The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-10-12
RECENT FICTION.

LADY BoNNIEs EXpERiMENm; e no ~ y
cents. New York: Henry Holt & Co..
20 West 23d st.
We have here rather a charming dash
Of fictional extravaganza which depicts
the eccentricities of a wealthy anu
spirited young woman or fashion who'
having been married to a pedantic nus
band who deserts her for his BOOKS
gives vent to the sentiment or ner IA
ture in a variety of follies not generaNy
expected by society OF conVentlohal
wives. Idleness, Incidence and luxury
turn her head from serious themes ana
duties to the picturesque fantasies
and fancies of the age of chivalry. ana
she accordingly decides to re-estaolsh'
in prosaic. nineteenth-century Eng
land, one of those impossible mediaeNal
courts Of love, where gay troupauours
and gracious danes were wont 10 us
port in fantastic fashion. The court Is
only inst established when the husoahu
awakens to the fact that he had not re-
ceiyed an invitation; and his appear
ance and remarks before the gay LII Ut
bunal bring 1t to an abrupt enc ,me
story Is q bright skit with no partGu,
lar point to 1t further than its ilipiiv' y T.,
moral that the place of husband Is H.
-:II:-
THE PED RADGE OF cOURAaE-An
Enisode of the American Civil war by
Stephen Crane. Buckram, y mo. .nv ',n
York: d. Appleton & Co., u fhth ave-
Several critics have recently told us
that in Stephen Crane. the newly Us ,us
covered writer of whom MT. Ia o. ru
wards predicts such great thlnss'
American letters have found Valuaoie
nossibility. These prophecies naturaliy
incline one to expect much: ana II may
be that thereby the reviewer is unpre.
pared to deal impart.ally ana Without
preconceptiops with Mr.. cranes latest
book. But candor forces the assertion
thnt ,r,e rea Eng of 1t has been attend
ed with disappointment Here Is "a
handsome book Of 233 pages devoted to
nothing more than the analysis, from
n dozen different viewpoints, or the
sensations experienced by the volunteer
soldier prior to his first real battle To
be sure, the dissection Is minute anu
skilful, and Ii shows a wonderful COM
mand both of psychological processes
and Of the English language. But as
matter of personal taste we do NOT care
for 233 pages full of mind-analysis
when we are led to expect. from the
prospectus, that we are to be treated,
u,
Mr. Crane has a fine facility In the use
of words may be admitted without In
dorsing the manner in which he has
most recently exhibited it. Lastly, we
may observe that his style Is much
too suggestive of a constant straining
after effect. 1t does not flow easily and
In such naturalness that its beauties
steal on one unawares. 1t rather keeps
the reader always conscious that the
author must have sat up nights and
spent many worried days fashioninf
and furbishing his alterations and
putting the finishing touches to his epi
grams.
-:l:-
UNCLE REMUS: His Songs and Hi
Sayings. BY joel Chandler Harris. New
and Revised Edition. Buckram. y mo.
with 1i2 Illustrations by a. B. Frost
New York: d. Appleton & Co.
1t was just fifteen years ago that the
subject matter of this handsome vol
ume was first presented to the reading
public. Since that time the quaint hui
NOR and inimitable pathos of "Uncle
Remus" have become familiar parts OF
current English literature. 1t would
be superfluous to attempt to tell the
readers of these lines anything new
about the merits of Mr. Harris writ
ings; we can. however. say of the pres
ent edition that 1t Is the nearest ap
proach to perfection in a mechanical
sense yet made by the publishers o.
the 'Remus" writings; while the draw
ings by Frost are joy forever. AS {
gift book this volume Is emlnently ap
propriate first, because 1t is handsome
ly printed, illustrated and bound; an(
secondly because its contentsare whole
somely American in spirit and in color
-:lI:--
GYFSY's COUSIN JOy BY Eliza hetI
Stuart Phelps. Large 12 no., cloth, $1.5C
New York: Dodd, Mead & Co., Fift
ave. and 2lst. st.
The success of their REISSUE, las
year, of ''Gypsy Bretherton" has in
duced the publishers to follow that eX
pertinent with new edition Of the sec
ond volume of the charming series o
Juvenile novels with which Mrs. Ware
then Elizabeth Stuart Phelps-de
lighted our mothers when they wer
children. almost two-score years ago
The present volume Is neat and hand
some, and its illustra tions, by Mis-
Clark, will render it doubly acceptabl
to young readers. Prefixed to this edi
ton Is a preface in which Mrs. War,
entertainingly tells us, by way Of retro
spection. that the Gypsy of her youth
1y girl In pretty short dresses and yer,
long stockings.-quite Tom-boy, Ii
fact, who paddles a raft, climbs a tree
skates and tramps and coasts--in fact
who is quite the type of dear littl
mischief, yet who, through all thes
merry escapades Of youthful vivacit
and funniness remains at heart truth
full, loving and generous Times hav
changed since "Gypsy" first sought tn
public's acquaintance; for ''Gypsy' wa
born "before toboggans and telephones
before bicycles and electric cars. befor
bangs and puffed sleeves. before girl
studied Greek and golf caps eame in.
Indeed, Mrs. Ward herself Is half In
clined to wonder whether in the intel
val. Gypsy went to college. had CO
reer, took a husband, edited Quarter
1y Review or sang a baby to sleep. BIT
this we do know, for he who runs ma
read 1t. that "Gypsy" is. in her cir
hood, such a girl as gives promise of
womanly future-such girl as "
should care to have our girls becom
And the placing Of ''Gypsy" in boo
form in the hands Of ones daughter
is likely to prove wise stroke Of pa
rental watchfulness.
-:II:-
THE WAY OF A MAID. By Katharil
lyman Hinkson. Cloth, IL mo-, ST.
New York: Dodd, Mead e. Co.
The poetic quality of Mrs. Hinkson
writings permeates this, her first Ion
novel, and adds largely to its charm
The narrative Is modest story Of til
domestic life and tangled loves of tw
typical Irish families, who find happ
ness In the last chapter. There al
clever sketches of Irish character, SON
pretty touches of description, and tn
novels general tone Is wholesome an
pure.
ill.,
6CYLLA OR CHARYBDIS BY Rhot
Broughton. Paper, 80 cents. New Yor
d. Appleton & Co.
This convenient issue OF Afr
Broughton's well-known novel form
No. 177 In the Appletons' Town an