The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-06-24
NEW BOOKS.
Brief Reviews of Important and Interest
ing New Publications.

hetulDR lHo OptulHR puTHRTHDn IN Null
ncers." a novel by Arthur +. J. Legge John
Lane pubisherJ, we feel with thankiulness
that this Is going to be comfortable story.
The opening chapter Is entitled In the Hall
at Sandeford." and the opening paragraph is
. bit OF sensitive description Indicating that
the hall in question was n venerable and rest
full and friendly and altogether desirable re-
treat. The dark. spacious. stone tagged hall,
warmed by the glow OF burning logs In the
wide and lofty fireplace. promises that coun-
terpose to the passions. that modification OF
the more distressing ambitions. and that So
lace to the overexercised nerves which seem
t. be particularly needed in an age
stuffed with problems. faring with cleo
tricity. and running a mile a minute re-
gardess OF the great pressure put upon the
boiler The gray pavemen the beautiful old
ceiling. the blackened oak furniture. the deep
toned oil pictures coming out warm and ruddy
IN the freight, the ancient weapons and armor
OH the walls. the fact that the hall was cool
enough to need a fire. though the trees In the
park without were dressed in Rreen--all OF
these matters appeal subtly to the confidence
OF the reader and 1t seems something like a
betrayal OF him to learn. a few pages further
on. that there is about to come into this very
nice and quiet place, this snug harbor OF the
R,thetic senses. young radical. a Socialist.
who sorrows for the East End OF London and
whose soul is torn by the desire to do the
right thing by the somewhat unheeding and
frivolous denizens OF Whitechapel. Readers OF
many novels must have remarked that there
are certain novelists who have the power to
COMPRESS within the covers VI book an
amount OF mournfulness not to be paralleled
anywhere III the actual world. Experience
teaches us. the moment that we come upon a
kocast in a book. to look out for something
exceedingly depressing. Here. however we
bny ahla SDpialiet M vlo to
be- reformed and consents to be happy. II he
had been like plenty Of the dismal heroes OF
recent fiction he would have remained in
Whitechapol forever. drinking gin. which he
could i'll AFFORD. in public house parlors OF
great uClness listening to conversations not
very edfying and not ut all grammatical and
il may be that he would have died for the want
Of proper nutrition. or OF too much gin. or that
some other Socialist would have done away
with him by violence. because fhs Just under
standing OF the parts OF speech. or through Jeal-
ousy founded upon the circumstance that
some lady Socialist liked him. Mr. Legge Is
good because he controls his Socialist. He
does not permit him to throw a shadow greater
than the sun. 1t is a pleasure to come at once
upon reformer and upon reformer who
turns out SO well. Whtechapel. after he has
had his shy at it, Is permitted to go on undis-
turbed in the way which suits It best 1t never
the reformer. 1t marvelled stolidly at the
queer things he did with the letter III" things
approved at Oxford and other so-calied seats
OF learning. but not yet popular in Whitechapel.
1t must be said OF young Maystone. however.
that he was tremendously serious and deter
mined in his social experiments. Dangers be-
set him which he could hardly have avoided II
il had not been for the powerful assistance OF
Mr. Legge. Whitechape girl with damaged
three times. sat down on bench beside him
on the Thames Embankment when the fol-
lowing occurred:
What has brought you to this?" she suddenly
asked.
ITO what"
why. what makes you poor and down your
luck? You're gentleman
May stone laughed, with a touch OF bitterness.
81 don't think you would find any else to
agree with you there" he said.
DO you think don't know a gentleman" she
asked. Il suppose you've got into trouble with your
people What was 1t about-a girlT'
NO. it wasn't girl he said shortly.
"Iexpect 1t WAS she answered; ct lady, likely
enough wish was lady
why do you wish that2"
"oh. don't know she repeated, in the
meditative way. Then she sat silent and gazed at
the her head still resting against his shoulder
After minute she sat upright and drew little
further away. She seemed to be thinking very SO.
rously about something.
Maystone sat at the end Of the seat and watched
her. The weary, lstlcss feeling growing
stronger upon him. and he felt disincl!ned to move
to think things out very carefully 1t was easier
to be quiet and watch her pretty face, and vaguely
realize that she was pretty and bright and that her
cheek had seemed rather soft and warm against
his shoulder. He could not feel very keenly inter
ested in anything. but It was certainly rather pleas.
ant than otherwise to have her near him. More
over, there was something touching and pathetic
about her. He felt as If he were protecting her
against vague troubles.
They were both waits and outcasts. The ordinary
respectable, well-regulated world was hedged of
from them They were fellow soldiers in the
Legion of the Lost.
For A moment he forgot his failures and disap-
pointment. and the desire to return to his old con-
dition grew faint He was not banshed from hu-
man hearts.
Nellie turned and looked at him with something