The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-09-26


plored that Mr. Allen, whose genius can
not be questioned. has chosen to follow
the exquisite. cameo-llke purity Of his
first stories by this sort Of thing
The book Is for sale by George NJ.
West.
The Spectator, by the way, $50 says
THE Critlo'D thinks that James Lane
Allen is the pen-name of a woman. and
gives az the reason for the faith that IS in
IL the elevation OF sentiment" and del
icately poetical turn OF phrase" found in
THE Choir Invisible" Perhaps the Spec
tator was also Influenced by the fact
that the title Of the book was taken from
the pages OF a woman who wrote over a
mans name-George Eliot
III
JEROME. A POOR MAN BY Mary r.
wilkins. Harper & Brothers. For sale
by George NJ. West.
As exactly expressing our estimate Of
this-Miss wilkins latest story-we re-
produce the following criticism, which
originally appeared in recent issue OF
the Critic.
There H. double pleasure In store for the
reader OF jerome" To the satisfaction
which Miss wilkins work must always
give the intelligent. Is added the gratifi-
cation Of seeing that the authors strength
SIS stil on The Increase. She has produced
no sustnalned work eQualling this in
power and poise. The theme IS the
classic one of New England boy with
his way IN the world to make. At the
age OF twelve he faces existence and sums
up his position definitely. my father Is
dead" Jerome told himself He jumped
into the pond and drowned himself and
there's mother. and Elmira. and the mort
gage and me-" This sufficiently indicates
the elements which go 20 make mp the
, first half OF the book II Is a long time.
happily. before the complex OF sympt
toms produced by Jeromes poverty, his
pride, obstlnacy and strong Humanitarian
instincts, IS further complicated by the
development OF the heart. When the love
affair foreshadowcd even bon the first
chapter finally assumes form, II proves
90 Doe the strongest and most convincing
Miss wilkins has ever recorded. Tn good
fiction Il IS not always easy 10 distinguish
the shades by which one love affair diff
fers from another In glory. The lovers
our writer depicts have always been sufii-
GENTLY earnest and life-llke. but none
OF them has ever been done with the
fire and spontanelty which have gone 10
the making Of Jerome and Lucina. With
all his Obstinacy. Jerome IS so noble a
lover that he takes deep hold upon our
sympathies But Il IS only because his
soul ls laid bare for US that we know
his ineness with his lady the knowledge
is entirely a matter OF divlnation. for the
New Englander hampered by pride Is far
from a graceful wooer. His struggles In
the net are better worth watching than
those Of most heroes.
Z Very good though not better than the
dellneatlon Of half a dozen similar moods
I'm Jerome. Is. the account OF his passing
tho poor-house Just after he first expe-
riences the sting Of Jealousy. He IS seized
with a feeling of community In the mis-
cradle poverty under his eyes 1T is not
having what we want that makes us all
paupers." he told himself bitterly. I'm
as much a pauper as any OF them. I'm In
a worse poor-house than the town Of
Uphams. I'm in the poor-house OF life
where the paupers are all fed on stones
Then. suddenly. as he went on, brave
spirit Of revolt seized him. 1T Is want
ing what we have not that makes us
papers" he said, "and | will not be one, II
tear my heart out"
In DIT. Prescott. Miss wilkins draws
country doctor who II the antithesls OF
the benign personality the words call up.
II IS hard 10 believe I'm a village physician
who IL also the village octopus, but-just
for O change-he Is acceptable as well as
striking The other minor characters are
equally clear and well-drawn. The book
is full Of striking scenes and OF good bits.
The writer has allowed herself much
larger liberty OF comment than is her
wont and the result is a multitude OF in
cisive observations OF a kind that rouses
the readers lively gratitude. keeping him
I'm a perpetual condition Of thankfulness
as he reads. This delight is doubtless
what Miss wilkins would classify as one
OF the secondary savors" Of fiction for
the consumer Of II. but. like the second
airy satisfaction of life. II yields the
steadiest returns OF contentment.