New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-02-23
RECENT FICTION.
MIR. oUILLER-COUCHs TALES OF THE SEA
COAST.

IA. BY 60" l6mo pp ls7 Charles scrioner
MASTERING HEATH BY o." l6mo, pp go
Charles Scr.bners Sons.
IRRALIE's BysHRANGERI, , BY r. sons W. h0r"u"S'
l6rno, pp. l63 Charles Scribners ooiis ,r,,rro
CHRISTIAN AND LEAH AND OTHER CHE az 9ts
sT0RIEs BY Leopold Kompert' iSmo pp A''
Macmillan d Co.
In ia" MI. Quiller-Couch unfolds 'a'e 81
stormy extra marital love-makng In the hsnis
Village OF Ardeyora on the Cornish coast. Inc
chief actors In this drama are a young oeco"u
Adventist preacher, named Paul HeaIaco'e a"u
Ia pronounced IN the English fashoh as II W."
Ela) a servant in the house or Elder Gar
The preacher is refined. spiritual, earnest Id -
untutored a child of the wild SURROUNDINGS ;"
which she lives The preacher is weak; la -
strong as a young athlete Both are passionate
but In different ways. F< Ia passion 10 d o''''''
irresistible force, which blows ike the VIM
whittier 1t lsteth. and against which II Is val" !"
struggle; for Paul. II 1t is something WHICH can
not be suppressed, it is at all events soWel'ii"b
which NAV be guided Such being the case th!s
story presents Itself as a study of the passion u
love- modified by what may be cahed persona" "
vronment Assuming that this passion IS equas
potent over both Paul and la. the author mas SNOW"
how in the of the man 1t LEADS 10 hypoci'e',
10 the creation of character whose Ire anu
actions arouse disgust rather than pity; while ID
comes from the ordeal possessed with some OF the
attributes of grandeur. The very sincerity al.
intensity of her passion extort certain amount -
sympathy. The impression Is LETT that the Sa''e
force working through different characters va.
the means Of corruption in one and means Vi
Christening in the other.
The theme of the story being what IL 49, ho'h'ns
could have been easier than TO nave oiehueu !"
the exposition, but Mr.. Qu.er-Couch mas success
fully avoided all pitfalls. Starting from the iuea
that there are certain robust sem-civilized natures
which learn the lessons of life only through actua
exueriencc he shows that In las case, one oi
the greatest lessons had to be learner a' the
cost OF suffering and disgrace AZ she passes
off the stage with her child IN the 'ast
CHAPTER. her face set toward America and new
life the reader feels that the recognition OF her
sin. even though 1t came late and was 50 dearly
hourht has purified and ennobed the simple, I'M
pusivo creature Of the early chapters-that
Woman has been moulded out OF sem-civiiized
creature OF the crags and sea. 10 say tHIs ~ ~
say that Mr. Quler-Couch has written her ms
tory with thorough sincerity. In jusuhca''oh %
las conduct 4, should be borne in mind that the
marriage ceremony performed over the Noon water
possessed for her superstitious nature some % inc
sanci.ty OF a more formal ceremony Inc sur
rounGngs In which 20" unfods this drama are 10 De
found on the Cornish coast, which he knows "ei'
and describes with force and charm. HIS sKetches
NJ the pecuuar society OF Ardevora are admirably
done with a brev,y and dash In pleasing contrast
with the solemn verbage OF a number OF coh'e"-
norary story-tcers He shows to peculiar ad-
vantage when ne has the for his theme
The poetry Of the Is conspicuous IN Inc
Roli-Ca OF the Reef" which Is the title or one OF
the fifteen tales Mr.. Quiller-Couch has collected
in his volume called Wandering Heath" The
story tells OF the sinking OF transport on Man.
acle Rec. during great storm. All were LOST save
the trumpeter who as the sloop listed on the
rocks and the waves dashed over the DECK sweep
Ing man after man into the sea- chung to his post
and made shift to blow God Save the Queen
and send Us Victorious" The author has written
nothing which is at once so graphic ana moving as
the description Of this scene The trumpeler -
saved and lives 10 form romantic iriendshp
with a sturdy boy named Johnny. Day after day
until the boy himself goes away TO service. the pair
walk on the beach the elder man spinning tales OF
the wars the youngster listening eagerly or "he"
the weather IS fine they row their boat 10 the
fatal reef end rehearse the last episode OF the
wrecl-,he drummer playing his tattoo and the
trumpcter practising calls THE Roll-Cail on the
Reef is by far the strongest and best story In
the collection. but they are all good IN ther sew
.ral v.ave The Looe Die Hards' Is an amusing
tale written with rollcklng vgor. The Bishop OF
Eucayptus' Is an ambitious effort TO cross swords
with Bret Har,e his own ground. and fails IN
conseou.nle Mr. CUTLER Couch is not at home In
the Rockies THIS is manifest In several details
but II is due him TO say that he has succeeded IN
reproducing the atmosphere far better than might
have been expected
Mr. F. W Hornung's "Irrale's Bushranger" Is a
DELIGHTFULLY."- tormenting tale. compacted or all the
good qualities OF romantic. adventurous felton, In
combination with plot ingenious enough 10 keep
Mr. stockton awake at night reproachng himself
for not having thought OF II himself. Technically,
"Irralie's Bushranger' belongs to the category OF
trick stor.os'-stories which do not end IN the
expected way out lure the reader on under he
impression that he is going In direction, only
IN show him. when IL Is too late. that he has been
going I'm quite another. This kind OF story per-
suades him to believe that certain results must
flow from. q given combination OF circumstances
and then. with violation OF logic. 1t leads to a
contrary conclusion The device is old as the art OF
fiction but Mr.. Hornung has improved on the old
formula by complicating II. one might say that
whereas many writer's have produced ballads. MT
Hornung has written a ballad with not only one
refrain, but halfdozen His predecessors
have exploited the trick OF mistaken identity. but
he is adventurous enough to keep up the game
after the first mystery has been detected The
scene is laid Ia Australia, In New South Wales.
Young Engshman named Fullerton is expected 10
arrive and take charge OF his estates. at the same
time that the community connected with the sta
ton" are alarmed about the dongs OF notorious
bushranger named Stlngaree lrralie Is the daugh-
ter OF Mr.. vl!ers the director of the station"
Now It happens that she Is driving across the
plains toward the station when she hears pistol
shot and a moment after discovers a man. miser-
ably clad, standing beside horse that has fallen
with fatigue This person introduces himself as
Fullerton the owner of the estates From this
point the development OF the story IL rapid and
absor5.ngly interesting. for 1t is packed with sur
prses II must be noted, however. that while Mr..
Hornung has sought to impress his readers pr!mar
ly through romance and the complication of Incl
dent he is not incapable OF effective character
drawing Ills men are admirable. Fullerton. Stin-
garee and the omnous HOWE are drawn APP
pareny from the life. Irrae. good she is. Is
not quite so successful. Her character Is accur-
ately observed, but she lacks variety.
The three stories by Leopold Kompert. which
Mr. Alfred 8. Arnold has translated under the
| title of christian and Leah and Other Ghetto
Stories" reveal unfamiliar writer of consider
able force Ii Is doubtful, however, II these