New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-03-13
FICTION.
SOME NEW AND OLD STORIES.

WHERE THE TRApEWIND BloW ~ MN Nh !biald
an Tales. Ey Ms Schuy.er oro Nnm,a,v
prc!c. inc PIP 3lS The Macmillan company
TAILS OF TRAIL AND TOWN. ~ Bret nar'c
nro,l,ri-no 3D. as iIought5n MiHin CO.
rJr, TALES OF JOHN OLIVER HOBBES. (some
Emotions aad McraA study IN Temp d d,fe
TT" Sinners Conedy-A ' w 'EE,o =" 4
NV Edition. Dcodecimo, PIP. iio. ffe"e'i'h ~
S.CkCs Company.
Nj Benson seems in his latest mover 10 nave
grown cut Of ell recognition. the standard set
10y his previous books having been surpassed 10
such an extent thai The Vintage" might al
most le tie work Of a rev writer Ihc leau''
who hae paid any special attention TO his de
velOpmant is torn between contemplation ol TINS
fact and sheer enjoyment Of the story Aion6
with his Increased mastery OF the art OF "TiiihS
Mr. BonsCn he's a richer Imagination than we
Rad hitherto put 20 his credit deeper rlsigh'
into character. and Gcnter. more poetic ap-
nrcria.ion cf nature Whether in men or land
scale In respect to the landscape in fact, our
rov,.ist has acneGcv many of.ec, $ unusual IN the
fiction &C the day, weaving them into MS mar
raticc Il adventure 80 tactfuly and sympathe'i-
cal, that they are Of signal Importance to the
Uniting e tie tale Into an harmonious whole
Ncj her adventure rcr local color rredomiEates
but the patriotic Greeks play cut their thrilling
drama in an environment which explains and en-
hIrCcS
dram with cloarness. the tale moves rapidly.
and a freshness as OF the Creel. mountains and
vale. blovs through The book. Mir. Benson has
found lis meter at last
II is something TO add new sensation to
Acton. and Mrs Crownirshied. having done this
in har book Of West Indian tales. where the
Trade Wind Blows" may he warmly congratu-
lated 1t Is not that the province she has ex-
Ilored has been left uncultivated hitherto, Tor
sevcra! writer's have drawn their themes from
tie same sources but no one has handled them
as they are handled in this book Mrs crown
irrkield has keen eye for the dramatic motive.
so keen indeed that she is sometimes tempted
to folcc the note for the sane o.! ihe climax
which she loves: but here aIe only few Of her
stories which give serious wrench to credull'y.
TIE res, are not merely plausible but so sincere
~ told, so iist and penetrating In all that means
understanding Of the West Indian character.
that no one coull quarrel with the theatrical
conclusions. The latter only seem theatrical.
Ierhaps because the SURROUNDINGS are so pct-
urosJue ard the personages are 50 exotic and
MYSTERIOUS IN her style Mrs. Crownnshield
recalls Nj Kipirg She is teT5e and piguant.
she does not hesitate az reproducing the pun
gent eUecch If Ter models. and though she
writes Of serious things she is evidently pos
sccscI Of serge Of humor and employs it I'M
obtrug.cly to give additions, salt - her stories.
The lite need il. for they are inter sing
througf and through. In points IF construction
this writer shows that she reeds ;he polish and
luciIisy which experience Will doubtless bring.
When Bret Hartc returns TO the inspiration CT
his earliest trurnphs he applies II 90 good pur-
pose. 10 matter how threadaare some Of the
r-.I hoe ha "a 4
H. civilized society he is ait t. bore the reader.
In Tale Of Trail and Town" ne proves again
that fer him the ;rail is etill fruitful, while the
town Is still arid. The long story which begins
the BOOK; The Ancestors Of Peter Atherley." is
only good when the interest Is strictly Western.
1.-Two Americans" which follows il. is quite un-
usually vapid but The judgment Of Bolinas
Plain" which then introduces the old familiar
types H. the old familiar way. rersuaces the
reader To forgive the author for the hybrid work
which has just gone before. The last member
OF our trio is ny all odds of the best things
Bret Harte has dOre in long time.
The success Of TIE School for Saints" has
evidently enboldened the PUBLISHERS to reprint
In a uniform volume group 90 the shorter
piece which first made John Oliver Hobbies d
writer to be rec,.onod with They richly deserve
the attractive form in which they are row pub
lshed a3d ought to take a new lease OF life
Perhaps society nowhere achieves that high
level CT constant epgram On which nearly ali
the characters Of these fantasies exist but If
people don't talk as John oliver I.obbes says
they so then they ought 10. In other words her
conversations are irresistible in their wi. and
charm. They may be. at times. artificial. but
On the whole the breath Il life is in them AID
promises TO stay there long after more reals
/.