The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1898-03-10

life at precisely the point where he had
fallen into the amnesiatic state. COM
pletely oblivious of the fact that he has
been at all afflicted.
Miss Woods fancy has led her into
the daring of simplifying this kernel
into the possibility of one so afflicted
being thrown into the condition by eX-
cessive wine drinking, and while in
that state pursuing lines of thought,
study and vocation which develop in
the person a different being with the
same face and form but with decidedly
differing tastes, capacities, expression
movement, and even form of speech.
However radically this theory may
cross the lines of science and known
facts relating to amneSia We are not
prepared to say, nor do we care much,
though the author has cited apparent
authorities TO maintain, with some
seeming of success, the doctrine of the
possibility of two distinct personalities
in one body The story remains one of
dramatic boldneSS.
The conception of such daring the
DRY and the working out of such
plot stamps the author with credit for
venturesOmeness that is rare. How
ever, if it is less intended to point
moral or illustrate the cheat of dual
ity where consciousness is bedded with
| hypocrisy, as in the case of Steven
sons mastery work, nevertheless it is
a good story. and it does not preach,
nor moraliZe nor deal in texts or ser
mons, but gets quickly and deeply into
the heart Of the reader because of its
simple. clear English and homely hu-
man interest, and especially because Of
its dramatic power. Yet We do not
think such a story could - effectively
staged
Miss Woods possesses a prediction
for intensity of description of blush
ing love scenes. They are true enough.
but really there is just trifie too
much, for arts sake, of hugging and
kissing and straining to the heart and
slipping of delicious lips in her stories
Such scenes belong to an order of fic-
ton above which our author has the
ability and good taste to rise il exer-
cised. Something should be left to
conjecture in the stories of the order
our author aspires to deal with
What we deem an error of the plot
| is possibly due to her unfamiliarity
brought into court for murder on such
slim showing concerning the corpus de-
licti. True there is nothing to prevent
foolish Grand Jury indictine a man
for murder when there is no REASONABLE
proof before it of the death of the sup
posed victim. But in this case jaeger is
brought to the threshold of a verdict
of guilty in Los Angeles court. on
proof of the rather recent and not usu-
self. because the latter was seen to en-
, ter lodging house from which he was
not known to have emerged and be-
cause JAEGER soon thereafter came out
of the same building, and the two We're
known to have been sufficiently at en-
nifty to pass challenge and acceptance
for a duel
True. on Jager's person was found
diamond ring belonging to Rex. How
they may do in Los Angeles we are not
assured. but in other civilized parts
there must be more serious grounds for
putting one on trial for his life Even
in the Luetgert case there was found
something in the bottom of a soap-fat
kettle resembling human bones How
ever. while what the author describes
as reason for the action of the Los
Angeles court is possible. it is wholly
improbable. Besides, how much better
and more romantieally and nationally
the denouement would have been
worked out in the court of the friends
OF the dual intelligence. the whole of