davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Washington times., 1902-05-11
REVIEWS OF THE WEEK.
Concerning Divorce.

1.-THE God of Things Is n novel dealing
with the question of divorce from the
viewpoint OF person who thinks there
ought not TO be any. The scene is laid in
Egypt, but the characters are Americans.
The author, Florence Brooks Whitehouse
is evidently sincere, but her too evident
purpose has spoilt her bool, so far as it's
artistic value is concerned. II may be
all right to consider the cheek of the
when 1t comes to looking upon life and
human relations with tho eyes of the
young person, the result is rather twisted
The heroine of this story is a beautiful
high minded, and extremely conscientious
young girl, who believes that divorce for
any cause is absolutely wrong. When
she meets the man of her choice he has
been separated for years from his wife,
who has secured a divorca and married
again. She refuses to marry him so long
as the other woman lives, and the other
woman. who has n strong affection for the
girl. discovers the state of things and
eventually kills herself. II the author
meant to teach that suicide is less evil
than legal separation, she has taught
rather a dubious lesson, and If she did
not mean that there seems TO be no
logical ethical inference from the story.
While the seeking OF divorce for light
reasons Is. of course, great evil. it is to
be doubted whether honest. conscientious,
and unfortunate people would be wise in
refusing TO take advantage Of this means
of escape from relation which is GER
tainly not holy without love. The argu-
ment usua iIv urged in this connection is
that they ought TO set a good example,
but the fact is that the people for whom
the example is supposed to be set will
aot pay any attention TO it. (Boston:
Little, Brown & Col
The Washington times., 1902-05-11
Bran StOker.

Bram Stoker the author of the Mystery
of the Sea- is an Irishman graduated
from Trinity College and for twelve years
Of the Irish civil service. He was ath-
letic champion Of his college. ard while
in the civil service was also active in
Journalism, being literary, art. and dra-
matic critic for several journals, ard the
editor OF an evening paTer. Later he was
manager Of the Lyceum Theater in Lon
don. and for many years. though still in
the prime Of life, he has been identified
with the success OF Sir Henry Irving for
whom he still acts as ltth personal and
business manager. His novels, like the
experience. are somewhat cosmopolitan.
and the later successes, "Dracula" and
THE Mystery of the Sea- show warm
regard for America and Americans-in
fact, he has taken an heiress fIom Chi
cago for heroine,
The Washington times., 1902-05-11

thor was poet and an artist in both
his architecture and his writing.
The book is so rich in charming
passages that il is hard to choose one
or two and leave out the rest. But
in one of the earlier chapters occurs
paragraph which explains the au-
thor's view on some of the eccen-
tricities of modern gardening:
ut is not everything in Nature that
can, or that may be. artificiaily ex-
pressed in garden; nor are the
things that il is permissible To use,
of equal application everywhere. 1t
were a palpable mistake. an artistic
crime, so to speak, to follow the wild
flights of Salvador Rosa and Gaspar
foussin, and with them to attempt
little amateur creation in the way
Of rent rocks, tumbled hillsidcs, and
ruins that suggest recent geological
catastrophe. or antique monsters, or
that imply by the scenery that we are
living in the days of wattled abodes
and savages with flint hatchets.
Much, of course, may be done in this
line in these days as in the past. if
only one have sufficient audacity and
a volcanic mind: yet. when il is done.
both the value and the rightness of
the art of the thing is questionable
'Canst thou catch Leyiathan with n
hook" The primeval throes. the
grand. stupendous imagery of Nature
should he held in more reverence. 1t
were almost as fit to harness a polar
The Washington times., 1902-05-11

simple whole, in which each item
should take its part without disturb
! ing the individual expression of the
ground
These are ideas which would
be good for most owners OF country
property to ponder over and assimi-
late, for we have probably more ex-
pensive and dreadful-looking country
estates in this country than there are
in all England and part of the Con-
tinent of Europe. With all the natu-
raj advantages that could be wished,
the suburban homes of this land are
often superlatively ugly; and this be-
cause in their gardens as in their ar
chitecture, n false ideal or rather
combination of half dozen different
ideals, has been substituted for the
simple old methods of colonial times.
There is beauty about the South
ern colonial mansion, with its model
ing after the English country home,
changed slightly to suit the Southern
climate; and in the Northern colonial
mansion built in the same circum-
stances; and in the old-fashioned
farmhouse with its long gray roof
sweeping almost to the ground ut the
rear. its slope of grassy turf which
is not n lawn. in front and at the
side, with driveway curviDg around
it and the small square garden with
its prim and narrow paths between
the visitor and the front door. The
old-fashioned blossoms themselves
have an artistic charm, whether they
are sweet old-time roses, lilacs,
The Washington times., 1902-05-11
THE LABOR PROBLEM.

1.-THE Minority by Frederick Trevo
Hill, is a study of the labor problem cas-
in the form of fiction, and what is more
successfully cast. This is good deal t
say in view of the fact that story aftel
story has been written dealing with th'
subject, and no one as yet has been mucf
more than half way in realism.
There are faults in Mr.. Trevor's narra-
tive. and the largest Is the unsatisfactory
ending. but he has gained one strong
point in making his hero live man in
stead of little tin god on wheels, and in
| giving him distinct sense of humor. One
feels that one could like John Kennard,
| whether met as factory owner, college
man, or laborer. He is an individuality.
The heroine also has considerable char
acter of her own, and she also possesses
a redeeming sense of fun. Moreover, sew
eral chapters are thoroughly dramatic
and real, without being melodramatic.
and many of the minor characters are
capitally drawn. Dave Maddox, the Cali
, fornia lawyer. who is kennard's fdus
Achates, is one of the best character
sketches of the Western American to be
found in recent fiction. McMannis. the
politician, $ also very real. So is Harlan,
the promoter. The story goes with
rush. and tne cannot help being interest
ed. And all these are qualities not found
in the average labor problem novel.
There is conversation between Ken
nard and Maddox. about half way through
the book. which comes nearer tie truth
of the labor situation than most deliber-
ate statements. Kennard has Just been
through a strike, and instead of holding
out for a principle, or rather a theory, as
the ideal factory owner might. has con-
cluded to change his methods to those
in keeping with the times. 1t is so fair,
so frank, so true in its insight into a
certain phase of the great question which
vexcs our time that it is almost worth
while to read the book just for these few
pages. A part OF it is as follows. Ken
nard says:
There's no use denying it. Dave. old
man. I've had facer which has shaken
a good many foolish theories out OF my
head, but it's Jared me, too. confess it,
For a time | was so angry | could think
of nothing better than defiance and the
discharge of every man who didn't come
back within twenty-four hours. That
meant fighting and l was in the mood for
war. but I've been playing the sickly SEN
with these people too long for
them not to beat me at any such game
We've been building UP village of en-
ployes for years, watching it like Il lot Of .
old hens, and dreaming that the people
who lived in it considered the firm their
best friend. Well. they don't now. what
ever they may have done in former times. |.
The Washington times., 1902-05-11

critics read it. This was mean, but
it was also rather bright. There
may be fun in telling n person that
he is an egotist if he is not aware
of the fact, but when he begins the
conversation by telling you so, it
is different.
The book is not easy to describe,
and it is safe to predict that most
/ people will not like it; but they
will be more or less Interested in
it, because it is an appallingly frank
record of the thoughts and expe-
riences of a human being, and all
the yellow journals and sewing So
cie;ies of the country bear witness
that people are interested in that
sort of thing: the more abnormal
the better. At the time of writing.
Mary Macbane was nineteen years
old, and this book is in the form of
a journal kept by her during three
months. In some respects it is not
so very different from the journals
of other moody, wayward. passion
ate young things, and the conf
dcncc which they bestow at rare
intervals on some one person whom
they trust. IL is remarkable in its
extravaganza of assertion and self
assertion. its vivid language, and
its extraordinary frankness and
minute self-analysis. Nineteen is
an introspective age, and this girl
is intensely introspective. More
over, her daily life is unevcntful
and commonplace. Browning wrote
How They Brought the Good News
from Ghent to AK" during a dead
calm in the Mediterranean. to re-
lievc the tension of feeling engen-
dered by the monotony. This jour
nal is somewhat the same sort of a
Walpurgis-ride of the Imagination.
an outlet for feelings which have
no chance to accumulate in life of
constant activity and development
Repression and monotony are as
fatal to some natures as oyer-stimu-
lation and excitement are to 9TH
ers. That is probably the solution
of the psychological problem of
Mary MacLanc.
Here and there. but not often. |
there seems to be AN attitude of ,
posing, as if the young author were
trying on mood of Walt Whitman.
or somebody else. For the most
part, however, the book is nobody
but Mary MacLane. There are so
The Washington times., 1902-05-11
A THEOLOGICAL NOVEL.

''iardwicke." by Henry Edward Rood
IS said to have stirred up some discus
zion in religious circles. and it is alleged
that some religious book stores have
barred II out because of its supposed un-
orthodox tendencies. II is rather difficult
10 see how a novel as weak as this could
rtir up anything. although 1t certainly is
eomewhat unorthodox from the strict
PRESBYTERIAN point OF view. But 1t will
look 10 the average reader as II the au-
thor had with great pains set up man
nf straw, for the sake Of demolishing
him. end there may be some who VIII OBJ
feet to this
The hero is a young clergyman who
Comes TO a blue Presbyterian parish, and
with cheerfulnoss and confidence sets
about the task of making 1t less blue. In
,ourse of the proceeding he falls in love
with the daughter of his chief elder and
opponent, which naturally complexities
matters. both for the elder and the min
,s,er. The outcome of IL all is that the
minister gives up his parish, though not
exactly because he is forced to. Among
The characters are the man who gives his
name TO the book, and who is the pros
nectiye father-in-law of the hero;
s,are driver, with dangerous tendenc,
10 think for himself: the stage drivers
wife, religious moncmaniac; mona
eenarian member of the church, who is
another: the wife OF the nonagonarian,
sensible woman, and lady OF property
and influence, who plays the villains part
In the piece. In a most short-sighted and
inartistic manner, for she is continual.
leaving discriminating evidences Of her.
self about where people will find them.
There is also a young clubman with a
tendency TO dipsomania. who is really
very well done.
The characters arc fairly realistic, but |
The plot is weak. and the story does not |
lrrive anywhere. II there is any lesson TO
le drawn from the book, II seems to be !
The Washington times., 1902-05-11

so handled that every natural good
point, every tree, mound. declivity,
stream, or quarry. or other chance
feature, shall be turned to good ac-
count, and it's cons equence height
ened, avoiding the error of giving the
thing mock importance, by planting,
digging, lowering declisities. raising
prominenccs, planting dark-foliaged
trees to intensity the receding parts.
forming terraces on the slope, or add
ing other architectural features as
may he advisable to connect the gar
den with the house which is its raison
d'etre, and the building with the
landscape.
"What folly to throw down undu-
lations in order to produce a com
monpIace level, or to throw up hills,
or make rocks, lakes, and waterfalls
should the site happen to he level,
What folly to make n standing piece
of water initiate the curves of n
winding river that has no existence.
to throw n bridge over it near its
termination, so rs to close the vista
and sugRst the continuation of the
water beyond! Nay, what need of ar
tificial lakes at all If there be a run
ming stream hard by!
ut is of. the utmost Importance
th 1T Art and Nature should be linked
together. alike in the near neighbor-
hood of the house, and in the far
prospect, so that the scene as it meets
the eye. whether at distance or
near, should present picture of a
The Washington times., 1902-05-11

Her Serene HiGhness," by David Gra-
ham Phillips, Is one of those little tales
Of no place in particular which have be-
come popular since the star of Anthony
Hope aros., some years ago. The scene OF
this one Is supposed to be the duchy of
ZweiteDbourg, medieval place. ruled by
an eccentric and testy grand duke. with q
taste iUr pictures. The hero is an Ameri-
can named Grafton, who goes to this
grand duke owns. and stays there be-
cause he has fallen in love with the
niece of the ruler, n spicy young lady
brought up on the American plan. Thus
far the story is conventional, but from
this time on It Is distinctly the reverse.
Mr.. Phillips has hit on several new ad-
ventures for his hero and heroine, and
has evolved a very bright and fetching
romance out OF his inner consciousness.
The beTinning of Grafton's experience
IN Zwciasn5ourg is worth quoting. He
was walking In the woods outside the
castle. hen the time came for the duke
to take his daily drive. This is what hap
pened:
First 10 pass him at Il mad gallop
were six soldiers on tall black chargers.
They alS their horses were trapped in
the blue and white of the Household
Guards. Corselets and plumed helmets
and onnins clashel and ratified and
flashed rs they flew past. a few yards
behind them, at the same furious pace,
cane u graceful. long bodied carriage OF
strange coloring and design. drawn by
eight black horses with positions. On
Z curious foctboard at the back Of the
carriage stood two footmen IN n medieval
livery. They were hanging on by straps.
Behind the carriage CANE six more black
The Washington times., 1902-05-11

that young ministers who wish TO think
for themselves do not belong in parishes
which adhere TO the traditions of John
Calvin, ard this is probably quite true.
Perhaps some OF the Presbyterians who
have read the story object TO the charac-
ters as being exaggerated, and If Pres
byterianism is TO continue TO be n re-
ligion for healthy humanity 1t is to be
hoped that people like Hardwicke and
Jason Henry are not very common. But
as novel the book does not compare with
''The Damnation Of Theron Ware" or
John Ward, Preacher" and 1t has the
additional disadvantage OF being pub
lished some years after these books have
had their day. (New York: Harper
Bros. Sl50).
The Washington times., 1902-05-11
THE STORY OF MARY MacLANE

A book entitled "The Story of
Mary MacLane: BY Herself" has
shot into view from Butte, Mon
tana, the home of the author, who
is not yet twenty-one. The pub
fishers themselves seem not to
know just what to make of this
book. for they explain in sending it
out that their own opinion will de-
pend somewhat upon that of the
reviewers. 1t is likely that when
the returns are all in these gentle
men will be more bothered than
ever to know what to think, for
thus far every critic has said some
thing different about il.
1t seems unnecessary to get quite
as incoherent over the book as the
critic of the Butte lnter-Moun-
tain does. but he met the author
at reception, and il seems TO have
gone to his head. He SAYS, among
other things:
Miss MacLane injected into her
conversation plagiarisms of old Ben
johnson not aware that
Ben Johnson today would not be
tolerated any more than modern
Diogones could walk the streets
with lantern without being ar
rested
In order to be really impressive
this critic will have to explain,
first, what there is in the police
regulations of Butte to prevent
"Diogones" going about with Ian
tern if he felt so inclined; and sec
ond, what was the matter with the
manners of rare Ben Jonson,"
Shakcspeare's old crony, whose
name he happens here TO have mis-
spelled. Possibly he meant Samuel
johnson, the photographer. but in
that case he should have said so.
Unless there was punch at that re-
ception, the personality of Miss
MacLanc seems to be powerful |
enough to produce something of a
mixture of ideas in the brain of |
her interviewer.
The only thing which all review
ers seem TO feel quite safe in say
ing is that the book reminds them /
of Marie Bashkirtseff, and candor
compels one to admit that Mary
MacLane herself gave them the hint
TO say that. In fact. she has taken
the salt out of most of the things
the critics had TO say, by putting
those things in the book before the
The Washington times., 1902-05-11

bear TO the gardeners mowing-ma-
chine as seek to appropriate the cerie
phenomena of Nature in her untamed
moods for the ornamental purposes
of n garden. And as TO the result of
such work, the ass draped in the
lions skin, roaring horribly. with
peaked snout and awkward shanks
visible all the while. is not more ridic-
ulous than the thirly-vciled saw
agery of an Italian garden of the sew
enteeBth century,"
Here is another suggestion of what
garden should not be, which will
probably be of value to thoughtful
Americans:
ITO judge of garden upon high
principles, we expect II to be the
finest and iittest expression that n
given plot of ground will take: it
must be the perfect adaptation of
means to an end and that end is
beauty. Are we TO suppose. then, that
the turf-beds of strange device that
we meet with in modern gardens are
the best that can be done by the heir
of all the ages in the way of garden
craft? a garden. ] am aware. has
other things TO attend TO besides the
demands Of ideal beauty: il has to
life to supply innocent
pleasure to the inmates of the house.
as well as to dignity the house itself;
and the dcrising of these vagrant
beds that sprawl about the grounds
is pleasure that can be ill-spared |
from the artistic delights of mod
ern householder. 1t is indeed, won |
The Washington times., 1902-05-11

derful to what heights the. British
fancy can rise when put to the push,
If only it have "a congenial field. So
here we have flower-beds shaped as
crescents and kidneys-beds like fly
ing bats or bubbling tadpoles, com
mingled butterflies and leeches, stars
and sausages. hearts and commas,
monograms and maggots-a motley
assortment. TO be sure-but the mod
ern mind is motley. and the pretty
flowers smile sickly smile out of
their comic beds. as though Paradise
itself could provide them with no
fairer lodgings." . -e
Ard the following paragraphs en-
body in part the authors idea of the
way in which a garden should be
planned:
There is an individual character
to every plat of land. as to every hui
man face in a crowd: and that man
is not wise who, to suit preferences
for any given style of garden. or with
a view to copying a design from an
other place. will ignore the charac-
teristics of the site at his disposal.
Equally III wise will he he TO fol-
low that school uf gardening that
makes chaos before it sets about to
make order. Features that are based
upon. or that grow ,ut of the natu-
raj formation Of the ground, will not
only look better than the created fea.
lures, but be more to the credit of
the gardener, if successful, and will
save expense.
''The ground throughout should be
The Washington times., 1902-05-11
The Scenery in England.

Sir John Lubbock's new book, "The
Scenery of England" is written with all
his old-time skill and charm. He has n
knack of putting things SO simply. that
it is not necessary to have much geologi-
cal knowledge to enjoy his book. His first
famous book on the pleasures OF Life" :"
and his fascinating work on Ants, Bees,
and wasps." are still fresh In our minds.
He is one of the few men who have the
gift OF making science as entertaining as
fiction. 1t seems absurd TO speak of him
as Lord Avebury; as Sir John Lubbock
his name has become household word.
The Washington times., 1902-05-11

"Chimmie Fadden and Mr.. Paul." which
has just appeared, is collection of ths
sketches by Mr.. Edward W. Townsend
which have been appearing in various
periodicals during the last year or two
AZ the title indicates, Mr.. Paul is rathei
more prominent in this book than he was
in the others, and there is, moreover, q
little more seriousness about IL than
about the first sketches. Here and there
is a touch of pathos, and the broadly far
cical atmosphere is almost entirely alb
sent
The best of the twenty-seven chapters.
all things considered is probably that on
..L'higlon." Some of the remarks therein
are among the brightest things ever
evolved by the fertile brain of Mr.. Fad
den. There is characterization of Ma
poleon, in which, for terseness and point
is considerably ahead of some of the BIZ
ographies, particularly the one written
by Mr.. Jacob Abbot. 1t is good thing
that the Duchess. and not Mr. Abbot,
was the medium through which the hero
was seen. This is the character sketch:
Say, he was a top liner for fair. He
wasn't has been, nor a will-be; but he
was ar izzer. He was it. From de tip !
got on him he was de lad who foist
found out dat you can't saw wood and
lead de cotillion at dc same time .
He was boss. See? But he didn't
get his job from his ma, like de Prince
of Wales; and he didn't get elected, like
Billy o'Brien. He Just sized up de Job.
liked de looks Of it, and says, / choose
dat See?
''Dere was lot OF ready-made kings
holding down easy jol's around dere, and
some of 'em says TO him. Nay, nay.
Pauline! Guess again. dey says. Duchess
tells me dat suited Nap down to de
ground. Dey was looking for trouble, and
Nap had trouble to give away: and, be-
sides, he was a scrapper from de scrap
basket.
IAN dose ready-maje kings gets deir
gangs togedder and puts up fight. Nap
had de loveliest time of his life. Every
time he had a scrap he wiz a new dis
trict; and he put his own leaders over
more districts dan dere is between de 4
Battery and de Bronx -
Den all de kings what had and hadn'; I
lost deir jobs dey calls caucus, and says.
we must get togedder and turn down dis .
upstart, or he'll stampede de convention,
and we won't have a place even on de /
committee on music and fireworks. Let
u.s. dey says, stand hand to hand, and /