New-York tribune., 1901-11-20
RECENT FICTION.
NOVELS BY ADELINE SERGEANT. f. u
WILLIAMS. ROBERT BARR
AND OTHERS.

II Lady Rockingham had known that her oia-
monds were going to figure in such stors sA
-My Lady'e Diamonds OF. NJ Buckles q Cob
by Adeline Sergeant. she would probaoS nave
fersworn ,ewelry and contented herself with Old
lace or Chinese brocades OF course, the oia-
unonas were stolen and the wrong person sus-
,,.c.,ad else there would have been no story
There would still have been story had not
this person been beautiful young woman
Amateur detectives moved by love. and other
sleutas, after glory alone run clews over many
pages and manage tc comphcate mat1ers 10
delightful degree IN the end the DIAMONDS are
recovered. and the innocent victim OF clrcun-
stances wins a prospective lord as reward Tor
her long suffering 1t would all have mace
beautiful penny dreadful" and doubtless many
thoughtless soul. VII cry their eyes red over 1t
There Is hardly New-England town that
IS without its mystery. something or other.
which the villagers wonder year after year.
md "old Jed Prouty' &c. w. Dillingham; a
narrative OF the Penobscot by Richard Golden
and Mary c. Francis deals with the mystery OF
Bucksport, Me The story IS constructed from
the old pastoral play Of the same name. in which
Mr. Golden has for many years played the title
role. Those who liked the play Will be pleased
with the handling of the old incidents and with
the new material which has been brought on
the ecene. A missing mortgage is the hinge on
which the story turns. in the working out of
which several New-England characters are in
troduced In the childishness Of old age Jed
Proutys father borrows large sum of money
from John Todd, the village banker. giving e
mortgage on the Prouty tavern. His wife dis
covers the loan and returns the money to Aaron
Hemingway, Todis trusted clerk, who destroys
the mortgage That night was busy one for
Bucksport. To escape from jealous wife Hem
ingway runs away. taxing the money with him.
Je6's father and mother die Of paralysis within
few hours Of each other. and Mrs. Hemingway
perishes In the storm while following her hus-
hand
On his return from Boston the banker fails
TO find the mortgage and suspects Jed Of steal
ing 1t. Knowing nothing Of the mortgage, Jed
thinks that Todd is trying TO rob him Of his in
heritance and bitter feud arises. Complica-
items are added when Jeds son falls in love with
Todd's daughter. After a number Of years
Hemingway returns, to find that Jed has adopted
his daughter. Overlooking this kindness. ne de-
cides to get back into Todd's good graces by
forging a mortgage Jed detects the fraud by
the wetermark in the paper on which the forged
mortgage is written and Hemingway confesses.
OF course both men pardon him, else how would
the usual happy ending De possible?
A romance Of American politics could hardly
be written without Incorporating campaign
chinery with which New-Yorkers are thoroughly
familiar and y. Devlin-Boss" (Boston:
Lothrop Publishing Company, by Francis
Churchill Williams is not exception Those
who live in this city need no definition Of
the title Of ''Boss" and in the recent cam
paign there bosses who gained their posi-
ton and title much as Jimmy Devlin
gained his. AS political character Jimmy
is fairly well drawn but in the end it is
jimmy the with oyerbig heart, who
holds the interest One does not sorrow when
he finally loses his political position, for no
Boss boss to the end of the chapter. The
effect is narred by the foolish poor boy-rich-
girl love story which does duty under
plot Jimmy" is introduced overnight
office boy whom chance pitches head first into
politics. His struggle to reach the top OF the
political heap is in many stages and every one
involves a fight Through IL all but one thing
is sacred-his word. Once in control Of the po-
is in love with woman who has married
worthless rival OF his youth. How this love, as
a tool in the hands of the worthless husband
works "Jirnrny's" political ruin is skifully told
by Mr. Williams In giving up the vast fortune
which he had won in the game OF politics
save from panic the bank which he had backed
with his word. Jimmy shows a manly honor
which utterly wanting in his political deal
ings. Stand up for those who are honest with
you" is his motto and stand up he does