The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-11-08

THE HERB MOON. A fantasia by John
Oliver Hobbies. New York: Frederick
A stokes Company Seattle: Icwman
q Hanford. d-&-
"A fantasia strikes the keynote OF TINS
last charming little book Of Jean ohNs<
Hobbies. Even the title whose Sasins.Sss
arous4s the frst Interrogation IA the mi1,a
~ ,he reader gives A foresaste OF Tia
vhirasieaiities TO be met In this fAnsas-
teal but clever little story. Jonn oissSE
Hobbies always impresses one as taof-
eueh woman OF the weird. VINO can esss
with the world on iss own terms. sac y
eapririous. paradoxieaL often csatcaA sax
underneath the epigrarasnatfc tersenssS
and audacious Groiiery OF her pages cas
dtyiues a substrs,um OF rtxhs feeling about
many things In life which too many novels
are disposed TO treat with cant phrases
under the prefense that they are standing
up for good morals ard coed taste. Sftd
as one reads one cannot help feeling that
In Rose Arden. the plain. sorncsr. Aind
little woman with her cc!orfess environ
ment. her life nurdened with care AMI
trouble. but with a keen moral sense AMI
strength OF viii which prevents her de-
Waiting from the narrow path OF duty. the
author has sought TO give s. direct eoa-
frast TO the character ard personality or
Violet in The Gods. Some Aortals and
Lord Wickenhsm.- Fer certainly no hero
ines could be more disSiaailar, physically
and morally. than these two In this last
story. while its situations seem enyeiopsd
In an atmosphere OF imprchahilisy. Yet all
the time the pgrest principles Of life are
kept ia sight. and the characters are
brought through most surprising situa-
tons to happy and honorable conclu-
sion. Is IL not possible that the author IN
this whimsical but stainless tale has en-
deavored TO prevent the antithesis OF the
novel which preceded it, Il almost seems
as IL the character Of Rose was created
moral heroine who presents so strong a
contrast to her.
Rose. at tbs time the story opens. is de-
scrioed as q satigued docking woman.
with q fra2l. slight body and a face re-
hEed but irregular in feature, with a set
He'd expression OF melancholy. K was
only when she laughed, which was seldom
That one caught sight of the preary ilveli-
ness or her uSen, which must have made
nsr an attractive girl before the expires
e1or OF intense sorrow cast its shadow
over hsr face. She seemed about five
and thirty. although she vas in fact
seven years younger. Rose was 10 at
the tine OF ner marriage 20 d husband
who loved her after his brutal fashion.
he was often intoxicated. churlsh and
fh-tempsred, but he had bries intervals.
when he would De lovingly penitent, read
sentimental poetry 20 her and buy
howsrs or take her to the theater.
After eight months OF this trying life.
comes sunstroke, followed by all the hor-
Tors OK INSANITY He was pronounced in
durable and placed In an asylum And
Rose. before ner twentieth birthday
round herself in the terrible position Of
young wife. with no one TO protect her.
VITA no right to accept affection with no
rlghs TO oeStow IL, and with a craving
ioF comlsaaionshlp so compelling that in
sunsng IL she broke her heart. When
her only brother left Oxford she went
Win him 10 quiet. little English town.
where they took up their abode in farm
mouse The brother. Edward Ranisb
pursued his musical studies and was or
sanist OF the village church. while Rosa
contributed 10 their slender income nv
.oans att ehoTo.dery. Louis Robsart, A
good looking, we'll educated young nan
ioF whom the brother had formed an 81,
tachmens, was living in Ottley whan
thsy came there, and IL seemed o,nta
natural That they should all live sogstber
IL Is the Old story of young hears n-o.
pihqufey and congeniaI tastes. Just thras
l,soissHs haa gone by when Robsart sud-
utniy tens Rose that he loves her. This
declaration comes Ike shock wn;.s
aMshens her from the blissful. driY,inr
uHthihhang existence OF the MAST ueals
VOW she knew what il all mean, I, ~,
al wrong: they could never again 49,
49, inumate companionship. THAI an
simply being together. iioin
Then begins "A life of renrsss,o,,
the lovers succeed in living unss- Ell. uin
zane roof-tree. outwardIy hold a,1 S
sioniess 10 one another Each consaisss-
snal they are beloved. but never si,,ins,
soice OF expression to their love az
pp.onaner with his warm friendshin for
Co. D. GU hss selfish exacting affection
to' rose never snspecting the truo S..s.a
OF AFFAIRS. Susan tho annie =. s,ass
hanu- maiden, looks after ~ ~
aha heroine through their c,,rio,,s -.
Snip keeping the house in which 49, 80.
n'e she Is the most endearinr so,nss,so
pn. netion mas given US since stockton.s
POMONA, in "Rudder Grange ;" heoii
iovaoie, and she is funny. Sha = :
gives the book its title .sFor ,,~, io
hotaing 50 wearing as the herb r,oo,, ).
she observes TO Rose Arden wbe, ~.
latter is ruefully standing hefwas, .no
pahn IN the mad house and lover y,bon,
rn,a - IN GUY hound to forget until death
ION or this unfamiliar astrono,n,ca,'
unentat phenomenon" Ave. ,ba,,s ~.
Lame for one OF these long conr,s,,.s
Adam and did all oar courtinv a., . ssr.
iiiSHt. tnst ; Why we are 80 hann,y rr.s.
Walking out with each other xear ., -
year out till all your nerve is COMA "a
You are sick with talking. was na,,ar -
my taste nor 10 my mothers before ~
i3sh natural. and / am all for Nature
am three years go by. aud the ..herh
moon keeps steadily IN its orbit showsrr
no sign OF waning or eclipse T6rouyi,
susan. Rose learns that Rohsart ~ .,
fused great advancement Il, Ri ,u-s.st.-
none other than manager n, .bd r,,a-.,-
IN which he Is now only clerk THIS g
pals her. and she at once diyires ,h,t !.
Was because II would take him away sro-,
Ter, ss the position would ne.esss,s., ri.
removal 10 the distant town az Ts,aa-
s'on. She feels that she must not refar5t,s
ntes that were she absent her brother at
Robsart could go together To I.ardarsTop
80, with a breaking heart in ansz,isb ~
soul. she goes up 10 London w-lthou, ,at
ing leave either Of her brother or y,ohs.-.
she goes directly 10 a Mrs Harroe,b,. .hs
one rich person in the world who ,aEss -,
interest in her welfare, She rncs,,as nor
with open arms. and installs her at arc.
as companion.
IN Mrs. narrowly the author etvas her
Wsyward fancy full rein soma of ,be
most vtvacious and epigra rnrnssfc Mares
o. the book being In this connection ore
cannot rerress the feeling tina. yohu o,i-
Yer Hobbies herself reveIs in Mrs uar-
fo"ays au6acious and iconoclastf,
speeches. and that the exploiting ~ ,he
ocdities % her characters in this s,asss<
CT mental gymnastics Is quite az r,,,rs
Tor her o~n amusement as for mai NJ
heT readers. But this impression masses
snc admiration comes fer Mrs. uarrovhv