New-York tribune., 1901-11-25
NEW NOVELS.
THE STRENGTH OF THE HILLS LA
ZARRE," BECAUSE OF CONSCIENCE
AND OTHER STORIES.

ZARRE,' BECAUSE OF CONSCIENCE
AND OTHER STORIES,
The breath OF the NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. vfsor-
and upIifting-moves through every page Oh
Florence Wilkinson's THE Strength OF the
Hills (Harper & Bros)- The story runs aS
smoothly as a cool breeze passing through
the forest in midsummer. Enoch Holme, the
woodman hero. is real man. and must De
appreciated in these days, when there are so Few
real men in and out of books. He is good IN
every meaning Of that sadly misused adJecuNe'
but he is intensely human in Alison MacDoi-
aid the author has created a strong woman yet
wirhal most womanly. Together they rise ABOVE
the sordid things of life. because 1t Is IN theih
to do so their higher ideals are an integral part
OF them. Nor are the weak neglected. Rich
ard HollisJer, Alisons husband, wicked through
carelessness. and Sararose. Enoch's weak ana
wilfuI sister are vividly drawn. In her pictures
of mountain life. whether the scene be a duel
in a logging camp or social In country
town. Miss Wilkinson has done well.
The strength of Enoch Holrne is shown at the
beginning in two exciting logging camp scenes
in the heart Of the North Woods in midwinter
Then love comes into his soul-love for Alison
who is promised to Hollister the handsome son
Of the owner Of the camp People from the Dig
brick cities come into the woods for the sum-
I1er and clash on the tender hidden feelings of
the Adirondack folks. The conflict is handed
with care and a moving drama of the life OF
to-day is worked out. The climax of the first
book comes when Holnle, licensed minister
is asked to perform the ceremony which makes
the object of his love the wife of another man.
If Mary Hartwell Catherwood could convince
her readers that Lazarre Williams was the real
Dauphin Of France. the actual son OF Louis
XVI. her ''Lazarre' Indianapolis: Bowen-Mer-
ril Company would be much stronger one
has much the same feeling about him as about
the "dauphin" whom Mark Twain introduced in
''Buck Finn
-Bilgewater can trust you?'' is the question
put by one of the two tramps whom Huck is
entertaining on the raft.
TO the bitter death The secret Of your
being? Speak,
-'Bilgewater. I the late Dauphin!"
That Miss Catherwoods Lazarre is an i'm
postor is not SC obvious. of course; but the
reader is far from convinced that he had any
real right the throne Of France, which he
gives up with such a flourish for the woman he
loves. Yet any deficiency in the drawing of his
character is overbalanced by the cleverness
with which Eagle de Ferrier is portrayed The
lack of dramatic force in Of the vital
situations does not keep the interest from hold
ing true, and. once begun, one hates to put
down the book until 1t is finished.
The alleged Dauphin when nine years old Is
brought to America by court painter named
Bellenger. who places him in the hands of a
tribe of Mohawk Indians who live near Lake
George. He believes himself to be an Indian.
for a mental disorder leaves his mind blank
regarding his early life. He is taken TO the
manor house of LIE Ray de Chaumont TO be
treated for injuries received in diving An i'm
pending operation causes him to flee into the
garden clad only in Indian blanket There
he finds Eagle de Ferrier, who, by scars on his
ankles, recognizes him as the Dauphin she hao
seen years before in ST Bats Church. in Lon
don. The book which she is reading recalls to
him a dim recollection Of some past life-a
brighter life in a happier country and a
shadowy idea of mis- mother.
Eventually Skenedonk, Lazar-e's Indian
friend arranges &c have the young man ecu
Gated at the manor house. and while at his
studies he falls in love with Eagle. When
letter comes from France saying her husband is
dead, Lazarre confesses his love and asks her
hand in marriage. Though much in love, she
tells him she cannot marry king, and starts
for France to reclaim her estates. Accom-
panied by an English doctor and the faithful
Skenedonk Lazarre sets out in pursuit At
Saratoga he is recognized by Louis Philippe
who tries to dissuade him from going to Paris
to demand his throne from Napoleon. Soon
after reaching the French capital he runs across
Belienger who has returned to France with an
tdiot whom he is trying to palm on as the
Dauphin Belienger pushes him against Napo-
Icons carriage, making it appear that he is try
ing 10 assassinate the Emperor. He is arrested,
but finally escapes from prison, only TO fall a
second time into Bellenger's hands Overcome
by sudden fainting fit, he is thrown into the
Seine, and comes to his senses in the morgue-
He is taken home by the loyal Marquis du
Plessy, who gives him a case of jewels which
once belonged to his royal mother. From Paris
he goes TO Mittau, in Poland, where Louis
XVIII holds court His sister recognizes him
as the Dauphin, but the King calls him a pre-
tender. seizes the Jewels and ships him back to
Paris He goes to court and is arrested, but
escapes through a secret panel with the help of
Eagle. His adventures not yet ended. but
for the rest Of them the reader must go to this
entertaining book itself.
The exciting adventures Of certain Huguenot
refugees of Old New-York are told in drama tic
fashion by AMY E Blanchard in Because of
Conscience philadelphia: j. B. Lippincott Com
pany). The story would doubtless have pleased
Nex-Yorkers better if there had been fewer ad-
ventures and little more of the everyday life Of
the Huguenot settlement at New-Rochelle The
Feats Of the Fat Calf when the yearly fee was
paid to John Pell, lord of the manor Of Pelham,
makes an interesting chapter in which the sober
refugees became for the moment lively French
men In many places she throws light on the re-
ligious fe-vor of these people. who were always
singing make up for the days when their
psalms had been denied them Although BE
cause Of Conscience" is story of historical times