New-York tribune., 1902-06-21
SOME NEW NOVELS
LOVE. POLITICS AND MYSTERY,

THE MISTER Of d. TIE SEE See By gram eo '''Ae'
By Edna a-fft55l Lyan. Emo PIP. 17a. Longrnans.
A pAsTEBoARD CROWN A Story Of the New- New
York Stage. By Clara Morris. lZIno' PIP "'''
THOSE DELIGHTFUL AMERICANS. BY MIS-
pp. 352 D. Appleton * Co
The political novel Of the day has at least one
great merit It is invariably the side OF the
angels The right in this sphere Of action is al
vavs advocated: the wrong is always unspar-
ingly condemned The argument gains oI
course from involving, as it always does love
as well as politics. Your practical politician OF
the baser sort might protest that he ana MS
kind are. to that extent. taken at dlsadVan-
tage. Since the ideal in politics is embodied IN
the heroine's aspirations. and the honest pollu-
clan is presented as hero. the readers sympa-
thses are doublv engaged But clever novelist
takes pains to see that the reader is not con-
ouered by sentiment alone. Such novelist Is
Mrs. Eustis who has made Marion Manning
interesting not simply by the vivid portrayal OF
q woman in love. but by handling the pollucal
issues Of her story at with idealism and
lsood sense. John Manning. the self seeking
husband OF the heroine. is not represented. after
lfbe fashion Of many contemporary novelists, as
freely soiling his hands. He possesses at the
outset qualities in the light Of which Marions
love for him is clearly comprehensive, and when
he fails If is as fail in actual life under the
pressure of insldious temptations and Of an am
lsition which may he ruthless but is not without
Its redeeming points But the flaw is there. and
with due recognition Of the fact that misconduct
.r politics If provoked by Circumstance. springs
slso from essential defects Of character. Mrs-
Tustis causes the happiness Of the Mannlhgs 10
split on more than rock. The husband Is
r,anfaithful TO the wife as the politician Is uh-
faithful to his trust and the novel deepens IN
Sa4z- Of 1Hf6
and situation The seamy side of public life IS
'rl,,f,,liv drawn in this book But the other side
Is not forgotten and a man Of principle as well
SIS of ability is brought in to serve as contract
10 Manning's specious hrilliance. He plays ms
part moreover in the hercine's career. anu ~
deed both Manning and George HOOD, Tor all
that their public doings fill much OF the mar
rative fall duly into composition the first pur-
r,ose of which is the delineation Of a woman
character and spiritual experience Mrs Eustls
has given her book a convincing air. she deals
with motives in a clear and intelligent man
rer. and she makes Marion Manning readaoie-
Mr. Robertson, in The Opponents also deals
with lave and politics especially with love. and
gives us a novel with some fairly dramatic
passages The first chapter is almost sehsa-
,fonal 1t describes the homecoming OF a man
in love with his wife to a scene IN Whlch MS
soy is turned TO ashes. and with which ne oedIs
fragicaIly enough. though without violence lie
ruts before his wife and her lover a bitter
chnice They must both die. or they must elope'
and after he has secured a divorce, return 10
live ort their lives or the very spot where they
have ruined his own happiness Having reused
.he readers expectations in this audaclouS way
aIr Robertson proceeds to tell story In Which
,ao1itics and romance are closely 1ntertWlheu-
He too. mas good word for the right SIDE IN
she rolitical conflict but the campaigns IN Whcn
the opponents in his little drama engage are
eubnrdinated to the play Of elements scarcely
,o,;tica1 In this book as IN Marion Man
ming rivals in politics likewise rivals IN
love and their fate is determined as In lhaC
novel, by developments with which near1s anu
characters as much conventions nave a great
deal to do. The story is briskly told 1t was
worth telling as a story no less than as sketch
Of conditions doubtless often obtaining IN AiiieI
fcan political life
The mystery of the to which Mr. brahl
stoker eompels or attention is one which no
reader viii put aside undiscovered The story
is not saturated with the weird horror that
held us in ''Dracula,' but il has eroueh OF the
sunernatural for due glamour and thrill
great treasure of the Armada, hidden in sea
cave and sought not only by the hero but by
the descendant Of the Spaniard who shipped II,
provides starting point of excitement. gang
of ruthless murderers. thieves and kidnappers
sr uursuit OF the bewitching American heiresS
who is the heroine furnish forth enough sus-
pense and terror for three ordinary tales one
rsrlous episode succeeds another; ancient docu-
rnents. secret passages. rising tides, play signin-
can't parts: the lovely girl is always brave
and sweet, the splendid hero always full of
-aeoprce though sufficiently careless to allow
tbs scoundrels their necessary innings. Bride
and bridegroom. alone in the treasure cave,
search the heaps OF coin and Jewels while the
.cv tide unheeded surrounds them Reused at
LAST they Chamber TO the highest point pillng
nm the precious ingots OF the Armada to lift
sham a little further beyond the line OF death.
The cir becomes less and less fresh-the light
must be sacrificed
Ana now in the darkness the terror Of the
~ssInr food grew worse and worse. The chill
water crept up and up and up; TIL at last II
was oulv by raising her head that MarJory
could breathe 1 leaned back against the rock,
nd bending nv legs outward lifted her so that
she rested her feet upon my knees Up ana up
rose the chill water till II reached my chin, ana
7 feared that the last moments had come Inere
was one chance more for Marjory; and though
tt eltt me TO the soul speak II, for knew that
st would tear at her very heartstrings, had TO
try it. .,o, so,u
we nav not both live. In few moments more
et most the water viii be over my mouth.
when the time comes I shall sink over the pile
nf treasure on which We rest. You must then
sfand on me: Il Will raise you sufficiently to let
ven hold out longer" A dreadful grosn broke
from her.
Out of this unpleasant situation dawns way
Of escape else what would become Of that other
moment of breathless agony when hero, heroine
and stately Spanish don fight through an en-
veioping fog whole deckload Of base kidnap-
pers? Was there escape from this danger also?
we counsel the reader TO seek answer in