New-York tribune., 1900-07-29
FICTION.
LIGHT NOVELS SUITABLE FOR THE
SUMMER

THE THINGS THAT COUNT, b. Elizabeth
Knight Tompkins l2mo, PIP 3S3 C. P. Put
nams Sons.
MIR. PAssINGHAM. By Thomas Cobb. I2mo.
PIP 20, John Lane
THE WEST END. BY Percy White l2mo pp. 4o5.
Harper & Bros.
GE0RGIE., BY 5. E. Kiser. l2mo, PIP. 225. Small,
Maynard & Co
In The Things That Count" Miss Elizabeth
Knight Tompkins has not much of a story to
tell, but she tells it smoothly and pleasantly.
Though she has no great insight into character.
she does differentiate her people. and she makes
them talk like rational human beings. This is
mere than can be said OF great many books
that achieve success nowadays. Occasionally,
however, Miss Tompkins allows her cOnversa-
tCns to fall into the dTeariest of commonplace.
The conversational method of developing a story
is certainly the most dramatic and the most
entertaining, provided always that the dialogue
be kept significant. 1t is Fity. for example, in
a hook that contains so much that is clever. TO
find talk Ike this: 7 will read YOU what I
just reading when you came in-the 'Rubayat.
1 heard 1t set TO music-The Persian Garden,
you know-and I was ashamed that I SO
unfamiliar with it I never read line of it
before tonight. have heard it quoted a great
deal, Of course; trere is a certain kind OF man
who always quotes il TO you in romantic situa-
tiors Indeed. l heard a girl describe a man
as the only man who HAD never quoted the
"Rubaiyat' to her" The reply to this speech
Las peculiar interest I haven't opened 1t
for twenty years" said the Doctor As the "Ru-
baiyat' has come into popularity only within
comparatively recent years the Doctor must
have been one of its earliest readers
Mr.. Passingham." by Thomas Cobb is an
uucommonly interesting and well constructed
story. 1t has . definite beginning middle and
end. and it is extremely weu balanced The
talk. too. which enlivens nearly every page. has
constant sparkle; it is worthy of Anthony Hope
who must he Acknowledged to be one of the
greatest living masters in dialogue The ma
teriaIs Of the plot have been used before, TO be
sure but here tLey seem TO possess a certain
freshness and seldom are episodes handled SO
d-ftIy in a contemporary novel The author
knows thoroughly mis- fashionable English world,
ana ne has succeeded in vividy reproducing it.
The heroine is an altogether delightful English
girl. and her clever mother with a past. it is
true but past qualified by circumstances and
discussed with. taste. presents shreVd study
in character.
Many years ago. when Louisa AIcott was be-
ginning ner Career. Thomas Wentworth Higgin-
son gave her this bit OF advice. Begin your
stories with conversation" No better sugges-
tion could have been offered. BY beginning
stories with conversation writer's may either
avoid altogether or postpone tedious explanatory
detail which often repels the reader the
start Now Mr., Percy White would have made
a much better beginning for his clever satire
Of smart life in London. The West End" if
h had set his characters TO talking on the first
page, II takes him several pages To swing into
the movement of his narrative. once it begins
To move, however, it goes on easily and enter
tainingly. If it has depth, il at least reveals
the part of the reader wholesome outlook
life and a knowledge of fashionable London
life the present day. a more up TO date"
work could hardly be imagined.
George" by :. E Kiser, suggests the brill
liant Mr.. Dooley. If Mr.. Dooley had never be-
come famous George might never have existed.
George of course, being only boy. lacks many
of the qualities that adorn the Irish-Arnerican
philosopher, but he has a humor of his own
and a point of view. The episodes which make
up the book very Slight. but nearly all of
them are clever and amusing. The bad spelling
and inappropriate capitals grow annoying. how
ever. This form Of huInOr lost It's attractiVeness
years ago.