Evening star., 1903-08-15
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
THE METTLE OF THE PASTURE. BY James
Lane Allen author Of "A Kentucky CARDINAL -
etc. New York: The Macmillan Company.
Washington: Ercntano's

THE METTLE OF THE PASTURE. BY James
Lane Allen author Of "A Kentucky CARDINAL
etc. New York: The Macmillan Company.
Washington: Erontano's.
Mr.. Allen gets further away from land
scapes and nature studies in this story
than in any of his preceding works He
has come at last to the direct approach to
the human problem. separated from any
outdoor environment 1t is the story of a
vital issue between two young people who
deeply love each other. 1t is neither a
southern nor a northern story. While the
atmosphere distinctly suggests the SOUTH
the episode could have occurred well
north of Mason and Dixons line. The au
thor is in no hurry to tell his tale, which is
in itself rather brief. He fingers lovingly
among his human specimens some of them
being highly entertaining. He digresses
into minor love affairs, dwells and
then upon half-forgotten romances, strikes
contrasts between the loves of the youth
full and of the middle-aged. and with seem
ing deliberation breaks the thread of his
narrative to tell the story of the match
between apparently hopeless spinster of
excellent family and dairyman of humble
life, a widower. There is perhaps
bit too much OF marrying and giving in
marriage" The central problem is ABB
sorbing enough in itself. These two young
people, who have every reason to become
a happy couple cannot reconcile them
selves to a certain ugly truth which the
man avows just after he has been accept
ed. Later they DO 50 reconcile themselves,
the girl Surrendering. and they are unlted,
but it is too late and the disappointment
has already wounded him to the heart and
he passes away after u year OF happiness
1t may be artistic thus for the author TO
blight the sympathies of his readers after
fulfilling all the moral obligations by
which he was bound But some other con-
clusion would have insured the s.ory a
dat
the old-style word "mettle which, as one
of the characters points out was favorite
with Shakespeare. 1t indicates, IN lts
present use. the supreme teS. OF MANHOOD,
through which Rowan Meredith passed
trfumphantly.
/, PARISH OF TWO. BY Henry Goelet Mcvickar
and Percy Collins. Boston: Iothrop Publishing
Company.
The idea of a collaboration in the con-
structiOn OF a novel told through the me-
dium of letters is not precisely new, but ,t
is nevertheless attractive. In this instance
it is great pity the letters do not hold out
in the keen interest with which they begin
The authors have set too sharp pace FOR
themselves. One of the correspondents is
crippled clergyman Of young middle age,
recently injured in an accident, bachelor;
the other an unhappily married New Yorker
who Is seeking to relieve the tedium of his
friends Illness They start out in their
communicat tons with blithesome spirit
which results in delightful text. especially
in the course of the letters of Douglas
Dayton" which are written by Mr.. Nc
Vickar Mr.. Dayton Is debOnnaire indi-
vidual. charmingly naive in his remarks
and sage in his experience. Percy Dashie1.
chronicled by M. Collins. is 4 broad-minded
clergyman who describes himself as of the
lay class of the cloth. He breaches a
Oh, ,4arf fl.a. -, nf
these two men become complicated. The CHI
max occurs when romance which has :een
woven around them becomes tragedy. The
denouement is absolutely inexcusable. in
art or in life No man of the temperament
of Douglas Dayton could possibly have
written as he is set down as writing to his
friend at the end of their correspondence.
especially after deliberately waiting for
time to collect his emotions. 1t Is psyche
logical impossbility.
CHEERFUL AMERICANS BY Charles Eatter
Ioomis author of The -Four -r,asted Cat Boat
etc. illustrated. New York: Henry Holt * Co.
Washington: William Bnllantyne < Sons
Nearly two-score short stories, some OF
them mere sketches. comprise this highly
entertaining volume They have all ap
peared previously in the magazines. but
they are all worth a second reading. and.
furthermore they are deserving Of per-
manent compilat ation. They reflect the DOM
phase of life or another. Whether it is the
family man who finds himself as "a man Of
putty in the hands of a handsome young
stranger or the delightfully."- American Jer-
seyman who spends four days in Paris
without seeing anything more instructive
than the pages of book of funny stories,
the chief parsonage in each of these tales Is
a treat a refreshing joy There Is good
deal in the book about automobiles and
properly. inasmuch as those machines have
become a most important part of the life
of moderns. "Veritable QuidorS," story
about a down-east stage-coach driver, who,
although at the end of his, rope, maintains
a cheerful optimism which is itself a moral
lesson, is, perhaps, the most artistic of all
the collection.
THE ONE WOMAN: Story of Modern Utopia.
ards Spots Illustrated by B. West Cline
Sns, Ssw William xSTs; PSISsa Fage Co.
Mr.. Dixon addressed his first novel to a
limi1ed audience. 1t being of a sharply con-
troversial character and lacking In the liter
ary form which commands admiration even
when the substance is distasteful. His Sec
ond story is not likely to win by reason OF
its greater literary quality or because OF
1.-The more universal appeal of its substance.
It is distinctly disagreeable theme he
employs, the matrimonial vagaries of a
popular clergyman, and he resorts to sensa-
tional expedients to command attention. 1t
is disappointing to find it trend SO closely
upon the melodramatic The climax comes
in the death chamber of a penitentiary.
with the warden about to close the switch
which will send a killing current through
human body. The governor Of the state,
who has chartered a special train to reach
the scene Of the execution in time beats at
the door with no fraction Of minute to
spare. He has pardoned the criminal Or
such is 1.-The One Woman" and it il to be
deplored that much excellent matter per-
tanning to certain sociological subjects
should be beelouded In such an envelope