The times., 1897-08-01

regret, eXcepb Aipilns 3 fthucIhiS Va AC
Gallienne's Ballad of London"
It's London, London, London, you're the
Devii's own delight
Gawd clip i'm from the county VINO goes
thro' your hear6 by night,
And UNITS about To find "a pretty face.
They calls your bloornin iampposts ] iIon
lifles,' oh, my eyes!
Wy oon tney cal 'em rhubaIb and la
An hansons fail o. balTny blokes, they
Say Is dragon rlies =
Which L suppose Is Just the poets fun
It's London, you're daisy, andits London,
you r. dear,
likes Your woCan, winnin sort or way;
But when u comes 10 wiinmin, w yuf course
it's very clear, 5.r
You aren't All a patch on Mandalay.
From which it is again clear that the
anonym not only knows his Tommy At
kins,'' but is a master Of parody. There -
mnreoyer a neat wit in the very fact OF
lie Gallenne's publisher publishing the
satire. But Mr.. Lane thus robbed the
arrow CT its sting. New York: John
Lane. Washington: Woodward & 10th
rop-)
1t ould seem that all the books of this
week are mere brochures There is new
sea tale by Clark Russell, the british
Cooper of this generation, and he gives 1t
us III three chapters. What can one do IN
three chapters? Very satisfactory, is the
answer OF Mr.. Clark's "A Noble Haul"
This is in many respects u peculiar
story It is very direct, unnechan.tal,
sincere, and, if you wish to deduce it, old
fashioned But it is very refreshing and
spirited and the unexpected naiveve OF
the narrative is a Constant source of sur
prise to the reader, who after long treat
ment by the new novelsts has been lccus
toned TO watch details painfully for their
srgeestiyeness and Development
a comparison OF the story as IL is and
as one might expect IL TO be furnishes
understanding of its simplicity. The scene
is on board n small sailing vessel In the
tropics. The captains violent and cruel
man. The narrator is his third n.ate. One
day while in the rigging he accidentally
knocked down d marlin spike II missed
tie captain lly foot or il would have
killed him. The captain abuses the man
shamefullN. The mans rage rises. One
thinks lac will master his rage and get
even with The captain later. Not bit
OF il. He knocks the officer down flat
and gees into irons In the canvas room.
A long description is given OF the fore
peak, tina Lest loathsoins place in the ship
Tic reader anticipates that the culprit
viii lie cast in there so that when rescue
time comes it Will lie all the more diff
cult 10 release the hero Surprise again.
Two sailors decide To desert, and with
the help OF the others rescue the brave
L. will
captain viii accidentally come on the
scene. Put neither CT these things hap
pen. The escape is effected with neat
ness and dispatch, and the condgct OF all
hands is isexceptionaily oomnendable. .'Ah,''
you say, "but next morning the captain
VIII discover the desertion, he VIII re-
capture them, and them On the con-
trary, the three men in a toat discover 4
deserted craft. They tcard 1t. Some dis
ease, Eossihly contagious, has killed every
cne ON board.
Now you think they're In for It and had
better let well enough al one, bad asiv was
Mist AIKEN again. They rid the ship OF its
| cadaverous cargo and upon searching find
gold dust and other treasures which make
it worth their while to sail back 20 the
Thames and get salvage. AS the three are
going up the Thames they are accosted by
four other men who seek TO come on board.
Yo0r modern idea OF romance DO; nds at
| the idea and feels that surely now is the
turning point. The three men very braveg
and very sensibly fight the others Off and
ride into court and divide seven thousand
pounds between only themselves. Your
| trained eye looks all about the docks for
| the Nemesis, the deserted captain. But
| he isn't there. His ship comes presently
| and conveniently tu the rounding of the
| story with the news that the brute had
| died of a blow given him by the carpen ter.
| His employers give the brave third mate a
promotion, and never ended a story more
| happily.
In the face of facts it's stupid, you think
In reality it is not. As pointed out be-
| fore, the ease and Unstnry- like convention
ality with which everything conspires IL
| the most oiled and agreeable termination
| is d constant source of wonder and surprise
| Then let this much of the credit be given
| Mr.. Clarke's unaffected, direct and con-
suming style OF story telling, there is
nothing before the minds eye OF the reader
at any time but the story. Did the author
intend this tale as a joke ON his readers,
"A satire on his contemporaries? New York.
| The New Amsterdam Book Company
Washington: Woodward & Lothrop)
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