IRAN. Ton SKETCHES. By Mary +. Clahin. 12mo
pp. 1853 Thomas y. Crowen a Co.
Mr. Norriss Marcia is study of a beautiful
selfsh and u1ipnncpled woman, Whose sole ann IN
life is the qualification Of her desire for pleasure ana
who In the reckless pursuit Of this end defeS all her
duties and obligations, and finally comes 10
grief In very natural not TO say IleNl'"p4o
way The author has developed this character WIN
skill care and restraint. Marcia is not exactly bad
woman. She does not plot against the peace anu
happiness of those with whom she is connected pa'
none the less she carries misfortune In her tram
Whatever intercres with her purpose IS thrust "uo
She drives her first husband whom she hau maIIlou
solely for the sake Of position, 10 snlcue' mains
taken fancy to a dilettaue artist, who Is as SeiliSh
as herself she marries him, though in so doins shc '
IN abandon her only child. When this child has grown
up and IS in love with girl who promises 10 mike
good match for him, the mother TO serve hel 'Wn
ends compels him TO take step WHICH lc"uS " ''
dsnhentance by the relative VINO mas ieacu "
and which at the same time illustrates HIS hopo VIZ
winning the woman to whom he Is attached by pre-
tending 10 believe that these ileffecS VIII not really
follow Marcia easily qniets her apalheuc oo"S'i0" wv,
and 10 the last she continues 10 thihk lhd' s"0 '
been terribly used., and that she mas 10 cause l"'
seIfcondcmnatiOn. The study is we'll executed 'iFous
mn. and the readers interest In Marcia Is mdlnldou
notwithstanding her unattractive character
pncaa Brourhtoh,s last novel is in respects
moro ambitious than usual. Here too we hhu
curious study Of woman, but the emphasis Is la'u
moro upon the force OF circumstance than upon psSco
logical development. The heroine Is my s'eliouS
vounc girl who travels in company with hoiher
coually mysterious. They are refined anu aIua'"to
naonIe but shun society. Despite their ehortS 10
maintain the strictest privacy, RghY lhpeNsoap0
I'D domonstrative young university man falls dcS-
norateIv in love with the girl. she flies from
him and then ensues one OF ths ou"eS'
ecores I'm recent fiction. Where. one "ohoerS'
,s Bboda Brouglton encountered the NPe
90 rnclishman here represented? How many roou'''
VI CO.. UNDERGRADUATES are emotional that when
.hov lose sweetheart they fling themselves on the
aoor and weep burning tears by the hour until l"r
Alice in Wonderland they might SWIM III inc Po'i
aod from their own eyes, This is truly mar
rclIous conception. but fortunately the mmehthg o'e
a,ors his health so far as to be quite capable OF
opourcinr his beloved the moment he learns inc
secrt of her life. This secret in truth contributes an
s,ue,co,t exclamation Of the piled-up agony with
which the greater part OF the story Is hiled' Inc
.orr, woman had committed mild " faux pas SHe
60 ,r away with a foreign artist. The adventure,
,owever had lasted but a few hours and the heroine
had been restored unframed 10 her latner FOUL
The one thoroughly sensible man IN the DOCK j. "ie
mo. very amable old bachelor who loved her enoneh
N marry her after she has confessed all TO him but
ore, no seems 10 affect something OF a sham mag
raniuitv in thus screwng up his courage 10 lace inc
nossble frown OF the terrible Mrs Grumpy. Inc
solemn awe and apprehension Of what "they" VIII say
is special note in the novel.
Anna Katharine Green is serious rival OF Gaborau
in these days. and whoever is fond OF complcaleo
mysteries garnished with plenty Of detective business
and old-fashioned villains and midnight encounters
and ANONYMOUS letters and fun OF cross purposes deep
and dark conspiracies and the like. will do well 70
road " 4 Matter of Millions story which sets ont
with the bold and comprehensive scheme OF "Iemo'
ing all the girls in NewYOrk who bear the name Oh
Jenny Rogers, 10 the end that one particular jenny
Rogers may come into the possession Cl SeNerh
millions of dollars obviously affords opportunity for
the introduction of unlimited sensations and strange
and startling combinations. Wild ana lmposelpie Us
the plot may be- however, the interest Is wei sus-
tanned and the action is so rapid and surprising that
the reader has not time 10 get tired OF the narrative
The Nurents of Carriconna" is a really good Irish
story The Nueents, and especially old Anthony are
drawn with free, bold hand, and with much quiet
humor The plot, while in no way complex Is IN
genious and possible, and ali the subordinate CHAR
acters are lifelike and amusing. Lady Kitty IS
charming creation and Dora is almost equally attrac-
tive though she perilOusy near chasing herself
as an adventurer. incidentally there is carefully
studied episode showing the experiences and sufcrngs
OF an opmeaer-a word preferable for secular Use 10
that Of narcomaniac7 which the author employs ola
Anthonys astronomical pfOcvities are laughable, and
nothing could be natural than his perverSon 10
miserineSs through his discovery Of DOras identity.
The disposal of a great fortune is involved in the
denouement, and it is cleverly worked out while all
the young people whose love affairs lend interest to
the action are happy at the end, not perhaps exactly
in accordance with real life. but certainly as most
regular novel readers like TO have it arranged
Julian Hawthorne has brought together three short
stories in the volume issued under the tile Pauline
The other two stories Ellice Quentin and The
Countess's Ruby" and all three good. If they
had been translated from the French no doubt they
woud have received a much warmer welcome from
those among who can perceive little virtue save In
exotcs and who echo the prevailing cries Of the hour
without reflection. The second tale in this volume Is
perhaps the most carefully written and the most
artistic, and the denouemcnt which is liable to
appear too sensational perhaps does no violence to
The strange and difficult character described in EIice
Quentin Pauline" is beyond the average length OF
the short story. and in fact Is almost novel; fact
which tho author has recognized by dividing II into
cbapters. There enough action and emotion in
Cts 100 pages for volume novel after the normal
English patterns and il Is written with ease, grace
and spirit from first to last. While American writers
can produce short stories as good as these, surely we
need NOT abase ourselves before French any other
models.
Oldtime New England life Is reproduced In Mary
p Claims Brampton Sketches We have descrip
tons OF the manor house, the meeting house the min
lister the doctor the schoohous and the tavern, to-
cether with bright and sympathetic sketches of village
oddities and characters, such as The Village oracle
Amt Puaho Hubby" "Vists TO the Springs
Queer People" "Village Ways" etc The sketches
are evidently from life. and doubt many will recos
MIC the people who figure but never TO their dlspar
ocor,o,, I'm these genial and kindly pages. The