The morning times., 1896-05-31
CHAT OF THINGS LITERARY
Notable New Book by a Wash
ingIOn Woman Writer.
NEW WORK ON LINCOLN
Mr.. Osborn H. 0.droyd Of Washiasto; i;
Contributes al UNIQUE Volume.
hrs. Davis Story.

Eg- UE literary event 0f the week for
Washington Was UeCiuedly the pub
HCation Iu book form last Wednesday
hy the LiImnCottS rf Mrs. Harriet
RldGle DagIs sIuTy, IN sight oi the
Goddess" Ii bad already appeared III
lIppinC0tt'S MagaZue, ana The compliment
Implied ln republication ~ t'ue that has only
been aCCorueI two otEer novels Mrs.
DAVIS story Eas been extensively read III
Washington ana Naturally auiIare0, buI III
al independent volume Il appeals To much
EIreer circle, and VITA niOIe ClsuuCuVe
authority. 1t is = narrative ol society IN
iuiS city involving the daughter oI a Cab
incl member ana t.cir GOAL secretary as
urlu,ipal Ilgures, dul The FAMILY ami sew
eT.I attaches as accessories Mrs. Davis
durs Huy write Win auy power, put only IN
it,-I5.l;l! t.eA ace OI Tie IlTapiU, which maybe
IGrEgyaa tar au inherent tieTeIncSa does she
Gl-ress !TOal Il sustained plaGc ui credItdbie
CE,lilcnce.
E>i,t. .laE a purity and convincing direct
uv>S ii style the feature OF Mrs, baVls
Accomplishment IS her dpnGleMeEt O. Eu-
lt.si~c ana li.u,.ye "a knowlctl oI the rcali-
t.,- uf emotion aud u fiDe reputation for
Tgp sentimental. save in suggestion. The
local atmosphere is not heavy VIII un-
Irafiiv The Characters are We'll drawn,
atlu the impression CI all OF them is wen
defined except Constance herseI. Inc
heroine and We know a deal of her without
Nrr fully uuGerst anGin;, her. This. perhaps,
WAS "a purpose, for " len we came to Tie
sccrerary'S words they expressed the
estimate Gf Ills daughter which the story
had ND 10 tl.cu conveyed. Constance, your
conduct in tnis whoC nattcr has been
curious mixture OF Impulse and motlVe.
Ygu have been both romantic and hearteSs.
You have not seen things with your usual
clear ewes: you have not shown the JUdg-
lArut / had expected Of you.
The dual form Ug the story is an Inge-
MODS bIt II originality. and degree OF
srftglncSs is evidenced in tue interest sus-
tanned through the complete and detailed
repetition. The events are rec.ted AZ first
hy stephen from his stanipaint; then Con-
stance relates them as she has seen them.
Mrs. DAVIS is not GistingliS in her style.
There is nothing in The way OF telling hat
dIyersitIes and marks either OF the nara =
iive> Is essentially Characteristic of
man or a woman in the form. In the mat
ter she displays the keen analysis Of her
Characters and differentiateS. Not how,
but what each tells from his or her point
ot view is 50 clever ana so direct in an
title>is that ii saves the Sameness in
stgle. In Sight Of the Goddess viii be
read with satisfaction b. everyone. II is
attractive in all its phases and demon
strato> bet wecn its oya yellow covers that
Washington has one storyteller infinitely
more worthy than at least one Philadel-
piua artist 1t is distinctly disiliusion-
izing to become eng7uSSeI in Mrs. Davis
real set ana to be confronted suddenly by
the pictorial world from street To Capt.
"a Hiu The book is being taken up in
manner Juuo ~ feSnSts at least vogue if
not fad