The times., 1897-09-26

appeared in book fern.
is it, indeed, a history ii fact or
history IN fiction There is a flavor Of
actuaits about the Gnvarnished facts
In Lady EetIy Stairs case that leads
one to believe that the a1thor has found
them in some neglected family record OF
overlooked bit OF biography. From t..is
poiut ~ view Miss seaweH has executed
a charming and uuoanmonly praiseworrhy
piece or work. she has evidenced scent
for cldoralle history, ana She has pre-
sented i.cr find IN agreeable narrative.
Tie history. as IL stands, a. ID lit ~
history, is productive ~ a calm pleasure
for the reader, for which ne will hoid
the autior in gratitude. Her style is
cEslSte, delicate, as the tempo of the mar
rative often suggests, and her presenra-
tion Of !HCilents for cumulative interest
SIS in the main effective
But il Lady BETTY aud her history are
pure and simple emanatiouS from Miss
Seaweil'S imaginatlou, it diSpose> US 10
quarrel with Hcr for some neglected op-
portunites History is limiting; fiction
is op2crtunity. Naturally, we expect AN
ideal preSantat'oninriction. This Miss Sca
wen has not entirely achieved. one point
OF the story which might have been made
the point, ,iiid @bich the reader emotions
might be made TO trcnbe before a : the
,risiS, IS passed over with a pcrfect com
paceHcy which we do not bargain for in a
romance. 1t VIII be understood in resume
Of the st-ry.
Lady Eetty tairi : q young Scoteilwoman.
a daughter OF "A house which was, in 1885.
a remnant OF the Highland families wlivh
hcid 10 the odd religion. Roman Catholic
.tnd, being cut lff thereby from the pro
fession Of arms in tEeir own country,
passed ever iHto France. But when the
COME D'Aruois, afUerward Charles X,
and Marie Tncrese. took mp their abode
In Scotland at the castle Gf Iolyrood, LAZY
Betty was called 10 them as lady in wait.
fBg. Three others Were there W no had en-
tered into hCr life at Versailles One was
Hasuen, a sinister courter, who bore
Betty 10 good VIII for q fau-cut over the
face inrepls tJau insult. Indeed il had been
hinted tHaJ her brother called Bastien out
10 answer FOR TINS. and that Bastien mur-
dered him. Then Bastien Went to tic
Abbe &c EOncerag anG confessed. The
same eE-oiug 1t was tlie day of tneabiat's
ordination iis friend, and the friend or
Betty and heI hrother, Bu Bouruont, cane
and made mis- confession, the first, be
often boastcd, the new priest had ever
heard Betty never knew WHO had muir
deree EeI brother Instinct fed Ter with
a suspicion OF Bastien.
At Ho!y-Cud Becty and Du Bommont fell
de- ply m love. Tie night he was To leave
TO tight IL France, Betty had a lalk with
the abba. who inadvertently remarked that
the first confess ION he ever heard was from
4 msn who sad murdered ano3 her Betty
coupled tn- boast OF Du Bunrmont with
tie admission of the abbe. il branded Tier
lover murderer He did not hear from her
acain, f1r she went to France, became
Sister Of Mercy ana an army nurse. One
day the abba called upon her. He tells Of
the brilliant achievements Of the brave
Du EoIrmonU the nan tells him that Jh,,
sUidieris ner brother 5 murderer TIE able
C0rreG1s her she shows To him that she
hasiton the admission OF Du Bourmont and
Of biwseH Then The aU.,e realizes how
his too loose tongue projected the tragedy
OF separation upon the two lovers He ees
his duty 10 clear the innocent officer.
Here > MIS- SeaweH's opportunity. The
situation is Tremendous Here is a woman
who las believed her world empty because
the Innocence Of her lover went ont of it.
To restore that innocence should bring
back aIltbe sunshine ana JOY OF the early
days The abbe makes his explanations
with taut2lizinE complacency; the
woman receives the facts which reverse
her whole theory Of life with equal eoua-
niuitv One has a right to expect Of a
novelist 10 play upon d colorado theme
like this ritb some elaboration. She has
ipH fr. an
storv Of her characters aud there is curl
osity at d Zig situation 10 know Just what
they do. tl.ink, ana feel. The noveIst'g
skillis meas ured by the ability with which
sDch an opportunity is handled If Lady
Betty s merely q character in a fiction the
treatment % her story is amenable 20
criticism. II she is d person aud her life
is a history thel, Miss SeaweI has exhibited
rare art in noldiug it SO nearly to the
lines Of INA glHative romance.
The balance # the story is more real
than romantic. The logic of the girls
position pTcCuded union with her lover,
though Ter heart and his heart must la ve
desired it, The furmality Of the last ex-
change Of words between Betty and Da
BourTaou is received by the nuns witG
superficial awe at tie honor the warrio:
does their sister nun; but the two know
and the reader knows, the sad meaning
between tie I'erfuhctory lines OF the letters
Thule de Thuls5rup provides a number OF
beautiful fuil-psCe Illustrations. Tney are
fun cf charm and temperament and their
drawing is very pleasing. But how about
the cap on that Sister Of Mercy? II seems
that Nh De ThuIstrup has crowned her
with the bonnet of the Sister OF Charity.
j is only detail, but it is worth while
being correct even in small points. New
York Charles Scribner's Sons. washing
ton: Woodward & LotErop.)
One Of the books OF last week is "a
Cuban Amazon, by Virginia Lyndan Dun