The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-11-27


such house-snd yet there is no end to
the variety OF opinions, while one and ell
are absolutely incapable OF telling what
II is like. the thing that has delighted
them or the contrary
The Mans irritability had risen as he
fpoke ana he Woman, after long look at
him, returned with mingled pleading
and ssperity.
81 confess l can't tell you the story.
You'll have 10 read 1t yourself, II vou
want 10 lind out"
so, the upbhot of the matter was that
the Man was compelled to break his rule
and read "Sentimentsl Tommy" lie
read it very carefully, partly because thar
was the way he wanted to read II, ana
partly because he couldn't bring himselt
10 skip many lines, for the interest they
had for him. he noticed q quotation
mark gone, or quotation marx
extra on page 20S, and Mcqueen"
where "McLean" should have been
printed on page 332, where rapid
conversotion...- was in progress
and author, compositor or proof read
er, or all OF them, let the error slip by,
so minntely 'did bs scan the book.
The other day the Man and the Woman
chanced 10 meet and The latter repeated
her question: snow, what do you think
of Sentimental Tommy" and the Man
answered her something as follows:
SIT 10 about the most delightful
book. i ever read. 1t really is.
Imagine an author making novel
with its hero and heroine-or heroines-
barely in their teens by 'inis, and moth
ing but babes at the beginning. And
yet after all they are only in the fore
ground OF two or three romsnces, or trag-
edies, that remain in the shadow, though
clear enough for all that. l wonder II
there Is to be q sequel to the story? You
remember this Is only 'the story OF bis
boyhood,' aud many things are hinted
for Tommy's future. And YET, don't
know as l want a sequel. Perhaps
sequel might be disappointment" And
the Man sighed little bit.
"Do you think 1t the greatest novel OF
the yearY [" inquired the Woman.
| ~ don't know anything about the
'novsls Of the year. said the Man.
"But II they are like the novels Of other
years, there is really nothing to compare
1t with. 1t is unique. can imagine, for
instance, that one might read all the
novels of the year and come to decision
as to when was the greatest ana then
read Sentimental Tommy TO find that
even the greatest had not afforded 90
much pleasure nor would be likely to
stay so long In the memory as this.
What might be called the formula for
making a novel 10 new in this one, and
you really cannot compare 1t with
anything else. II Ia undoubtedly q
work Of art of the loftiest kind. Because
it IL original II confuses judgment, since
1 judgment is so largely influenced ty pre-
cedent and parallel. l can readily see
how the reviewers may have been un
horsec. 1t is disturbing when you think
you SEQ an elephant at practice on life
and look again to ind jt is letter from
your wife. Nothing is more difficult
than to shift the poin. OF view at com
mand."
ventured tho Woman slyly: "Do 20,
mind telling me what the story Is aboutT
And the man said, promptly and decis
lively: "I can't tell you. Nobody can
except by reading the book from begin
ming to end ana that everybody wh'
loves good story telling ought to DO"
swell we can read it again, though
can't we?''
eyes," responded the MAN "just o.
you can read good poetry over and owe
again And that Pm going to do at the frs
opportunity, for it's poemv'