The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-10-14
Some Recent Fiction.

second CNew York: The Baker TAYLOR
Company
Some Recent Fiction.
THE Girl and the Governor" by Charles
Warren, contains nine short stories which
have already attracted considerable at
tention on their appearance in the maya
zines. They are every one of them clever
with that cleverness which amounts almost
to genius. The tales all centre about
transactions in State politics, and most
of them are about certain Governor
Clinton. The book is well named, for it
SO happens that at almost every import
ant crisis in this Governors life he is
influenced in some way by a woman, or his
fate is affected by one.
All of the stories have strong ethical
element of that sturdy, healthful sort now
evident in much of our fiction. They are
Clean and fresh and breezy, and intensely
interesting. No better work Of the kind
has been done in recent years. They are
all fine, and all different. and all have an
unexpected termination. Cookton's Illus
trations are as good as the text. Where
all are so good 1t is difficult to pick out one
story which is better than another, but the
lie ID pei
haps shade the most fascinating.
In discussing stories SO decidedly ethi-
cal in their interest it may not be amiss
TO discuss q point which comes up in "A
Daughter of the State" involving a nice
neral distinction. 1t is true that the
conclusion of the story could hard have
been brought about without the occur
renee in question, but it is doubtful,
nevertheless, whether exception may not
be taken to il. Robert Clinton becomes
acquainted with the daughter of cor
poration magnate who is engaged in some
dirty work in connection with the Legis-
lature. Clinton is doing his best to break
up this work, and has been called upon
for proofs that the abuses which he has
denounced really exist. The young
woman becomes interested in his purpose
without knowing how it affects her
, father. and unintenticnally gives Clinton
a paper which. il he uses it, will afford
him all the proof he needs damn the cor
poration magnatc beyond redemption. and
advance his own political career. He is
strongly tempted to make use of 1t, but
concludes that. as he has come into pos
session of it through friendship with the
owners daughter, it would be dishonor-
able to take advantage Of his informal on,
and sends the paper back. The girl hsr-
father is really mixed up in the proce ed
ings whose iniquity Clinton has explained
to her. She finds that Clinton will not
use the information he has received. and
thereupon she goes to the Governor of th7
State herself and discloses the whole OF
it. Clinton's judgment is INDICATED. the
deal in question frustrated, and Clinton
becomes Governor.
The question which will arise in the
mind of the thoughtful reader is this II
1t was dishonorable for Clinton to use
knowledge which he received through
friendship with a criminals daughter, was
ii not much more dishonorable for the
daughter herself TO use it. and betray her
father? MIR. Warren evidently wishes to
have 1t understood that the young lady
act was one of heroic sacrifice of her own
feelings. But was ii the proper thing to
do? II thing is mean and dishonest fol-
a man is II any less so for woman? TIC
be sure, the girl had no personal advan-
tage to gain by ii, but had she any more
right to betray her fathers confidence Il
satisfy her own conscience than Clinton
had to betray another kind OF confidence
to make himself Governor That is a mat
ter which would tax the subtlety OF q
Browning to reason out. (New York:
Charles Scribners Sons)
THE Expatriates," by Lillian Bell. IL
evidently intended by the author to be
cutting arraignment of everything
French and a glowing endorsement OF
everything American, particularly the
American girl. Some of il is true some
of it is exaggerated. and some of it is
ridiculous. We all admire patriotism
but one can like the American flag with
out caring to have it tapped in his face
Miss Bell gives the impression that she
would like to go around clothed in il
and have it wrapped around her when she
dies.
The heroine, Rose Hel;cnden. IS ap-sr-
emily meant for specimen Of the Ameri-
can girl at her best. In real life her ex-
IRENE beauty, which is explained care
fully. would perhaps make her endura-
BILE: but in the pages OF fiction one cannot
always realize the beauty of a foolish
eaistrong, and badly balanced young wo-
man, and, therefore. it is desirable that
she be not made the heroine. She is only
agreeable in contrast with the French
people with whom she comes in contact
and who are, one and all, detestable and
mephitic to the last degree. The worst
of the lot, perhaps, is the Marquis d'Au-
teuil, though he, after all, is hardly as
bad as two young French girls who ape
what they suppose to be American man.
ners. Possibly the author knows where
of she speaks, but it is hardly conceiva
BILE that any sane girl would do some OF
the things which these young depravities
are depicted as doing. There is nothing
in French literature much worse than
they are, and whatever else may be said
of French authors, II cannot be charged
against them that they have been back
ward in picturing the sins of their owe
people.
There is Frenchified American woman
on the hunt for a title with a man tied Il
1t. who is, If possible, little worse thar
the French themselves. There is a mil.
lionaire, who is supposed to represent tn,
| American capitalist, and who, though pos
! sessed OF about as much brains and ideal
!, ty as a rat is supposed to have fatheret
the heroine and her brother, who is
really creditable specimen OF American
youth The hero, Townshend. is a sort o.
compound of ranchman, man Of the world
crack shot, and lady novelist's idea OF
real man. Some OF his sentiments ar,
plagiarisms from Colonel Roosevelt, ant
some Of his characteristics are plagiarizet
| from Ouida
But, after all. the most egregious char
acter in the whole book remains Miss Ros,
Hollenden. The nastiness Of the Frencl
may be excused on the score Of the neces