New-York tribune., 1902-03-02

& 90
FtTNT II G ESff Barr sfeee sm6 MSh
Do iii, 2s4. CThe Century Company
MELoMANIACs. BY. James Hgneker, Hggneker, 12mo PIP,
viii 80 Charles ScribneTs Sons)
z1rNr FOLK TALES. Recorded and Translated by
" Frank Hamilton Gushing. With an introduc-
ion by J. W Powell Octave, pp. xvii, 474.
tG + Putnam's Sons)
Miss Johnston begins her novel on
circumstances that could not but pique the
curiosity Of the reader, and throughout her
generous allowance of pages she lures him on
ever more and more interested. The opening
scana is laid in the Virginian wilderness. and
No are soon confronted with a tragedy, the sole
ottI4r in the region being murdered by the
Indians. with all the members of his family
cave one daughter Audrey. This child is found
,rasentIy by one of the Knights of the Golden
horseshoe Mr. Marmaduke Harvard, and is
rJaced by him under the care of an able but
absolute parson, who does, as time goes on,
,ouc, less than his duty toward the nut brown
waif The gentleman disappears from the scene,
hut in due returns and thereupon
1ar7ar's Audrey, as she is called, from her
relation to Gideon Darden, the clergyman afore-
eaid finds herself entangled in divers more or
less exciting situations. and stirred by more
+bar one emotional crisis. Miss Johnston has
NOT done particularly good work in her treat
mont of the herolne's character. Audrey mas
indeed no serious significance Whatever as d
human being Merely a picturesque hsure'
however she is very well drawn an image OF
,,,,,tr making a very pretty effect against the
sylvan background which is generally PROVIDED
What she is and what she does the reader does
,or greatly care about. When she becomes an
actress uourishing regrets and passion, she Is
no more Convincing than when she is a thought
less creature Of the wildwood. But she serves
Vel enough as a cause for acton IN others'
md however Indifferent We may be to her per-
saraItv we canrot help wondering just What
is going to happen between her and Mr.. Marina
s,l-. f4av-ard He is admirably portrayed, and
W. follow his adventures with lively concern.
Here is Miss Johnston's picture of him as she
Co.. him on the threshold of his new relations
with Audrey. eleven years after MS rescue
OF her from the forest:
he had become a somewhat silent, handsome
gentleman composed in manner experienced
not unkindly looking abroad from ms appor-
tf,r.I mountain crag and solitary fortress upon
men. and the busy ways Of men, with tolerant
gaze That to certain OF his London acquaht-
ances he was simply the weu-bred philosopher
and man Of letters: that in the minds OF others
d., was associated with the peacock plulnaSe OF
tho world Of fashion with the flare or candles,
the hot breath Of gamesters, the ring OF solu
upon N tables. that one clique had tales 10 ten
of a M guanimous spirit and a generous mana,
while Y another grew red at mention OF ms
rarne al-3 rur 10 his credit much that not
creditable was perhaps not strange. He IKE
his neighbors. had many selves. ana eaoh III us
trrn-tha scholar the man Of pleasure, the
in6alanr kindly reflective self, the self Of pride
and cool assurance and stubborn will-took its
place behind the mask. and went through It's
allotted part. His self of all selves, the quiet
remote, crowned and lnScrutable J. SAT apart
alike curious and Indifferent. watched the
others and knew how little worth the while was
the stir in the ant hill.
obviously this is a lover worthy of consider
alton by any of the great ladies OF old Virginia,
and at the outset Il seems not unlikely that no
less a parsonage than Mistress Evelyn Byrd,
daughter TO that distinguished gentleman Of
whom we happen to have something to say
another page to-day seems destined to claim
him for her own. But fate enters into the game,
and il is at Audreys feet that the gallant Mar
maeuke lays his heart. How he fares, and
through what experiences he is obliged to pass
before he knows exactly what his reward is to
be the reader would not thank for divulging.
Let II suffice for say that Miss Johnston
ends her book upon a climax totally different
from any that is likely to eXpect-and TO re-
peat that no one WHO takes up the book will be
content until he has found out just what that
climax is. incidentally he will be interested in
the authors delineation of certain subsidiary
Characters especially one Angus MacLean,
iDdentured Scot with decidedly striking ways,
and all along he Will enjoy the setting which
Miss Johnston has given to her tale, setting
fun OF the atmosphere of that Virginia in which
The last fashion but one from London" rubbed
shoulders with the almost primitive smplcites