The times., 1901-04-21
Minor Fiction.

..Rallantyne." by Helen Campbell, is
n,vei by an author whose reputation has
been won mainly in other lines Of work
and it has a certain interest on that ac-
count. In Prisoners of Poverty and
Women Wage Farmers both valuable
books in their way, she has gathered ma
tarial which is to some extent useful IN
the present story, although the latter is
not q purpose novel or a problem novel,
but rather a study of character and OF
American conditions. 1t is original, and
well worked out, and, as one might eN-
uect in the creation Of an author so ear
nest and thoughtful in other work, there
is no borrowing Of the methods or char
acters of other writer's. The book is de-
cidedIy unexpected in its developments.
The plot what there is of it, is made
ND of the conflict between the ideals of
the hero and the heroine. The former is
an American, brought up in EnglalN, and
held there by devotion to his mother who
is strongly opposed to his crossing the
ocean; the heroine an American girl Of
the same antecedents-BostOn and the isl
ands of the Massachusetts coast-bc-
comes thoroughly dissatisfied with Amer
lean conditions and goes to England
where the two are thrown together by d
succession Of curious happenings There
is poetic, almost idyllic, element in the
earlier part of the book, and the author
seeems frankly TO recognize the fact that
things sometimes happen in real life as if
they had been planned for like the moves
on a chessboard. At any rate, odd as the
condolences of the story are they do not
impress one as being unnatural or forced.
The hero. in the course Of his American
experiences visits a Brotherhood founded
in New Jersey by Scotch enthusiast,
whose character is, all in all, the most
startlingly original thing in the book.
Nobody like Jean Pendlcton Morris has
before been put into literature, and if
less skillfully handled. the character and
the series of episodes attending its de-
velopment might seem morbidIy sensa-
tional. AS it is, however, no such impress
sion is given, and the acts and sayings
Of this strange being are shown to be
the logical result-0f causes which. if they
do not operate often in human affairs, are
yet perfectly natural In a word, Morris
is singular without being absolutely inn
possible.
The prettiest chapters in the story are
perhaps the earlier ones. in which there
are pictures of the staid, simple life of
plymouth ana NantdSKcl. ana the Chliu-
hood OF the heroine is described in a way
which is rather fascinating The book
ought to have success, especially in
Boston and New England generally
where the scene is partly laid. tBoston.
Little Brown & Co. S15o)
Truth Dexter" by Sidney Mccall. is
q story OF a somewhat novel type, with
plot which is a little strained and on,
or TWO very charming characters anC
chapters Truth Dexter is perfectly un
trained Southern girl, Of good family
brought Up on ruined plantation by hel
| grandfather and her grandmother, South
| ern people of the old school The grand
mother is a most delightful old lady, anC
must rank with other fast-disappearins
! types which have been pictured ia the
! fiction Of Southern writer's. 1he hero j.
a Boston lawyer who in "a III Of piqu.
| over the coquetries of a society woman
nlarrics Truth and takes her to Boston
/ and the piquancy OF the tale lies mainly
! In the unique contrast between ne
! thoughts and ways and those Of the so
| ciety TO which she Is thus suddenly in
| troduced The hero Is not much but Z
| agurehead. but the girl is captivating
One Of the happiest bits OF description il
! The book is TO he found ba LIE chapter il