The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-07-08

For sale by West, Johnston u co.
The three short stories contained In
this second volume Of the "lncognito
series are all marked by originality and
strength
"The Hon. Stanbury'' Is decidedly the
best Of the three, and is really an exquis-
lite story of love between broken down
ballet dancer and an English second
son" of sporting proclivities and the ex-
terror Of a game keeper However, the
broken down ballet dancer is also a good
and sweet woman, and the genteness oI
heavy and bovine aspect has most
chivalrous and noble heart, and these Two
illustrate the fact that social preJudice5
are, occasionally, very narrow, DaseiesS
and cruel things.
We do not usually associate pure ro7
nance with the ladies who i've Dehinu
the fOOtlights, nor with hOrsey gentlemen
with rudy skins, and thick necks, yet
here we have "A story Of such a romance
without a suggestion of unnaturdlntSS
or q single point in its narration WHlCH
strikes us as OVcTdOne. Evidently the
writer OF the sketch has perceptions as
broad as they are keen, and Inc Taulus
of his or her mental and moral VISION
is not limited to eXternals. certainly
THE Hon. Staubury' Is a bedutIl al DIT d
prose. The writer's literary style IS eA-
ceedingly attractive and individual; MS
points of view refreshlngly new and
Poor Miss skeet" and AN INDECENT
GentlewOman," while less attractive tnih
the Introductory sketch. show consider
ably more originality than the average
short story
PEMBROKE. BY Mary +. wilkins. Har-
per n Bros, NV York.
BAYO FOLK. by Kate Chopin. Hough-
ton. Miniin & Company. For sale by
" est, Johnston ~ co,
The extent and variety Of this country
are, says the Philadelphia Evening Tel
egraph," here coupled. Each is literary
performance Of unusual value, but al
though bOth American they are hardly
more alike than are English and French,
or Italian ana German. The respective
sections typined are. so u speak, strdnS-
ers 10 one another, and any one VINO VIII
read the books In conjunction vi be ~
position TO realize the division CT the
people during the war between the States.
In effect that division is constant, though
in practice, in the uniform bearing OF
Federal law, IL is not constantly telt.
But in going out Of ourselves, iu stJdying
the people. we come with something ike
shock upon the Facts. Hercdlty climate,
slavery, the facts Of settlement, II de-
VelOpp mt under diverse laws and So
cial systems all bear weightlly upon the
case. The widely separated parts of the
Atlantic seaDOart We're settled by pc Opie
as unlike each other as me cOlOnl
were far removed and they nave 10 all
intents, retained their original character
istics 10 this day.
Immigration has touched ITEM slightly
If at all, the present inhabitants of the
far North and the far South lting almost
wholly the descendants Of the II N and
women Of co. Onial times. As 90 louisiana
that was an almost purely French colony
until some time after the keyol lt!Jn, and
thers are multitudes of people there vet
"a IL q nm
regard the FEDERAL government irO! .Cally;
1t is nothing 10 them. while their social
conventions are ev rythiEs.
Mrs. wilkins SHOWS uniupaired literary
skill in her new book. Il is tho fashion
10 can her pictures OF sew England life
Photographic referring u their accu-
racy and precision. II may boz tlme. how
ever, y remind this author that the best
art is not Photographic even that pho
Biography Is not, properly Speaking, an
art at all. II Is The individual personal
element which draugntsman puts into
his picture which makes it art; be- must
select and prepare his material, not take
IL in the raw from nature. Taking New
England as field the two ways of
working, as " seems 70 VS. are cNemuii-
fed by Miss wilkins and Miss Jewett
Miss ilkins gives, II you please, an alb
sOlute portrait, but Miss Jewett by her
feeling and philosophy. makes a more
searching picture. IL is certain, at least.
that II the picture OF New England life
life must he the most narrow hardened
cruel life Ia an this land or IN any land.
II mas not one redceming feature, and
the wonder is that in such cramped con-
diuons people can draw their breath
from youth ID a-e. Such charm always
goes with naturalness OF narration that
Pemhr)ke' cannot but fascnate, but
IL gives pain in equal measure. II tells
not only one love story, but three or
four simultaneously but they are all
painful stories, not merely sad, but cold
70 t.eplne.s and saya5ely unfeclins.
can this DE New England2 If SO, it is
good place 10 keep away from. We
would ask Miss WilEius q consider this
matter little more closely; that there j.
another view we have ahOvo iudicuted.
Mss Chopin has not Miss wilkins pow
er ana resources as writer, but Shs las
mere produced a more wholesome box,
among whose characters we can trtathe
IRE IS ana feel ~ home. "BavOu Folk
is collection of numerous stories and
Sketches, some OF them very brief. all
concerned with Creole life in circum-
scriDed region Of Louisiana. They nat
urally remind the reader OF Mr.. Cables
stories, but only because h. was the
hrst 10 open this country to the reading
world Miss Chopin in her manner
copies MI Cable. II re Is evident
knowledge Of the subject and entire
sympathy with it. Some Of the stories
are trihng 1--WE DO not here refer TO
length and If they were omitted the
book would be all the better; but others.
st," "a he b.n4ton go, l,~s.-