The sun., 1892-12-18
THE rATORTTD HEROINE.
a Diseussion About Her a. She Occurs n
Contemporary Fiction.

who's your favorite heroinei" asked the
confirmed novel reader. II mean the one you
feel you know. or would like to know: the one
you feel you understand better than anybody
In the book understood her. whose troubles
you would take hand in Strengthening out
"Dorothea Casaubon in 'Middlemarch.'
said the army officer promptly. III she had
been an American with the chances for thor
ough education American girls have now. and
with their opportunities for active charity
work. and II she had married a decent Ameri-
can man instead OF either Of those forlornities
in the book she would have been all right"
"Dorothea always exasperates me-" said
the confirmed novel reader. " Her want Of
tact with old Casaubon sometimes amounts to
brutality. Perhaps that's English sincerity. and
Casaubon certainly was II maddening old
creature. but he was n sick old creature. and u
heroines very first requisite Is to be COMPASS
sionatc. No: the way she hnrped on VIII
Ladislaw. when she saw that 1t enraged old
Caeaubon. won't do
.'But sho was in love with will Iadislaw and
didntknow it that's English innocence" said
the fin de s,c'e woman.
81 don't think she was in love with Will
Eadlslaw during Casauhons life at ALL 1
don't think there's anything In the book to
base that on cried the army officer.
Allow me to offer Portia. Brutus's vile. In
Julius Cesar" said the recent arrival "In
collouuial language. what's the matter with
her?'
Il never could put up with Brutnss wife,"
said the lady OF the house. "Sho was 50 con-
ceited AMI so in0uisitive. I know she swal-
lowed fire. because she couldn't find ont about
Brutuss affairs. and not Mt all on account Of
her anxiety for him. But for an ideal heroine
Mary Seraskor. the Duchess Of Towers. in
Peter 1bbetson. is mine"
"But she was six feet high" objected the
confirmed novel reader shes very stately
and all that. but with hardly more personality
than Theodore In 'Lothair"
"Oh. do you think SO? What particularly
realized about her was her coseyness." pleaded
the lady OF the house.
II like Tolstoi's Anna Karcnlna," said tho
fin de steele woman
The army officer said that n woman you
wouldn't receive In your pnrlor couldn't be u
favorte heroine: the idea was preposterous.
Il have given my wholo rcndinE energy"
said tho i'm de steele woman. ito auenching
and to trying. with the MD OF all the admired
foreigners whose hooks agitate, the reviewers;
Go could Ssceen tie 81 being when tho
Ss Ssye Of asr Fs Sest xth sso
as see her in the tolls fretting and spirited.
like her her She &c charms I;, IN me. should nr"bably
those who love much"
hotly. "thnt when Karcnina proves Il bore
woman may accept the devotion o! the first
Wronsky who makes sheen :, eyes at her. and
prevent Wronsky from bocominE a bore in his
turn. and some gent tleman with more conso,
Is she still charminE3 That's loving much.
tho the sss sSfyH s Amesean I'm % DGstSn Sn
"nnd. as 1 said. hns been mine until the
whole literature Of LuroGe rolled in upon us.
DO y You all know Jean btruud'" asked the
The newspaper man knew him as the de:
the Figaro I'ius,i.
Hs did serious thing for The last salon.
in the .Pharisee's House. They are all at ta-
bic: Christ is dressed in the conventional robe
Frenchmen in dress suits. Tho woman who
was sinner M Is ;I dressed t in modern ball COS
ground at Ghrists tcet. e"iao n" more graceful acc In
her pose than tightly laced woman would be-.
in taSt; The guests s;h, hayo al risen and are
warn them to Esep. silence. T's an incon, n
meant to bring things up TO date,
| Here we are" said the confirmed novel
ronsan conditions and a i tn the heroines we've
mentioned EXCEPT Anna have . been English or
the creations Of English writer's We ar9 all
heroine-in life;.zjolly., spirited. independent.
and admired But BIT where is she in u really
pear in fugitive rr,s d.. socitir. but work out.
her. The tailor made girl OF the short mag
aZne ,Th o story is ro, only A. lay iguE. !:
American heroine: the ycarnfully yearnins
southern, gin we hear Of occasionally is po-
American heroine. az 81 he is admired. possesses
! IN abundance: the volcanic. mismnted mar
echo Of French writing and an Irish echo at
thst-the kind that says Very we'll. thank
| you when the voice calls Good morning. II
lame and impotent compromise with Ameri
vs. all to blows blows. apr3pos Of Anna KareninA
hardly remember their names when we've
closed the book, and they're certainly not low
in lie is intensely interesting and adorable" :"
| I'm tell you somebody little like what
fancy yon mean" said the newspnper man.
| torian fiction :: Khoda Eromghtons girls and
tho Dnchess's girls before they fall in lHye.
the exception of Ienoro in t,ooG.hy. Sweet
nentt after th1t Grent Event ihsy are beneath
R ali .uyn an s SO at
"bon't think I'm lapsine III Into second child
WAS snd thsk hs reG1st ss aTrSa s%t
| fiesh-and blood American girl when she cre-
| ated 10 In Little Women J" was II mere
| sketch. made only for maids and boys. but she
| was vigorous and genuine and ovable."
| =" believe said tn. confirmed novel reader
| at last. us one drawing n conclusion. that
We ,are ., nation without much OF. wnat
l.ecEy. calls realizing imagination. In our
own favorito phrase. we know a good
thing when We SEQ /, but only then.
J mean that we hnve literally to see a good
thing is to Know IT, and thp1 il j. to q. stage w
factory American heroine, In certain recent
American plays we are nireuiy cntching
glim pses OF the glory OF her coming. charm
Ing and humorous and positive. as we know
her among our acIuain.ances. The great
American play interYreted By an, American
actress Is the form 0f fiction that will some da y
give MS the American heroine Of our dreams.
under the condition We best appreciate. AMI
as she uppears best In visible action"
| RIVALRY TO OBTAIN MiRRIiGE FEES.
Ciergyurn divide with HMckmen, and tho
.Irhu- Hight to- tHriy on the Pris--.