New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-01-08
Lady Caroline. ZACH. Ta peur qu'elle est

patriotique-ach pshawr' -..
His Majesty fears that you are 100 pa'rio'-
,c" said Lady Caroline.
..reiI His Majesty he wouldn't have TO com
plain il was German" said the girl
Lady Caroline made no attempt 20 u a hnr ~
This phrase nor did the King wait for ner 70
trv. He stood before the girls, with his hands
on his hips, as he said: ,. ,,a
you have much Zeen &c grade sights Vouiu
Won much love to elm parade or uroops'
cavalry droops? or what one grade slsht you
love much to have ZeeE
please Your Majesty. we should dearly Ike
IN 600 q coronation" said Maria calmly, and
vim a look of such childlike innocence that the
King himself laughed-yes, after re" mo
moments OF deathly silence.
"She Zay Zat-Zat she tearly lof-tearly Iol-
ach you Zee-yOu hear weli-she gay -
And then, his English failing him, ne ex,
planned to Lady Caroline that the girl mao
made an extraordinary mistake; II was ne I'M
pressed upon Lady Caroline, Impossible that
coronation could take place unless he. the king
were dead so that. as matter or fact, ths
girl had said-it took him long time TO I'M
press upon her all that Maria's phrase inlpiieo
for LADY Caroline was extremely dense just
then. and the King got quite delighted with hls
own acuteness In being able to discover the
cryptic force Of the girls phrase. IL became
his favOrite story until the day OF his death;
and there were actually some people VINO ran
cicd that the young Irish girl had been guilty
Of an extraordinary blunder.
There ia one episode in Mr. Munro's John
Splendid" for which we would be disposed 10
bestow upon the author green slip OF laurel
James Grahame. Marquis OF Montrose. is re-
turning with his clan from raid across me
border He is tagging behind the band when II
passes some OF the devastated houses OF the
Campbells, In one OF these ruined dwellings
two fugitives from his wrath are hiding and
with them there is woman with an infant in
her arms The child complains fretfully just
at this moment. "Montrose, when he heard the
child's cry only looked to either. hand to see
that none Of his friends beard It, and finding
there was no one near him. took off his High
land bonnet lightly to the house where he
jaeused there n woman with the wean.
and passed slowly his way" 1t Is ro-
mantle and an effective scene. with the shaggy
Highlanders hurrying on over the hill, and the
gallant figure in the company pausing for
that generous act against a background bleak
and sinister. II Mr.. Munro had scattered more
thirgs Of this sort through his book fancy
It would deserve high praise; but, unfortunate
~. John Splendid taken as n whole. is
perfect example Of what novel ought not to
be. Fiction does not require invariably the
dashng movement of the cloak and dagger
romanccs. but at least it should be compact
and continuous. with some deilnitive reason
underlying its evolution toward a natural end
ing. The tale Is anonymous, and arrives no
where I.egardcd simply study Of Old
Scotch border feuds and upcouth but brave
Scottish types. it will do. Mr. Munro under
stands his countrymen, and is even unusually
happy in his delneaton Of the Scot who com
bines warlike traits with intense love of home
and domestic peace. But we want more than
occasionally good portraiture and a few strk
ing incidents. John Splendid appeals to us.
IN short as work in which the author is feel
ing his way toward better things. Some of
these days he may write novel When he
does. we hope. by the way. that he will have
learned to conceal his fopdDess for Gaelic
words which few but himself understand
We find a great deal Of crudty also In THE
Scodtge OF Cod" which deals with the persecu-
ton OF the Cansards. Mr.. Bioundec Burton
has read his history to good purpose. and IS
not without ceverncss in the invention OF dra-
matte situations. On the other hand, he needs
practice in thtc art OF making drama natural,
and In keeping his actors within the limits Of
entirely plausible behavior. The earlier pages
Of this book promise much; the deathbed Of
the great lady who bequcathes to the hero a
secret around which the story is to revolve IS
in itself imposing, and the author treats 1t
with ability. Having fl rg his perronages into
the excitement Of an intricate plot, however.
he becomes confused and uncertain, SO that a
story which begins by arousing the sympathy
tresome.