New-York tribune., 1900-05-27

"
pany.
PTIFEIcEET PIE II & &PR9BEM I'm THE sTARcASF5 ATf5 At At
STORIES. BY Anna Katharine Green lMrs.
Charles Rohlfs) I2mo, PIP 344. The F NJ. Lup-
ton Publishing Company.
THE SURFACE OF THINGS. By Charles WaId-
stem Emo, PIP xiii, $50. Boston: Small. May
nard X Co.
The Dp1siJitious narrator of events in
Arden Massiter' is an English Utopan. bear
. ing the same name as the book, who proceeds
from London To Rome with the intention of
/ examining social conditions there and elsewhere
( in Italy. His socalistic affiliations in England
have made him acquainted with one Ti5ero
SforZa. the ruler Of the Camorra- So although
the editor Of the journal to which AIr Massjter
expects TO contribute letters his investiga-
tions has provided him with an Introduction to
/ a Cardinal, he seeks out Tiberio soon as he
has had an audience with His Eminence. Pres
entity find him killing a bandit in 4 haunt of
Camorristi Il is accidental. of course, and the
young ought not to have been subsequently
diverted from his original purpose. But at the
killing Of RenZaccio the author succumbs to the
same temptation that the reader feels; he
promptly becomes Interested in the great secret
society of Italy, and other matters go by the
board. Instead of the picture Of social COndi-
tions which he evidently wished TO paint, he
gives a stirring romance. The people IN Their
order of things, the italian Government
with its blundeTs and corruption, are not alto
gether forgotten In fact there are many pas
sages which aim at throwing light or existing
conditions social and political Hu- the main
things Masters relations with the
Camorra. his flight from the avengers Of The
man he has killed in self-defence. the troubles
he innocently brings down upon tn ancient
house in which he Is given sanctuary. the alb
ductiOn of the woman he loves by Tiherio's "
famous a-oomp plices, and the joining Of ali hands
At the end in campaign against that gentle
man. Just what the end brings forth We VIII
not Givulge. The reader must seek the surprise
for himself We are content 10 record that Ir
Barry has written in Arden Masster' a far
better book than The Two Standards Its
/ predecessor, book full Of exciting incident
clearly set forth ana skIfuny identified with
! the atmosphere Of Italy. II is TO the authors
credit, too that while this novel is essentially
sensational. affair of daggers, dark corners,
conspirators and other meIodramatic things, it
has also a note Of gravity, a thoughtful drift
which dignifes it beyond our expectations when
once we have plunged into the thick Of Tberio's
mischief making. DR.. Barry succeeds now
where he has hitherto skirted the edge of
failure; he IL thoroughly interesting. But we
wish he would learn how realize his women
as well as he realizes his men.
| While Dr. Barry has gone UP Mt Bernard
/ Capes has gone down. The Lake Of Wine
was a capital story. in spite of precosity in the
style. From Door TO Door" a collection Of
/ brief sketches is distigured throughout by the
authors trihing with words. The artful tricks
which We're DOwerIess to spoil the earlier book
in fun possession OF the field. His
voice rang out in the stillness-snapped sud
denIy-reeled up 10 the rafters, and dissipated
/ like smoke" The bell from first last hung
undelivered Of circumstance Silence under its
dome moulded itself as IN electrO-bath to
facsimile Of sound; age-Iong spiders wrought to
secure with a LnIiputian membrane its sleeping
tongue; in its brazen sides generations of shril-
ling bats woke the faintest harmonics." And
/ on ad nauseum. The mere happenings com
memorated in some of the stories pictur-
/ esGue enough to make them worth reading
The Sword of Corporal Lacoste," Jenny
Jessama. the Runner" and The Chapters
/ Doom are diverting anecdotes. But good ma
terial and bad Mr.. Capes spos with equal
/ compacency showing such a blind devotion 70
the torturing Of language that between the
reader and the stories there is always deadly
/ blight Of fussy inconsequence Some kind friend
should pull up" Mr. Capes before he goes the
/ way Of all those whose fancies about art"
carry them into the abyss of mediocrity.
Professor Charles WaIGstein. lecturer on
. md