The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-06-17

sentence; 1t is not In the least like Kip
ling. This author has an individuality
OF her own, and, besides, she is dealing
with material not before used.
The pew p2vel is called Voices in the
Night" and the author describes it as "A
Chromatic Fantasia and apologies for
what she calls attempting to play 1t on
penny whistle. Certain it is that one gets
from this work an overwhelming impress
sion of the vastness and complexity of the
Indian Empire. By observation, expert
ence, and intuition Mrs. Steel has gotten
hold of side of Indian life exploited by
no other author, and in this new book she
has handled with success two or three
most difficult types. The interest in the
book-although there is plOt-lies main
ly in its vivid character pictures.
One of these is the portrait of the young
Hindu who has been so severely bitten
with English ideas as to abjure his caste.
his religion, his ancestral traditions and
almost his own character, and try to make
himself over on the conventional English
model, taking an Englishwoman for
wife, and living in British fashion His
very name, Krishn Davenund, has become
in the metamorphosis Chris Davenant, and
his whole life is in keeping with the would
picture Of this man. gentle, pathetically
loyal to his new faith. harassed by doubts
and by the continual pulling Of the old
faith and the old traditions upon his heart
strings, is more forcible argument
against certain theories of missionary work
than anything else could possibly be.
What is the use of trying to make an
imaginative, high-caste, gentle-natured
Hindu into the typical Briton? BY at
tempting such an impossibility, only the
absurd tragedy of a nature hopelessly out
of tune with its environment is presented.
II is trying to force evolution in direc-
ton in which it will not move. Yet some
thing like this has been the chimera of at
least three generations of home staying
English and American people of the mid
die class, and it is delusion which has
cost much money. bloodshed and wasted
energy. Shark Lane, the residence OF
many Chris Davenants, is, as described in
Mrs Steels book, most impressive OBJ
ject lesson.
Davenant's wife-the second-rate fash
ionable Englishwoman-is also perfectly
drawn, as only woman's hand could do it.
We get only glimpse of Naraini, the slen-
der, black browed girl-cousin, who was to
have been Davenant's wife, but that
glimpse is fascinating. as is also the flash
light picture CT the young Hindu's mother.
The household of the Nawab, Jehan-
three women and frail prince ins-s also
pictured in a marvelously fascinating way.
and gives one n curious feeling of having
been admitted behind the curtain, iaio
mysteries sealed to the foreigner. In fact,
the whole book has sort of uacanny il
tuition about it, and keeps one wondering
how the author came tc know what she is
talking about. That she does know is p.ac-
tically certain.
Still another picturesque figure Is the
tramp Englishman dubbed by the ra:ives
Jan Ali-shan'-Jchn Ellison-who boz S
up at irregular intervals, song on his
lips and deyil-may-care lo3k in his eye,
the overruling Providence in emergenc es.
And not the least interesting CT the thliac--
tiers in this panoramic novel is a din inu-
tive English boy, Jerry, who insists that
he has been in India before. ard rode races,
and led men to victory. Perhaps he had;
who knows? Indian thought is permeated
with belief in reincarnation, ard after he
ing transported into the mysterious a d
complex life of the brown-skinnei Aryaa
for three or four hours the reader is ready
TO admit that nothing is impossible. Mrs.
Steel's new book will be to many people
more interesting than the one VIII CT IN de
her famous New York: The M-cni.,a1
Company. s1.50D