The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-11-20
NEW ROCKS.
Brief reviews OF ru,portant ana Interestinn
New Publications.

.
It 10 pleasant always to say the compliment
airy thing. and a privilege TO be able 10 say il.
and we feel IL to be both a pleasure and n priv.
lepe to declare that Julien Gordon. In her latest
novel, Eat Not Thy Heart" Herbert s. stone
& Col shows us that she has both capability
and versatility. 1t now appears that 1t Is not
necessary for her TO found n tale upon the power
involved In the glamour of a feminine back or
tho sense that is sometimes aroused when per-
sons of tho opposite sexes go in swimming to-
gether. The flesh exercises a certain power,
great and often rcprehcnsible. The emotion in
question is, however, only n part OF life. 1t 10
true. moreover, that IL has suffered tho loss OF
some Of its original mystery through permitting
itself to be led so frequently into type, where 10
became subject, of course, to n cooler contem-
~platlon, and study, and analysis. 1t 10 safe to
say that the passions OF the flesh are not all that
a rounded life calls for. This would be proved
II there were nothing moro In its support than
the circumstance of the Browning clubs ana
tho recent prevalence in literature of the
Scotch dialect. Ours is a generation which has
beheld the complete differentiation Of Mr.. Edgar
Saltus to Ian Maclaren. Over and boz
yond tho flesh there is tho soul. whoa
we pass from q consideration of the flesh to-
consideration OF the soul. we pass either o long
or n short way, according as the bodies ana
souls Of us are differentiated In n large or In q
small measure. After all, whom wo come to .
specification Of the needs Of fiction. we find our,
selves drawn inevitably to the conclusion thao
we ought to bring out the point, whatever 1t Isl
in the strongest and most fortunate way. ~
the point is feminine envy, let us mako thiA
envy a notable emotion. Julien Gordon lemons
strates her thorough understanding OF TINS idoe
in her new story. Here is q country-bredw woman
handsome, ungrammatical, with thin lips, who
envies another woman, more fortunately placed
in life, and sets fire to her house. In 2
A..l. .,.l IT, ,Io laal ~ niuht Inridantay
characters are the envied woman's husband, .
rich man, whose grandfather was a butchcr1
the enviOus woman's husband. q stoop.shoulds
cred farmer with melancholy eyes, who lies
heroically to shield his guilty spouse; q beautS
full and stolid youth, who disposes himself very
handsomely in hammocks: n cynical artist OF 7Os
grievously afflicted in his respiratory surfaces
who paints the person of ono young woman ana
informs it with the soul of another; a country
schoolmaster, cadaverous, and perpetually. age
gressivcly, and painfully socialistic, who
discovers instantly what tho artist has
done; several ladies and gentlemen of FASH
ion, foreign and domestic Including, howe
ever, none that was made in Gormanyh
and n French cook with a conspicuous
watch chain who is rewarded for n heroic act
with the heart and hand of a beautiful girl with
a slightly blemished reputation. We have said
that this story is concerned with other emotions
than those that have engaged Julien Gordon
hitherto. Sometimes tho earlier inclination ID
family suggested. The socialistic schoolmasteR
and the enviable lady are upon one occasion
overtaken by n summer tempest. He has been
fishing and she is out visiting the poor. They
are both moved to seek refuge in q deserted
house, and 30 come together. He loves her in
an idealistic way. He has lighted a fire and 10
broiling his fish. He offers his brandy iask--A
possession that is widely thought to be potent to
tighten in some measure the gloom Of an artis
At - N .--1
yes; will. Thanks" She made a grlmace. 70
hate the taste. but now, therc-ahl it does give life.
1t does warm one. was cold"
And your shoes? Will you not como nearer the
hre? Warm your damp feet ?"
She leaned down. and. with a deft gesture, reso.
lutely pulled or her low. high. hecled shoes. They
creaked on her open-worked silk stockings. They
were saturated. She moved her toes about, and, tim.
idly resting her two hands on the seat, offered them
to the flame.
1t reflects credit upon the socialistic body in
general that the schoolmastcr went on broiline
his fish and conversing upon subjects of com,
paratively unphlogistic character. She, on ho1
part, gave way to q reactionary impulse, which
found its expression in a certain modified bold
ness and in a light humor. He set her shoes up
on end on tho hearth and watched the steam
ascend from them. She spoke:
"Give me a biscuit and do 20 on cooking your nsh.
1t looks awfully fresh and nice. Who knows ?-I SCI,
no prospect of o dinner tonight, and I have missed
my afternoon tea I may as well have my suppeS
with you. My family are doubtless at this momen1
dragging tho Sound for my dead body and beating
the woods for my remains. VIII you give mo some Of
your fish, Mr.. Cakes? p" She pouted out her soft lind.
as she made this last request In her own enchantinh;
way.
AS he came and went Lola watched him-his NOT,
ungraceful movements. his quick. muse ular agilitJa
full OF that ardor which gives the illusion OF strength
He wore q gray flannel shirt. and had . blue silhl
handkerchief knotted carelessly under its collar. H11
wore knickerbockers with coarse gray s~tockings. Ed
had thrown Off his sailors cap. His thick, curly RoldJ
en- hair, still moist from his bath, smelled of the
brine. His hands. sunburned and knotty. the phiIoIi
sophie hand. had certain fingers taperinR to are
ttstic shapelincss. The veins OF his brown throaAs
throbbed with the exertion al he stepped hithor ana
thither, preparing the i~mpromptu meal.
1t is better to have certain than uncertain
fingers, particularly If you are broiling hshA
and the question of taper and of philosophical
aspect quito aside. The enviable lady becamOj
dreamy. You seem to know how to cook,d4
Bho said. my mouth Is watering already att
the aroma of your cuisine" The conversational
went on:
"I used to prepare all my mothers meals he saidn
when I was young.
She smiled. ado you speak OF your youth In Tn
past tense?'
life Is not measured by years always, but somo-
times by hardships." he said, shortly.
"was yours a hard youth p" she asked, softly. Hs,
was certainly interesting.
my mother was always Ill. and we were missrably
poor"
"How sadI'
ayes, / suppose 10 wGS-sAd." he said with q sliEha
sarcasm in HIS tone. "Your friends would think so
They call themselves people OF the world, 1 believe.
but 1 guess Mrs. Marston, they do not know mucn
about It,"
81 dare say not"
"sho was III and she couldn't eat. I used 70 maho
up little messes for her when I was only n shay.e
of H."
"You were a good son."
"Oh. / don't know about that. WA croaa IN he,
sometimes. / do not forget It,"
"AHG-shc died p"
"Yes. she died. Poor woman! The nsh IN cooked