The times., 1898-06-19
Recent Fiction.

and human nature scattered through It's
pages One does not appreciate the fit
ness of the title till the middle of the
book is reached. II is the story of an
emotional, sensitive, affecuonate woman,
of primitive characteristics. She marries
a sea captain, has several children, per
suades her husband TO leave the sea for
the sake of the children and brings them
up with the usual vicissitudes of a fond
mother She has all the traditional fem
inine traits of inconsistency, irrational
argument. jealousy and intense absorption
in the lives of husband and children
Sometimes these traits are good for the
children and sometimes they are not.
The lady herself tells the story, and draws
an unconscious but perfect portrait of
herself while osJensibly recountng the
history of her family. She resembles
little sailboat more than anything else
q boat at the mercy of conflicting emo
tional currents, veering by turns from
selfishness to maternal affection and then
TO conjugal affection, and then coming
back 10 purely selfish motives again.
She is the kind OF woman who was
once described as a mother who might
shower kindnesses on another woman :
children for the sake of her own, but
woman's son Hayed alive in order to make
her boy a pair Of gloves IL he happened
20 need such an article. One felt that she
would be sorry for the victim. but she
would be implacable. AS for any sort of
abstract idea-justlce, mercy, truthful
ness, patience-there is no room for that
sort OF thing in her nature. She is quick
20 resent any real or fancied injury TO
herself. her husband, OF her children; the
world outside has no existence except so
far as II concerns them. She feels first
and thinks afterward. The first emotion
which gets possession of her commands
her whole nature till supDlanJed bJ
stronger one. There are Inconvenience
in this even for the objects Of her affec-
sion. Resentment of a fancied slight, Tor
instance, keeps her away from her daugh-
ter. in a tiff, until the Illness Of the
daughter oyerwhelms her with anxiety.
That sort OF temperament is picturesque.
but uncomfortable, both for the owner
End others.
Doctor Sphinx is an alleged novel by
Caroline {. Walsh IF. Tennyson Neely.
New York. publisher). 1t is hard 10 see
why this book should ever have been writ
ten unless il served to relieve the brain
OF the author from a pressure Of incon-
gruous ideas. The heroine is distinguish
ed by the peculiar name of Calleen, and
is in love with a man who does not in the
least care for her, and whose name IS
Donald, although she persists in calling
him Donnie. He is the Doctor Sphinx of
The title His sphinx-like character con-
sists in taking very little notice OF certain
confidential not to say affectionate. COM
munications which CalIeen, Tor no par
ficulsr reason, addresses to him from
time TO time. She also borrows money
from him, and rhapsodizes over him at
raTn %
her. She goes to several different places.
and does several more or less usual
things. and some which are unusual.
The author appears to have bethought
herself. toward the end of the book, tina;
it would not be complete unless the hero
ine were somewhat persecutd by bad
wicked men. and so she introduces a very
foolish and Objectionable old employer,
who has wild desire to call on his pretty
typewriter, but as wildly makes a fool
of himself to no purpose. The book has
no style. II has no plot. and Il has no
characters any more than a mince-pie
dream. When an author causes her hero
Inc to address to an inoffensive though
stony-hearted young man the written in
formation that she feels that his whole
life Is Ike an open book, that she does
not know what TO do. AND that this dread
ful silence on his part is more than she
can bear, and then in the postscript, adds
Alc llal Sne OlOG KNOW ne was
such q bowwow, the reader closes the
book and wonders which has paresis, ht
or the writer, OF the publisher Of the
book. How such a farrago of curious
rhetoric was ever published, unless at the
expense Of the author, is like the way
of a serpent upon a rock, hard TO under
stand.
''Sons of Adversely" by /. Cope Corn
ford is romance of Queen Elizabeth's
time q. c. Page & Co, Boston,. Il is
q story full Of old-time phrases and ad-
ventures. written in a clear and simple
style. The hero is a young man who
calls his father "Stukely Nettlestone.' >
instead of father, from some occult reas
on, and the heroine is called Elizabeth
Wynter. Stukely Nettlestone becomes in.
Volved in some complications with Spain
and does service to the latter country
This appears 10 be one Of those books
which are fioated Just now by the fac
that they bear witness against the Iber
ian kingdom. Anything about former
wars with Spain. whether they are fought
In England, Chile. Mexico, or the United
States is now fairly certain of a pub
Usher and some sort of hearing But
Sons Of Adversely has to recommend il
a certain skill in the storytelling and
daintiness Of description, as well as its
historical atmosphere.
"'Way Out Yonder." by William Light
foot Visscher Oaird & Lee, publishers
Chicago, IS possessed Of a subtitle. ''Th
Romance Of a New City" and the city i
IN the neighborhood Of Puget Sound Tn
only excuse for the appearance of thi
book IS that It IS one of the few book
which have proceeded from the grea
Northwest. II has no merit as a novel
very little from any mint of xyiarr-
Some Of the poetry introduced. which i
supposed 70 be the work Of young news
paper man. IS fairly good and the write
Is probably an enthusiastic man of de
lightful personal qualities. but he doe
not know how TO write a novel, and ther
IS no indication as yet that he ever will
Heroines supposed 10 move In good so
ciety, who say "ain't" and inform thei
men acquaintances that they have heart
lever so many awful things about them,
may be good subjects for the Department
Of Sisterly Advice in the Ladies' HON
journal, bui they are not good subject
for fiction.
The literary world does not REQUIRE .
breezy Western author TO make all hi
characters talk good English, but ii doe
demand than he himself be able to writ,
good English, and that when he intro
ouces people into his works as gentle
men and ladies, they shall conduct thei
conversation In language appropriate L
their characters, There are refined an,
cultivated people in the State of Wash
ington, but If one were TO credit Mr.
Nisschers descriptions the highest poin
Of cultivation along Puget Sound
about on a level with a salesladies' pic
mic on the banks of the Bronx. Mr.. Viss
cher does not actually make his heroin
refer TO his hero as her beau" but h
huF