The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1898-04-14

does not however initiate that AmeH
can humorist who undertook to write
society novel md after getting hi
heroine enciente and his hero IN jail
gave them Up as hopeless There art
some atherp pretty things Ia the book
but they are spoiled by too much elnbo
ration, some really dramatic scenes.
but they are ruined by being made Go
last too long
When the author gets hold Of good
thing he cannot let 70. Mr. sienky.
whatsky has undertaken to write a
great religio, ,historicoromantieo novel,
but has only succeeded in making him.
self an insafrerabIo nuisance Hc
makes Roman history Just ns MARI,
Twaius sea captain did that Of tho
civil war to suit himself He supple.
Sts Peter and Paul with sermons and
sayings and pulls them about as uncer.
moniously as ne does the rest Of BE
puppets From first to last he caters TO
the religious element and succeeds IN
capturing that portion Of it which can.
not distinguish between Jesus Christ
and Sam Jones he evidently means
no oifonse in picturing The early christ.
ians as an unhappy cross between 60.
natics and fools, and making St Peter
neglect bis holy calling to ohiciats as
guardian angel Of an qB0.re q amour
Christians believe chat the Apostles
were Inspired men, Chat their words
were those given them by The Almighty
The author Of Quo Yadis' processes
this faith, yet puts his own words into
the mouth SITS Peter and Paul pre-
sumes to think and speak for Omnip
otence himself Tie might as wen have
introduced into bis narrative God and
theHoly Ghost My bump Of reverence
is no SO large as to be abnormal but !
do insist that if Christ and the Apostles
were what the church believes them
to be Is It not blasphemy for any man
TO attribute to them enc word not duly
authenticated chat when novelist
makes them parrot higown nonsense he
deserves The rebuko Of the church IN.
stead Of it5 patronage
Petronius is the only character In the
book who gives evidence Of being half
way alive, and we look on incrodul'
ously while he bleed5 70 death declin
ing 70 believe that ho possesses blood
he Is Neros fayorite an elegant cpl.
curian, a dilettante q poetaster talent
ed lazy. audacious willing to bend the
hinges Of the knee where
thrift may follow fawning, yet not
hopelessly corrupt He fattens on Nero
and 6atters him thro' many o long
year then insults him when he falls
from favor, and goes hence IN the arms
Of a beautiful concubiue, dies to the
sound Of sensuous music at his own
banquet board
He is tho only character IN the book
gifted with On ounce Of brains ana be
denies All the gods. lives and dies m
Atheist, n0cks both Jehovah and Joye,
laughs al Christ and tbs Christians
Yinieius, his nephew Is a military tri
bune in love with Lygia Tie Is q big
powerful fellow lie quarrels with bis
efete uncle, and The latter q slender
man. eneryated by wine and women,
takes both the warriors hands IN one
of bis and holds them until he cools
1F Ward McAllister conqueriug San
dow Lygia is q christian maid a frail
3pidtuelle little thing simply "a rag
ind bone and q bank Of hair yet
yinicius, DO whose feet are the most
roluptuous women Of Rome. including
he female favorite Of Nero, conceives
.or her Al unholy passion and deter
mines b make her his mistress She
lies from him and he attempts 70
eize her and Ding Ter to BE house By
orce, aud became she eludes him 40
wants her nogged not very promising
FKf