New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-04-12
NEW NOVELS.
A LABOR STORY. SOME SENTIMENT AND
A CRIME.

N.
Houghton Mifiin & Co.
MRS. ROMNEY; BY Rosa NoHchstte carey i0"o'
PIP. 2l5. J. h. Lpp!ncott Company
THE COURTsHIP OF MAURICE BuCkL,E;K;
BY A. e. W. Mason. 1S'no. pp' So "a'''''''A"
Ottolengui. 1Smo.. PIP. 349. c. p. Putnams SONS
Narrow lsmo, PIP. l43 G. p. Putnam's Sons.
AS the author Of tom Grogan" Mr. r. hop
kinson Smith again gives proof OF his versauHty'
He shows that in spite OF the habits acquired as
writer Of short stories he is capable OF producing
a novel Of substantial proportions when is impress
sive as good novels should be, by virtue OF $40"
and logical process of elaboration For the rest' 'e
CONSPICUOUS qualities OF this novel are those WIN
which Mr. Smiths readers have long Deeh iah''-
lara supple style a humor which II it sometimes
yerces on farce Is always human, and patnos
only at moments forced and theatrical Inus the
enlsode OF the little cripple's rescue OF his goat
Sunny from the burning barn might better nave
been managed differently. or, better STILL om''eu
altogether 1t is not In key with the rest vi ,i'c
story and conveys the impression that the au'hof
Is trying to force the tears. indeed fa.sy' '"o
crlpple is not a hrst-rate character either IN con-
ception or drawing; his goat Is to be preferred
IN MANY accounts and IL to be regarded as one OF
several successful studies Of animals Tor which the
nublic Ia indebted to Mr.. Smiths humor Inese res
ervations made commentator IL 'he oi'y INNS
ef, for the rest OF the story which sets forth with
abundant incident and go" the struggles OF Mrs'
Grogan professionally known by the name Oh her
dead husband Tom Grogan. with the SteVeaores
I-,,on generally and with one Dan McGaw In par
ticuar ,,,
The novel opens with a striking chapter In wn'ch
Tom Grogan is described as a staiwart daughter
Of Erin whose motto Is: "A Hover TOT you WIG"
you agree with me. and broken head wheh you
don't" The plot develops rapidly with ever-increas
ing complexity and with each new episode ADDING
some essential touch to Toms portrait But while
she Is the most highly finished and closely studied
character in the story the subordinate personagcs
are sketched IN with admirable effectiveness. Wit
ness Dan McGaw Finnegan and the cowardiy Pete
Iathers whose schemng to sneak rom DUST
ness away from her brings him into collision with
the Infatuated Amazon In an exciting scene n
story studded with interesting episodes was 10 De
expected from Mr.. Smith. but Tom Grogan shows
that his range been widened 1t Is a compact
work. well constructed and admirably finished
Tears. sad. penslvc looks. headaches eliminating
in due course in a distressing attack OF nervous
fever followed In turn by "reconclling KISS anu
a second honeymoon "among snow mountains and
Sr,ss valleys such are the ingredients and evolu-
zion Of the story which Rosa Nouchette Carey I'M
folds under the title OF Mrs. Romney.' Catherine
sometimes called Kitty. Romney Is A teaTfui htue
VIZ" with shadow-s;rewn past. She has the MIS-
fortune OF having until quite late stage IN the
story weak father and a wicked mother the
latter a woman OF hystercal excuses OF evi which
on one occasion drive her !dotc husband 10 crime
This Is one reason why Catherine has headaches'
and poses in loose. clingng draperes OF soft stuns
The other reason Is that for motives OF her own
she fancics she is obliged to conceal the dreadtui
reality from her husband. at the same time con-
hdng In her husbands brother, Oliver The con-
ne1ucnces OF ths strange situation lead 10 innumer
able MISUNDERSTANDING. and at one point come nea'
alternating the affections OF the 'mpulsve perverse.
lmpassloned" Elsie from her chosen lover. Oliver.
The author has however, succeeded in smoothing
on: all the wrinkles from the texture OF her plot by
means OF the 'reconciling kiss referred 10 above
IT Is needless to add that all the nice people in Miss
Carey's romance are surprisingly goodooking, or
that the men arc stalwart and the women petite"
In The Courtshp OF Maurice Buckler' Mr.. A. +.
w Mason recounts the growth OF an English gem
tleman during the years l6S-i6SI. under strange
and difficult circumstances The gentleman IN
question is the named In the title. the strange
and difficult circumstances" involving In the first
instance an exciting duel. and finally romantic
adventure with fair lady OF type peculiar to the
,roublous DAYS In which Mr.. Mason lays his tale.
Maurice Buckler. a student OF the University OF
I.eyden, hearing that his best friend. Sir Julien
HARDWOOD. has been meddling with Monmouth ar
fairs hastens to England to save him from the
In the course Of a clandcstne interview with Sir
Julien who Is condemned 10 be hanged. Maurice
learns OF facts OF a most romantic character. and
sets or with all dispatch to the mysterious castle
OF Count Luckstein In the Tyro. there TO avenge
his friend who has been cruelty wronged by the
treachcrous Count. II Is on the night OF his ar
rival at the castle that Maurice kills the Count In
a fierce duel. and sees for ne hrst time the peau-
tfu Countess who Ia destined after plotting against
m o.
mantle story IL we'll told In the archaic language
OF the period.
The Crime OF the Century," by Rodrigues OF
tolengui is as the title implies. detective story,
involving the discovery of an elderly gentleman
named Mora who Is introduced In the first chap
ter lying on the floor of his apartment In pool
OF blood his head shattered by an Indian club
which reposes him. The same chapter also
presents two knowing men-Mr. Barnes scientific
detective with highly developed nose for "clews"
and Mr. Mitchell. who is connected in some way
with a founding asylum. The complicated prob
lens growing out OF the mystery which surrounds
the circumstances and the agent OF the Mora muir
der are treated by Mr.. Ottolengui after the usual
manner OF writer's OF detective romances although
somewhat ponderousiy and awkwardly. The solu-
ton Is reached in the concluding chapter. when
Preacher Jim, a theoretical criminal of high de-
velopment, makes selfconfession OF his guilt. and
argues learnedly In exenuation OF his crime on the
ground Of emotional excitement and peculiar family
relations.
ylcomte Melchior de Vogue the author OF the
Ave- sketches OF Russian character which Miss Eliz
abeth L. Cary has rendered into admirable idomatic
English Is not as his name would imply. Rus
sian. He comes OF good arlstocratic French stock
and his life has been passed almost exclusively in
the French capital. Between 1875 and 1882 he lived
in St. Petersburg. as Secretary OF legation and 1t
was during this period that he turned his attenson
% the study OF Russian character His SYM
,,, With the great Slav people is clearly
shown in these brief sketches collectively entitled
"Rus,ian Portraits" They have all the marks OF
,,u,h. thev are simple sympathetic. convincing and
.ua,c,cntly varied In theme to hold the interest at
a high pitch during the brief half-hour required
-, ,h.r uerusal 1t might be added that the little