The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-11-27

..,.. . ,oo,, IN the second-ciass apart
ment house where Mariana likewise hves
They fall IN love. and. accepting the fal-
t.oy thar love Is a sef-sustaining force
,ndenendent OF material conditions,
marry. They are wretchedly poor, and
ont OF this fact grows the central fact OF
the story. A child Is born to them ana
dies. after a brief hfe, to which we are
Indebted for some Of the most reansuc
paecs OF the novel With Its death, the
poverty OF her environment, its barren
meas OF all the beauty which means so
much to tho artistic temperament or the
woman, awaken intense revolt. and she
decides to leave her husband. accepting
an offer OF position In an opera com"
pany, for final brilliant rank In when
her mistake Of temperament for aoilily
leads her 10 aspire.
To Anthony. with whom. II we mistake
not, the readers sympathies viii chichy
lie. this act OF the woman at whose leel
he has poured all that he has - give, 10
n vital and cruel blow. nevertheless
the wife goes and the husband suffers
total collapse from which, IN part "
OF tho novel. we find him arisen as me
Successor Of the faithful guardian or MS
promising bovhood-Father Speares, rec
Tor ~ the Rituaiistic church OF the I'M
,nac1,1ate Conception. Here again. as
very cleverly and admirably stating the
case. we quote the Eagle:
"ue ia no ordinary convert VINO mas
found refuge for a broken heart ana
shattered ideals in the recesses OF tallh
or tho formulas OF devotion.
To Father Speares he looks as 70 ny
maternal truth and tenderness whlch
guarded him when there was no one
else and he conceives II 10 be his outy
work
carry 70 on.
"IIo 10 under no Illusions ~ belief or
self-deception Of conviction lie IS noing
Vvorl, simplv because. with the hdelty OF
a hiph soul. he believes u his duty 70
Tho orioinator OF that wOrk-simply be-
cause Of what Father Speares has done
The more distasteful IS #. the more
inqistent he IS TO carry q out IN inc most
thorough and rigid fashion. HIS IN
uaual abilities and fine mental equipment
together with the self-ahneRatloh "nlcn
makes the reader throughout love MN
,nreaslrablv more than the woman
through whom he suffers so cruelty nave
reerlted. I'm a measure Of success iar
above the average
The women Of his congregation resaro
him as n saint: the men ms paragon ~
executive capacity and indomitable en-
ergv. While ne g. practically nNi.s
lie he does 20 honestly liis atutuoe ~
10 his labors among the poor IS eFlnceH
when he remarks 10 q physician tnat ne
10 "nersuadod ten converts 10 take the
piedre Of n daily bath "For salvation
nnarcompaniod with sanitation he has
no use whatever
II Is noteworthy that the same condl-
tions drive Mariana TO sclf-seeking; ana
Anthony to service Of others. That key
note having been struck Anthony cannot
fail TO appeal prominently TO the
thoughtful public The former does not
find in opera any other distinction than
marriage 10 the Hon. Cecil Core
wealthy Englishman. Algarcife having
consented TO her obtaining n divorce I'm
"A Western state. She reappears there
fore. as "the Hon Mrs. Cecil Gore with
out. however. any stain npon her CHAR
actcr. Again docs the Eagle speak
aptlv IN styling her temperament sen
suOus. not sensual
The second husband proves 70 be
merely a wealthy animal She has in-
herited money and is wealthy, She
leaves him. She and Anthony meet
again. with hearts which, always con-
slant 10 each other. leap IN each other
I'm this meeting. They are roconciied.
Here. stiI, II is Anthony whose nohlcness
we value This is the love which s.
most tender when most needed There
is no generosity IN the love OF the wo-
man.
The reconciliation comes after the par
tial recovery of Mariana from very Sc
rious illness They plan 20 begin lfe anew.
Anthony viii leave his church. giving 81
all the wealth which he had received
from Father Spcares. retaining only "A
little farm n the South. They will go 90
this and start afresh Then. one cold
day in the interval ,1ariaua is seized
with q burning desire 90 see Anthony,
and to be assured that there is reality