New-York tribune., 1903-05-23

exceptional one The real charm OF the book
lies in its actuality and in its intensely human
interest and these are qualities sufficient to
commend it TO more than the casual reader
MI Lyman a hitherto unknown author, has
written in THE Trail Of the Grand Seigneur"
romance Of the War of 1912 that is worthy Of
more than passing comment. Delving into a ter
ritory that seems to have eluded the search
of most story writers, and which presents
many Of the opportunities embraced by Sir Gill
bert Parker in his earlier books, Mr. Lyman
traverses the northern counties of the State Of
New-York along the borders of the St Law
renee and Lake Ontario, a region first peopled
F,y French refugees and destined by them TO
become a settlement of considerable proportions
The failure Of this ambition is matter OF his
tory hu+ there still live traditions that afford
admirable opportunities to the purveyor of f1c-
ton Renee the daughter Of French refugee,
is the heroine of this romance, an occupant OF
rude cabin in an almost unbroken wilderness,
where with her father. she dispensed hospital
,+v TO the hunter or trapper as he passed that
INV In the earlier chapters Of the story she
saves the life of a young patriot and sows the
seed of love which later urges him to deeds
of valor in the service of his country Characters
which are hardly less important are the trappers
John Godfrey and his foster brother. VINO are
admirably contrasted in their capacity for good
and evil and who might have stepped from the
pages of one of Coopers novels The chief op-
lection at present to Mr.. Lymans method OF
writing a story is an exuberance of style and
q tendency to rhapsodize too frequently Oh the
natural beauties Of his landscapes. thus de-
tracing from the sustained interest OF MS mar
rative-
The reader is asked to remember in perusing
aKent Fort Manor that the work Is one OF
imagination and not a history. family STATE
country OF national" The fact that the Manor
was once an actual quantity must be put asloe'
e,d If the chronicles of the family of Claiborne
seem at times strangely familiar the author Is
merely claiming certain privileges in names
and incidents The action of the story takes
nlace in Maryland during the Civil War The
Ola ait,ornes of the Manor are secessionists. and
are distressed over the attitude of their State
A Northern branch Of the family is represented
tv one Ithaca Claiborne. who is elected to be the
..bIsck and blue" member which may be taken
in the light Of subsequent events TO mean the
black sheep of the Claiborne flock. A vein OF
mysticism pervades Kent Fort Manor.
vague Intangible superstition which the author
EXPLAINS as a theory Of inherited memory ana
which finally works itself out in a tragical. but
mot ,1nexnected. climax Mr.. Babcock's style is
a. times so involved that the thread OF his
romance is difficult TO follow. but for series
of pictures presenting life in Maryland nome
during troubled period the book is worth read
ing.
..-budren Of Destiny Miss Seawelrs latest
cory never bears wearily on the readers spirit
,o- has the story hackneyed zone Haee"'
-. a,,a reason for establishment AT some OF the
s,,ttor,s discoveries. Never before nave We
met with a profound scholar Of sedentary me-