Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-09-04
New Books.

new
The Apernge Woman. BY WoLcorT BALES
TIER. From the United States Book
Company, New York. Cloth, SIPS.
This volume contains 26O pages and
three short stories. the first of which gives
its title to the book. 1t is much better
than the other two. The scenes Of all are
laid in the Great West. The first has for
it's theme the "cutting out" by one
woman of another IN mans affections.
After marriage the husband, who was a
railroad conductor, was found to have
been systematic and successful "knocker-
down" of fares. With his ill-gotten gains
he had built and furnished home for his
bride. His guilty practices became known
on the very day of the couples
Homecoming. and the bride. with her own
hands set fire TO the house-not in virtu-
Gus Indignation, but to keep her defeated
rival from being able TO say that she was
living in n house built with stolen money.
This incident gives the key to her charac-
ter. RefieY, the bride, is curious study,
and, to our mind, is not OF all like "the
average woman" The second story shows
how a too-sensitive maiden of 80 could not
make up her mind to have a man because
everybody seemed to be throwing
her at him" as sort OF last
chance" The concluding story is q
newspaper one and describes the efforts
of the feminine editor to boom" the
new town of Rustler and bring the Three
Cs railroad there. 1t is o rather good
love-story also. The author, who died
about a year ago, elaborated with RUD-
YARD KIPIISG in writing the Naulahka,"
in the Century. His style resembles KIP
LIMOS IN its coarseness of fibre and free
use of picturesque idioms. which probably
attracted the Anelo-Englishman. These
tales are very suggestive Of BRET HARrE's,
though inferior TO those OF that
mastery delineator of western life.
HENRY JAMES contributes predatory
biographical sketch of the author.
Links From Broken Chains. BY DoSIZErTr
MULLER. From CHARLES L. DuLISGHAM
& Co. New York. Cloth, sl.25.
If the quality of the poetical contents
of this book were as good as the style in
which the little volume IS issued, we should
be able to speak highly of the authors
work, We have read several of the poems
and found nothing in them to attract
special attention. The diction is mostly
smooth. however, and for persons not ac-
customed TO require more Of poetry than
that il shall please the cor the verses may
do well enough.
Selected Poems. By Walt WHITMAN. New
York. CHARLES l.. WEBSTER Il Co.
This volume belongs to the Fiction,
Fact, and Fancy Series" which the pub
fishers are issuing, and contains about
SIXTY of WHITMAN's characteristic
poems" We have before had occasion
to say that we are totally unable to sppre-
ciate WHITMAN, and therefore shall not
venture to express an opinion Of Mr.. Az
THUR STEDMAN's (the editors) selections.
MIR. STEDMAS. in brief preface, says: 1T
seems to me that defective lyrical sense
can be the only excuse for those who do
not find him wonderfully rhythmic" That
evidently is what is the matter with us.
To our ear an auctioneer's advertisement
is as rhythmic" as WHITNAS's rubbish.
The Reflections of Married Nan. BY Ro-
BERT GRANT. New York: CHARLES
ScRIBNER's SoNs. Cloth, 81.
This handsomely printed and bound lit
tie volume will make pleasant reading for
that class Of people who are amused and
entertained by the sort of intellectual
pabulum afforded by Puck and kindred
publications, with which IT is about on
level. The title is sufficiently explanatory.
Here and There. By ]. r. G. % cents.
This Is a small, paper-covered volume OF
verses by q young Epglishman. which
were originally contributed to the Religious
Herald. The book is sold for the benefit of
the Union church. at Milton, Albemarle
county. Copies may be obtained OF Mr..
S. b. BRADY. ia north Eleventh street,
Richmond. The verses show deeply re-
ligious spirit. The author, Dir. GREEswAY,
Is a resident Of this city. we think.
From School Room 10 Bar BY w. II. w.
MORAN. Philadelphia: j. b. Lippincott
Company. Cloth. Price not stated.
This is another addition to the list OF
Virginia books. the author being news
paper publisher of this State aud his pro-
duction novel of Virginia life. The
soeues are laid mostly in Southside Viz
einia-in Chesterfield county. we think.
1t ~ quiet story OF country life, and
is evidently largely photographed. We
judge 1t is first performance. The theme
Is the hero's efforts to rise in the world
above his condition of honest poverty to
position OF rank and independence, which
were successful. The construction is very
faulty and the style poor. The dialogue IS
der trial, In which the hero wins bis
spurs" concludes the book. There are
lovers and marriages. of course. part
OF the scene IL laid in Richmond, but the
author is ahead OF bis time inssmuch as q
Brosd-street bank" figures IN his ssosy.