Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-09-18

FORTUNA; A STORY OF WALL
STREET. BY James Blanchard Clews.
New York: ]. S. Ogilvle Publishing
Company. 1898. 12mo. Pages, 2l5.
This is a unique story, based. we are
told in the preface, in a large measure
on facts, and the story presented under
thu title, Fortuna, owing to a vague
resemblance of the heroine to the Grecian
goddess Of that name"
The narrative opens upon an ocean
steamer. on which the principal charac-
tiers Of the book are returning from
transatlantic tour, and the first and
larger part Of the book is taken up with
the experiences of the voyage The he
rome, an orphan heiress Of very many
millions, is travelling under escort of an
elderly bachelor uncle, a wealthy New
York banker, having as compagnon de
sister. Two young Wall-Street brokers,
by happy chance, are fellow passengers,
one of whom is an acquaintance OF the
uncle, and thus they become associated
with his niece and her companions. The
English nobleman is a scarcely disguised
sutton Of the American heiress, but she
has the wit and the discretion not to
overvalue his rank and title and main
tains her maidenly equiqoise with the
most dignified propriety. The voyage is
without noteworthy incident, but both
of the young AmericanS-one of them
more successfully-make the propinquity
and opportunity available 10 establish
themselves upon footing of very friend
ly intimacy. This intimacy continues
uninterruptedly after their return 20
America and Part III. OF the story
records the progress anu outcome OF
the ocean friendship. The English noble
man, who is always refined and digni-
fled gentleman. pays his addresses TO the
American beauty with unassuming de-
ference and accepts his discardal philo-
sophically. His sister captHates one
of the young Wall Street brokers. and
returns to England with her brother
TO await the early coming of her Amer
lean lover 10 claim his promised Eng
lish bride. The other Wall Street broker
woos and wins the multi-millionaire
heiress,
But this not merely love story, and
the average novel reader will. perhaps.
complain of the unromantic and matter
of-fact wooing and winning. The author
is. himself, a Wall Street man, and en-
titles his book a story of Wall Street.
and in his preface foreshadows the bust
ness talk and business Incidents which
color the intercourse not merely OF his
masculine character, but not less pro-
nouncedly OF hero and heroine. Early
In that intercourse the heiress announces
her purpose to assume control and admin
istration of her own large inheritance,
and puts herself under tutorship in the
vocabulary and methods of Wall Street,
and proof that she was very apt
scholar Is abundantly manifest in her
after experiences as an operator In rail-
road securities.
1.-THE growing importance OF women In
the business world led me-" the author
says in his preface. ito introduce that
topic in my story and / have no doubt
that the majority Of the female sex
would be quite as capable Of managing
their business affairs as Miss Montague
did hers, IL they would only go about II
in the same manner" The author, per-
haps. had in view Mrs. Kettle Green. but
II so, he has had the good sense and the
good taste 20 picture his heroine of action
In much more amia,bls and attractive
colors than the prosaic reporters ct the
press present her living original,
pntexiected IN ~ ths saAnAn kallA ~