The San Francisco call., 1901-12-22

Y y writing 'RoSalynde' Lovers Maui
rice Thompson gave full rein to that
kindly geniality so characteristic Of
4 his poetical nature. This last work
Of his is so absolutely unlike Alice
of Old Vincennes'' that comparison in any
way is impossible. "Rosalynde's Lovers
is fiction pure and simple, and really a
charming little idyll heightened out to the
proportions Of long short story. Its pur-
pose is to interest and amuse- with moth
ing more than a clever motif perfectly
developed.
To lay hare the plot of the story is TO
invite at once the criticism of improba-
bility. but although the novelette, reads
like a fairy tale. yet il is well written
that the question Of probability in plot
is the last point that would suggest itself
to a reader. "ROsalynde's Lovers" has
the same kind of clever surprise in the
ending that made Marjorie DaW'' and
Prudence PaIfrey'' such favorites in
their day. For an idle hour of amuse-
ment il is undoubtedly one of the best
books Of the season.
Frederick Breyton is of the handsome
good and wealthy that reads about
in books in fact, even there he is a rare
specimen. AS he comes to the little vii
lage Of Hawford he fills more nearly the
role of an up-to-date fairy prince than Of
any other character approved IN hcuOn-
Like all good fairy princes. he travels in
c0gnito as far as his powers for doing
good are concerned.
He is wheeling along the Hawford turn
pike at a lively gait a the story opens.
His pid speed is for two reasons-first,
because a thunderstorm is about to
break. and second. because lie hopes 10
Overtake the delightful vision of fair
ard graceful bicyclist that has suddenly
appeared TO him at d bend of the road.
1fr- Breyton's two sons for speed bring
disaster, for his careless riding throws
him from his wheel. He has barely time
10 pick himself and his bike up and rush
under the protection of a friendly bridge
as the storm breaks.
This is a real old Eastern storm and the
thunder is so frightful that Mr.. Breyton
is not surprised to find pair OF arms of
. terrified young woman thrown around
mis- neck as the result Of an especially
loud crash.
OF course this is the girl he lost from
s. Eht as he fell She. too, had sought the
bridge for a sheltering roof And. Of
course. an acquaintance so romantically
begun could hardly be allowed to end at
the bridge The fair maid is Rosalynde
She makes her escape by q ruse imme-
diately upon the cessation of weather hos
,ilities and BreytOn finds himself alone
with dainty kerchief, a red pocket-book
end 2 tingling sense of beautiful young
With the material evidence of handker-
chief and book in his possession it is a
simple matter TO trace the fair owner.
Breyton discovers her living with her
cfandfather-a candidate for Governor in
the coming election, with poor chance
OF Office on account Of his poverty. More
over. he finds that ROsalynde is engage
10 Alfred Rayle. a young fellow with n
slight defOrmity Of one leg, but still very
handsome.
Mr.. Thompson puts his hero above the
ordinary and into the class of fairy
princes at once by having him instruct
lis bankers 10 secretly place at the
tsrandfG ther's disposal $4,000 for his po-
tticai campaign, and TO the account OF
Rayle $500 for the purpose Of studying
art III Paris. Neither Of the recipients
has IN iCca as TO the donor of his
Sift. but later Rayle realizes that Irey-
ton IS probably at The bottom OF his good
fortune
R2yle goes abroad. but soon finds that
he has no genius and 50 merely remains
long enough TO have his deformity taken
away by the clever knives of the Paris
surgeons. in the meantime Breyton, by
an accident, has been thrown much in
The company Of Rosalynde and has finally
told her Of his love. She, however, is
true 10 her troth. and for a time It Ger
tainly appears that the fairy prince must
resign himself 20 4 lOvelorn old age
X is tnen that Mr.. Thompson's ingcnu-
lty comes 10 the fore and saves the day.
BY photograph and a girl cousin who
bears most striking resemblance to
Itosalyilde. the author manages to give
his story 4 pretty turn Of live happy
ever afterward" We have not told
whether Breyton marries RosaIynde or
her cousin-that is too good for any one
TO tell but Mr.. Thompson He works ont
the problem most satisfactorily and de-
lightfully; all without villain, without
drop Of blood spilled, and yet with every
page Of intense interest
"ROsslyndes Lovers" is Of its kind
gem Il shows the master hand of no.
etical prose and is as pretty a love story
as one could wish TO read. The dainty ex-
preston Of pure and refined sentiment
shown in the closing paragraph of the
story but indicates the character Of the
whole book:
We can go no further. Marriage is
not the end of love, but il is the true end
Of love story; and this is only love
story"
published by the Bowen-Merrill Com
pany, Indianapolis. Price 81 50.)