The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-11-18
A Batch of New Novels.

ttibutors' column, discussed the question
the color line in this country could lie
written. By this was meant, not a novel
OF negro life. but che with n plot hin ling
on the relations between the man of color
who is almost white, and his white neigh
bOrs. The conclusion of the writer
seemed to be that such novel ccu'd rot
succeed. Mr.. Chestnut has apparently
been moved to see whether it can or not
There is one element of interest in the
book-that IT deals with facts wi; h VIII oh
the general public is not familiar, and
with a problem of considerable impor-
lance to this country. As Mr.. Chestnut
remarked some time ago, in an arti lie in
the Boston Transcript" amaleamatiol
can be accomplished quite as effectively
by Tightening the darker race as by da. k
ening the whites. The social prescription
which makes it all but impossible for a
man of colored blood to succeed in life
offers the strongest possible irdlceme MT
to such men to pass for white when it l.
possible. whereas. If they had fair
chance for success as colored men, tn Y
might prefer TO be frankly colored. The
hero and heroine of this book who are
brother and sister, belong to this class
and the plot has to do with their attem IT
to solve the difficult and almost insolubl
problem of their lives.
Another fact of interest in connection
with the book is that the writer himse II
belongs to the class from which he has
drawn his material. and that this is b s
first long novel, although he has written
two successful books of short stories.
But whether considered as a mans first
novel or his last, or as the work of a man
OF any race or people, the book is cor-
tainly good literature. and valuable from
a sociological point of view.
The two strong points in the story are
the Interpretation Of character and the
daring nature of the plot. The weak point
is the style, which is sometimes too con-
ventional and conscious When Mr.. Ches-
mutt forgets himself in his work he does
admirably: when he attempts fine writ
ing he comes perilously near the COM
monplace. The characters are absolutely
true to life, and the development of the
plot appears to have done itself, to be a
record of real life. There is an utter alb
sence of artifciality in its construction
The situation, briefly, is this: wo-
man of mixed negro. Indian and white
blood has been, in all but name, the wife
Of a rich Southerner, who, at his death,
left her property enough to support her
and her two children comfortably. Neither
of the children shows traces of colored
blood, and the boy, upon reaching ma
furity, goes to South Carolina town and
makes money and reputation for himself
under the name of John Warwick He is
supposed by all in his new home to be a
white man, and moves in the best society
OF the place. Eventually he urges his sis
ter Rena to make the experiment. He
sees that she has no chance of marriage
with anyone worthy OF her SO long as she
remains at home, and he argues from his
own success that no harm can be done by
making the trial. She becomes engaged
to white man. who. though he does not
know her secret. processes himself quite
Indifferent to questions of birth or en-
cestry. With delicacy which is admira :
BILE the author leaves it an open ques-
ton whether the girl would not, before
marrying her lover, have told him who
and what she was, and one receives the
impression that she would have done so
in little more time. The secret is, how
ever. discovered by chance. and the en-
gagement broken. After this, however.
comes in one OF the most skillful touches
of this very cleverly written book The
lover. in spite Of himself. is so haunted
by the memory of the sweetness, srace,
and affection of the girl whom he has cast
away that he finally obeys a sudden i'm
pulse to drive TO her home and see her
When he arrives there he sees, through
the windows, that a merrymaking is So
ing on. The reader knows the history of
this festivity, and is aware that Rena has
no part in it, that she is present simply
out OF courtesy to her mother and disn
clination to wound the feelings of her
f,,v,, at,vlI ov,1 10, ~
thing. in her state of depression and
misery. is repugnant to her.
1t happens that Tryon, her lover,
reaches his point of vantage just in time
to see her dancing with another man, who
is obviously negro. His feelings undergo
an immediate change, and all the prejudice
of his race rises up in oyerpowering dis
gust and antagonism toward her. He sees
in her action nothing but the unthinking
animal eallousness of an inferior race; he
neither attempts any more charitable ex-
PLANTATION nor gives her a chance TO eX-
plain herself, as he would unquestion
have done had she been a white woman
in similar situation; and so the turning
point il passed and the story becomes a
tragedy. This little incident shows more
clearly than direct explanation could
have done that where there is prejudice
there is always. misunderstanding and that
no man can regard another essentially
inferior to himself without the danger of
doing that other injustice. This situation
Is in way the keynote of the whole book.
the concentration Of the theme into one
tragic moment The very gentleness and
of the girl become her de-
struction.
Mention should be made of the character
most forcibly contrasting with Tryon, and
L may be noted that the contrast is not
altogether in favor of the superior race.
This character is Frank, Rena's old play
nate ard faithful lover, who shows the
ouching fidelity and selfiess devotion which
southern writers have often noted in the
,ld-time slave. In the stories OF the latter
however, this loyalty is generally shown
owarj the master or mistress; in this case
I wa one of his own race who received
ueh homage and service. This man is per-
.aps the most charming character in the
ook and there is in him no alloy of selfish |
m5ition, pettiness, or artitlciality. 1t is |
0 be hoped that Mr.. Chestnut will follow |
70 this novel by others of a similar char |
cter for if the race problem in this coun- !
~ is ever to be solved. it can only be by |
rec discus sion and full information of all |
attending the relations of |
be two races. There are at present few |
iriters who can or will deal with the sub
ect; most nctloD- makers KNOW nothing OF /
Is true aspect. This novelist is one of the |
len who know. tBoston: Houghton, Mit- |
in & Co. s1.50D
Devil Tales" by Virginia Frazer BOYLE.
a collection of voudou folklore. inter-
sting and valuable as a record of super
tiiions now fast disappearing. The stor-
IS are supposed TO have been told by an
Id nanny in Mississippi; the dialect is
but several of the legends
re pure African. This book is particu-
arly strong contrast to Mr.. Chesnutt's
House Behind the Cedars." In the lat
er W have a study of the evolution of