New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-03-28
NEW PUBLICATIONS
NOVELS AND SHORT STORIES.


ROSE EFT NINETTE. Par Alphonse Daude lemo'
PIP. 2G4 Paris Flammarion. New-ioFh: W. H.
Paris Caimann Levy. Newborn: W. Il. Jenkins
IMPROBABLE TALES. BY Clinton Ross lomo'
PIP. 256. g. p. Putnam's sons
HIS GREAT SELF. BY Marion llarland LIMO
PIP. $50. Philadelphia: J. Z. Lppincott Co.
THAT ANGELIC WOMAN. BY james NJ. Ludlow.
16mo PIP 140. Harper & Brothers,
MUCKLEJACK AND OTHER sr0ElEs, OF rEAsAMI
12mO PIP. 81. Macmillan 81 Co.
Alphonsc Daudets new novel, "Rose ct Ninette,'
is ut bottom u polemic directed against divorce IN
compatibility of temper separation between
Regis dc Fagan and his wife. They have Two daush
ter young girls OF fourteen and sixteen and the soE
IS intended 10 show how divorce operates upon parental
and fia affection what family troubles 1t engehders
and what Unforeseen cmbarrassments ana complications
grow out OF II. III this case the divorced hlSi'ho
forms friendship with his landlady who is separated
from her husband, though not divorced. some tme
passes before he ascertans that her husband Is sun
living and meantime he has fallen in love with her.
His two daughters who pay stated visits to hih ac-
codng to agreement, really serve as spies Tor ther
mother, who Is q malicious creature, ana turns Tue
knowledge so obtained the Injury of her late husoau
whenever she do Presently the divorced WIG
marrics again. and her second husband being appointed
Project In Corsica she takes the girls away with Ler
much TO the annoyance OF De Pagan. hehcc
more troubles, and in the end the poor i''
finds that he has not only lost bis daughters
whom he loves dearly. but that he c''h NEVER
hope to secure the hand OF Nine. llun, the iair lau
lady even though her husband is now dead The stor!
cannot he regarded as one of Daudet's successes II
lacks force and even interest. There Is niue c'"c'ci
drawing in it, The effort to maintain thesis mas III
ercred with the art of the writer In short 1t comes
periously near being dull, and IL Is not very lpieS
sve argument on the side 1t champions
"Gypo has written amusing book about t"e
doctors 1t is cast in the form OF series OF skclcheS
showing the various phases of character ana MALI
ncrs in the medical profession. These sketches arc
arranged dramatically, and afford ample opportunity
for the exhibition OF the cynical humOr and bright VII
of wdch this dashng writer has given so many Illus
trations The book is, of course. very light but de-
cidedly entertaining and the satire contained IN IL
is much droll than malicious
Mr. Clinton Ross's improbable Tales are, after
all not very improbable. The first one, zine IRE
tender" is a suppoStous account OF the career ol
one of those minor European princes whose actual
adventures and ntgues have been so varied ana sur
prising that it would be difficult for fiction TO surpaSs
them This, however is naturally and skllfuny
told story and does credit 10 the authors ingenuity
"The Peace OF the HIS is chiefly pSychOcGca
study. young man thinks he has c0mm'ted
murder, whereas. the man at whom he fired does not
die. We have an analysis Of his subsequent emo
tons and of the effect the supposed crime has upon
=, future There is some good work in this SKETCH
but it is too gloomy and deficient in inter
est Tie third and last story. After the Play OF
the Rivals is a dramatic sketch upon a familiar
theme, and deserves TO be called sprightly.
In His Great Self Marion Harland has given us
highly Imaginative tale of southern life during the
seventeenth century. There Is much description OF
good eating and drinking, Of festivities Of various
kinds There is wicked private secretary, and n
love secret and English earl who the water
10 claim an American bride, and a stern father who
causes the earl to be kidnapped and tragedy OF
broken hearts II is all very Interesting but 1t IS
also very far away and this sense of remoteness has
affected the author much that her feeling is
reflected upon the reader The tale is inSenousy con-
structed, but it is deficient in vitality.
THAT Angelic Woman" Is professional nurse who
loves the hero Of Mr. LudlOw's story when he is
"smashed' while playing polo. The said hero Is
young millionaire named George Goldie whose father.
recently deceased had been power in Wall street and
q scoundrcl sufficiently Infamous 10 meet the
popular idea Of such parsonage Among
other crimes he had stolen a million
dollars at one stroke by the simple process Of
hiring some criminals TO rob old gentlemen
while Transferring the securities from the safe deposit
vaults to some other place George Goldie discovers
this little trick by getting very drunk one night and
stumbling into refuge" for reformed criminals,
where he overhears his own brother who turns ont
10 be his fathers brother talking over the matter
with another reformed criminal Then comes the
polo episode which introduces that angelic woman
and plunges George in love. There are many ne
narkable facts and condolences in the story, and by
no means the least remarkable IS that which enables
George TO make restitution for his fathers crime,
ard In so doing pave the way for his own happiness.
Mr. Ludlow has done much better work than this.
Mr. McLennans collection OF Scotch stories o.
peasant life deserves careful examination. 1t is the
work of one who lived many years among the people
md the scenes he describes, and who studied the
peasant character kecnly and sagaciously. There
is no approach to laundering after effect in any OF
these stories Thor motive IS invariably simple |
But they are strikngy feke and impressive pictures
full Of natural pathos and humOr, and they illustrate
and illuminate life in the North in manner almost
unsurpassed for Photographic fidelity.