The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-05-17
AMONG The BOOKS
An Analysis of "DOrOthy YER
non Of HaddOn Hail."
Kate Stephens Writes Interest
ingly of the Book.
AMACMILLAN SUCCESS.
Evident Purpose Of Author is to
Amuse Readers.
Gossip of Interest About Au-
A MACMILLAN SUCCESS
Gossip of Interest About Au-
thOrs and Their Work.

Dorothy Vernon Of Haddon Hail by mas
Major. author Of When knlghshll99oo
was in Flower, etc. me AAaeiA'A4'~"
company, 1902. PIP. Joy
one should take up such a book as
Dorothy Vernon" with an mo ~
-except to please a large NUMBER OA
readers. To amuse is its reason Ior
being. It's pages show palpaply Il can
not be to instruct Its structure Is SA
ceedingly slight It's material IS lhlh
and worn. It's art is imperfect But ~
those who ike hot tamale love stOl y
there are many hundred thouSahu
such among us, certain safes Wolld II u,
dicate-to such Dorothy vernon WIZ
be a desideratum- The story Is E4ll OF
peDper-Of impertinence, singing abuse.
taunts, quarrels and the violent fempefs
that produce all these, ana a rev tauh
ders are thrown IN by way 81 toili M,
diet to such of us readers as SIT IN even
ing dress and encore Famous baritone
when he sings They're hanging Fanny
DeeVer in the morning. Nearly alM9y9
in its progress the story Is rapid anu -
lively and full of increasing movement
that you feel confident the people ~ IL
an 20 to bed with nervous prostfaIion
after the last act. But again the very
stir of it viii please many
After the last act expresses more
than at first we meant. The book IS
melOdrama, we may add. In these days
when our novels have come TO take III
great measure the place OF the stage,
our DlaVs are served first in books ana
stories. This is one Of the instances II
their income and popularity WafIaIlt
such stories are commonly twisted about
and ersatiOnahzed-One can not say
dramatized-for the stage
The author Of Dorothy Vernon" has
chosen a most OppOrtune moment for
the historical setting of ms tale-lhe
moment when Mary the Scottlsh queen
was prisoner at Lock LeVen. and EllZ-
n Tt5ftas rs4rr
England No period of our race has
been so clothed with adventure, Win
vigor and Imagination and poetry ana
accomplishment to us later Engllsn-
speakers To this day every one Of us
who has the blood of that merrie Eng
land stirring in his veins is always turn
ing to records that bear stlllanoIhef taie
of the epOchs splendid movement ana
romance 1t is a f0regone conclusion
then that the author of Dorothy Yer
non" seizes the heart of the reader at
the very opening of the story
Then since the book is a love tale
essentially, this and nothing more, the
author has also a great reading pubic
with him. There are few love stories
so outsp0ken on the subject they essay
few love stories of our day, that IS 10
say. For Dorothy Vernon" is dlthy-
ramb or love, q wild cry about love
an irregular, unmeaSuTed chant in the
praise of love and of loving woman
The book warns to the subject IN us
tuuity pass for emphasis of the great
ness. the imperiousness of its theme, Al
first the interest seems dragged in,
affected. But soon this passes away
and the whole swinging step and
amorous mouth are kept unabashed TO
the end. This dithyrambic is the back
ground of the story. 1t forms the relief
color for the action in place Of the de-
seriptions of natural beauty-of eoun-
try scene or landscape nOyelists
commonly interpOse in tales Of the great
est passion to relieve the tension and
emotions of the reader. Perhaps this IS
a reason why the book seems to lack
oxygen and sometimes suggest over
heated theaters and aboratory-made
perfumes.
The characters of the book are few.
They are an alcoholic. choleric knight.
the greatest landowner in Derbyshire
and lord of Haddon Hall; his only child
and heir. the heroine the Earl Of Rut-
land and his son, with whom the Had
don Hall family have a feud-a sort Of
old-fashioned, Kentucky vendetta; Il
caddish cousin Vernon. who is supposed
to write the story; and a few others,
such as some honest yeomanry and a
couple of queens with the sycophants
who are always dangling round persons