New-York tribune., 1902-01-19

pp. XXI, AZ. Doubleday Page ( Co.
Captain BIuitt" is loosely constructed novel
but it is, perhaps, the very sightness of its form
that gives it its interest. Unhampered by any
very elaborate plot, Mr.. Clark is free to intro
duce whenever ne chooses-and he chooses very
frequently-such little episodes of life in a small
town as permit the exploitation Of that vein Of
humor which enabled him to win some popular
ity years ago with "Out of the Hury-Burly-
and other productions of an amusing character
The present volume deals with the romance Of
two young lovers but more it deals with
divers personages in odd Turey" at that perioC
OF our history when the comfortable quiet Of
tain Northern localities was family and not un-
pleasantly broken by the rumblings of the I'm
derground Railway. One Of the characters in
the book is a peculiarly lovable supporter OF
that institution, and some Of Mr.. Clarks best
pages relate to the experience of a runaway
slave defended by this Dr. QueIch. Yet while
Captain Bluitt' has some strenuous passages
and even includes a defacation and a murder
the tone Of the book is, on the whole, very sweet
and sunny. Old Judge Mccain, inventive
genius who somehow manages never to make
things pay, is a droll figure, and there are sew
eral others in the book who in their diferent
ways quite as entertaining. The Wora
! though not in the least memorable, agreeabls
fills an hour or two.
The heroine of sylvia: \ Story Of an Amer-
lean Countess" is beautiful a girl that every
man who meets her falls in love at first sight
/ She lives in Venice and seems too perfect to
| be real not only to one Of her adorers. but 10
the reader as well. She and the strange thrills
| that come over several men in her circle are
/ described by Miss EvaIyn Emerson in a book
which is altogether an immature performance.
with all the depth Of insight into character and
the opuence Of incident which characterize the
! tales made familiar in the family story paper
| Of all the men who love her and instantly ask
her to marry them Sylvia viii have nausht, bu,
goes on loving a young American who has the
misfortune to be engaged to a girl he does not
love He is speedily disengaged, but by a series
of Observation-Disclosures. the profound psycholos
/ ical bearing Of which is disclosed in many yapC
pages, the lovers are kept apart till the day
/ after SyIyia's marriage to one Of her suffers.
/ without love on her part Then they meet anC
find their mistake, and part-and Immediately
thereafter an opportune stroke Of lightning set
her free again with results that are left entirely
/ TO the readers Imagination. There twelve
ideal Portraits OF the Irresistible heroine by a.
many well known illustrators prefXed to the
| book OF which the reader is invited 10 express
his choice coupon fly leaf for a prize o.
$500.
For the first time stood within the sacrec
portals Of the Kings Zenana. StiN Pud-
mini led me on tiu We reached small Innei
court lighted 10y another lamp similar to tn,
one in the passage by which had first en-
tered. Here the queen turned 10 me and said IT,
a whisper. The entrance to the passage under
the lake lies beyond yonder curtain. Hide thy
self here while l call the old woman TO my
apartment Then be swift my lord and above
all take care. when thou dost reach the palace
on the other side. that sees thee or thou
wilt fare as i'll as here I folded her to my
heart in one last embrace, then let her GO And
vet he marries Lady Cicely after all the only
child Of that notorious old roue, the Earl o.
CastleheId" herself mere darling But why
should he not? Mr.. Guy Boothby is at III,
wheel so to say and therefore all things ar
possible He makes them seem so, 10 DO hin
Justice even when they are most extraordinary
in My Indian Queen just such another fan
tastcaI tale of travel and adventure as tn.
prolific novelist has written again and again
It is a mass ~ that sort Of melo-dramatc non
sense which serves we'll enough at times, when
the reader wishes to be diverted and at the sam,
time give his iut-lleet rest.
American fiction is constantly illustrating
nowadays the ambition # popular writer's 70
drumatizc the. ordinary cidents OF our varied
political life. More often than not, the result is
a bore But ON occasion it is deserving of at
teutiou and approval This is the case with
Mr William Allen Whites "Stratagems and
SpoiIs." collection Of short narratives which