New-York tribune., 1901-02-10
FICTION.
THE STORY OF AN HEIR IN DIFF
FICULTIES.

John THISSELTON by Marian Bower. l2mo.
pp i02 Henry Holt CO.
LOW, OF COMRADES. \ Romance. by Frank
Mathew. 12mo. PIP 2i2 John Lane
THE CASE AID EXCEPTIONS. Stores re Of c9nn- G1iTI
SCI and Clients. by FIedcrick Trevor nm
lsmo Do 2ii. Frederick \. Stokes Company.
There is something edifying, we all know,
:, tho erectacle of a strong man struggling with
adversely John Thisseton, the hero OF Miss
bowers novel. is a very strong man, and the
lloNs of fate that fall upon his head are heavy
indeed First his father brings an intolerable
stepmother into the house. Then this house
which has been i'm the possession of the Thissel-
tons for generations is placed 10y fell circum-
stance lust ont OF the reach of the man VINO
wishes 10 live in il. the strong John aforesaid
And. as though this were not enough the father
who has done so much to injure him dies ana
leaves hin, a letter which shows him that he
ought never 10 marry This news gains an eX-
qusitely bitter edge through the fact that If
John leaves no heir the house wil naturally SO
10 the hated son of the hated stepmother Her
is a tange with vengeance. But Miss Bower
manages it with deftness that is the more
admirable inasmuch as the plot seems loosely
yut together and il is really very difficult To see
how she is going to work out her problem. She
works il out in a way to keep the interest alive
from the hrst page to the last. though the treat
rnenf which sha gives 10 two Of the characters
AZ the climax is not altogether convincing. The
main point however. is the fate of John Thissel-
ton and that is handled with competent
touch that the slight error in Judgment To which
We have referred is easily overlooked This is
thr book which III England bears the title of
The Puppct SHOW" The American title is a
better one and it is worth remembering. for the
book has merit It raises pleasant anticipations
of Miss RoAVer's next publication.
In Mr. Mathews Love Of Comrades" the
daughter Of Sir Pertinax Talbot. Mistress Mar
gerry. goes forth on a perilous errand disguised
in mans attire. Her adventures occur in the
middle OF the seventeenth century. and there Is
an historical flavor TO the story. But Mr..
Mathews best quality Is drawn from the
wildwood and from golden romance His heroine
changes her name when she changes her clothes.
assuming the unpoetical style Of Peter Mul-
lns" The hero who enters into her life is Cap
tain Fitz Eustace. no less. Their experiences are
not as completely credible as they might be.
But they go 10 make pretty love story. neatly
told. OF less Importance than some OF Mr..
Mathews previous books. this is nevertheless TO
b. commended as a bright. wholesome romance.
The episodes narrated by Mr. IIill are mostly
Of a sensational order. but ne tells them in
natural. very effective manner. Human nature
shows through the rather amazing web and
secures q sympathy which the same motives.
treated with less aptitude and feeling would In
all probability fail To excite. one important fac
tor in Mr. HilTs success, and this may be voted
a decidedly successful little book is his instinct
for the right moment for bringing story 20 end.
He is terse and rapid. The stories so straight
10 the point.