The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-05-25

/
Miss Petticoats. BY Dwight T1lton" IL
Illustrated in color by Charles II. Ste
| phens. c. NJ. Clark Publishing Com
| pany, Boston, Mass. s1.50.
The much advertised and long expected
| .Niss Petticoats'' by the mysterious au-
thor whom the publishers for conven-
fence are calling Dwight 5Tilton. is out
at last, and 1t measures well up to all
the claims that have been made for it..
It does not run in the same class novels
like. for instance, The battle-ground,
but 1t is quite superior to the ordinary
fugitive books that make up current fic--
ton and it is well worth spending q
summer afternoon over.
While it is evidently a, first novel by
q new writer the author must und oubted-
ly have had a considerable experience
with books and scribbling, and have
been endowed with much natural clever
ness. The very name Of the book, Miss
Petticoats," suggests something unus-
uaI. 1t comes from the French mon
petit occur" which the heroines mother
called her in babyhood. Her father was
a wandering French nobleman. Her
grandfather, Captain Stewart, who did
not know the language, called 1t Miss
Petticoats ..for short"
The heroine lives as girl with her
grandfather in an old whaling bark tied
up at one Of the wharves of Old Chef.
ford. a locality in the novel which anyone
who has been there will easily recognize
as the old New England whaling town
of New Bedford. The girl is introduced
while she is factory worker; she is
stormy. passionate, proud as Luctfer, but
warm in her affections. brave, honest,
and truthful. Incidentally. but a most
important matter, she is beautiful. Hav-5
ing saved the life OF an aristocratic old
lady of the city. the girl is taken into
her home and develops charming quali-
ties inherited from her parentage.
While a member Of Mrs. Copeland's
household. the heroine attracts the of
fcnsive love of her nephew, Hamilton,
and the jealousy of his mistress, Mrs.
Worth Courtleigh. Malice and SANDER
combine to form a tremendous climax in
Agatha Renters life, from which she
energies hardened and bent upon revenge.
Taken abroad for her health, she returns
in her rightful estate, the Countess For
nay, a creature of power, beauty, bril-
liancy and great resources; ard the end
sees her old-time slanderers al her feet
and getting ready to live happy ever af-
ierward. The authors lower middle
class conception of polite society and it's
habits rather spoils the value Of that fea-
ture Of the book.
The chief charm about Miss Petit
coats is its absolute unconventionality.
It's people are not moulded on the ancient
pattern of fiction, nor is it laid in scenes
that have been doing duty since the
war. The Clark Company has won its
reputation on books like this, for what
ever criticism was made on their Quincy
Adams Sawyer or "Blennerhassett,' no.
body ever pretended to say that they
were on the dead level of the common
place. The story is an attractive one.
written in terse, dramatic chapters, that
hold the interest throughout-whlch is
the proof of the pudding.
The mechanical appearance of Miss
Petticoats" must not be passed by with
out a compliment. The novel is bound
in gray silk and the cover design is the
figure of handsome, spirited girl,
wrapped in a long red cloak. lined with
ermine This is artistically stamped in
four colors Lovers Of books will appre-
ciate the English handmade paper upon
which the novel is printed.
Bits of Broken China. BY VIM. E. S.
Fales. Street s. Smith. New York. III
pages, gold top. cloth. IS cents
This is a most unique collection Of
short stories. Under the glow Of the red
" Mi, n