New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-10-25
FICTION.
Some Collections of GOOD Short
Stories.

THE WAY or THE SEA Ey %o--,s- r,,,ro..
IToau-pie4e hy Howard Pyle lzlro % tx 40
Mcclure. Phillips q Co ''' ~ 49,
SEA 4. s 45 Three Adventures of the East.
PgiI fIiSRFy e; Rowland l2mo Pr. 3d. Mcclure,
CHRRIISIIAN THAI. Novel. b NJ Z Francis
mans Green & Co ~ Lung
THE LIFE. TREASON AND DEATH OF JAMES
ELOUNT. OF BREt * ENHOW Compiled
from the Eowlestone Papers. ard Edited By
beIIah Marie DIX Emo, PIP 80 THE Mac
milan Company.
Mrs. Delaad has given to her nev. volume Of
short stories an atmosphere which immediately
takes the reader captive. old Chester. the little
place which supplies the scene for The sequence
OF episodes in DR. Layend1r's People" IS one o.
those 'neighborhoods" which have IatterIy been
exploited so often in American fiction. but she
gives It an originality ana d charm such as We
too seldom meet in the pages Of her contenpo-
rarles. 1t is a neighborhood Of ordinary human
beings, and not very remarkable occurrences
but the men and women in this book have all q
certain individuality. and the things that they
CO. the emotions by which they are Influenced
Te made deeply interesting to the reader Mrs
Deland delights to linser over some little pas
sage Of sentiment, and in her treatment Of it
she Is always sunny and wholesome Gently
lhnocently, and with engaging unconscious
ness OF anything important about its transac-
tlors the life of the people over whose spiritual
destiny Dr. Lavendar rules with a hand that
means only kindness flows on through hounelv
Channels 1t is all commonplace enough. and il
Is al touching and interesting
There is sincerity also, there is the attractive
ness OF truth feelingly set forth in MI Dlncan's
Newfoundland stories gathered together in the
volume called The Way OF the Sea" We like
the spirit in which he has approached the life
OF the fishermen on the Banks. He has not
gone among these simple and hardy folk merely
to make copy out Of their more or less dramatic
experiences. he has too much respect for the
sturdy qualities in their natures to do this and
he has too genuine a sympathy for the sea to
use 1t as a scene painters background. 4 seri-
BUSINESS that We doubly appreciate in these days
OF mechanical story telling underles all his mar
ratives The Way of the Sea" is a thoughtful
and artistic piece Of work
Sea Scamps" is written on a lower DIane Mr.
Rowland gives US the more familiar impression
or the author content to spin a good yarn. At
least his yarns are good. and it is further 10 his
credit that he has some little aptitude in char
acterization. and puts into his stories men who
interest Us almost as much for themselves as for
the Incidents which go to fill their careers. The
book is not impressive as IS The Way of the
Sea" 1t fulfls its purpose in being entertain
ing.
We like the work OF NJ E. Francis better when
she IS writing Of Dorset peasants than when she
makes an addition to the long list Of musical
novels in such book Christian Thai" It IS
true that this latest production OF hers is not
without merit a study of the artistic temper
ament and the romance il contains is fresh
enough to awaken the readers curiosity. and
lead him to persevere until the end But some
how the author does not seem at ease, and while
her enthusiasm for music rings true il has not
served to help her in giving reality TO her book
as a whole. Christian Thai" moreover, is much
too long AS a short story or a novelette, il
might have done very well AS a full blown
novel it wants proportion and vitality
The Life, Treason and Death Of James
Blount Of Breckenhow," to give Miss Dix's
latest book its complete title. is q curious COM
pilation Of letters. obtained. says the author
during a search through the RowIestone Papers
for history Of Yorkshire. Instead Of securing
the information required about certain facts
relating to conditions in the North during the
great civil wars, Miss Dix stumbled upon =
domestic chronicle the interest Of which drew
her from her original purpose. AS to the
thentici-y Of the chronicle, the author avOws
diligent search outside of the EOwIestOne IA
pers, but discovered merely q record Of baptism
in 1Gls and one Of the death Of James Blount,
a stranger" in 1915. Therefore, the value OF
Miss Dixs research must lie chiefly in the inter
est Of her tale Simply told it is the history Of
a man who bore the brand Of treason and per-
army to save the honor Of others. It IS a tender
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