The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1903-03-22

",rhe Lady Paramount" by Henry Har-
land
The new life and the spirit of renewed
vigor and youth that has cast an awaken
ing and progressive Impulse over all italy
Is In no way more apparent than In the
opponents of her young womanhood, as
portrayed in two recent pieces of fiction.
Marion Crawford holds an unquestloned
reputation for careful knowledge and ac-
curate portrayals of the land that is all
his own-sunny Italy; and no matter the
time or the locality. his grasp Is sure and
convincing. That he is not swayed by
his thorough knowledge of romantic trs-
/ ditions of the past and their tempting
! ssibllities-condtfons that have ceased
! to exist, is evidenced by the fact
/ that In his latest piece of fiction he
has given us a romance of modern Rome.
with an atmosphere which includes all
the word modern" signifies.
Cecilia is a charming product of the
new life in Italy. Young strong, self
reliant. The second Italian type of the
new Italy Is the charming heroine OF
Henry Harland's new romance, THE
Lady Paramount" That things have
NHdhBtO III Olut sunny Italy is palpdDle IN
the exclamation of this fascinating young
heroine when she says on her twenty
second birthday-"Im free and independ-
emit What's the good of being free and
independent, she largely argues, IF you
can't do the things you want to-" And
speaking of her chaperone she continues,
we belong to discrepant generations.
I'm too intensely modern, and she's so ir-
redeemably eighteen-sixty. I've only
4 tArDif Cd 4e
cut adrift from the Baronessa. And the
| pleasure will be mutual, l promise you.
/ She will enjoy a peace and a calm she
! hasn't known for ages. Oufl / feel like
! Europe after the downfall Of Napoleon"
Henry Harland was formerly a novelist
| of New York city, but some years ago he
! removed to London and there besides his
work an author was editor of the yell
low Book. He has written many stories,
but his most conspicuous success was
"The Cardinals Snuff Box" 1t achieved
| really remarkable success the sales
reaching nearly the one hundred thou
sand mark.
His newest work. The Lady Para
mount" Is a worthy successor, and is
filled to overlooking with the same idyllic
charm.
1t is most permissible in a story of this
character to give even the slightest in
tmaton of the plot. Since 1t has no
purpose to serve but the single one OF
entertaining and modifying to a degree
the strenuousness of prosaic life, the
surprise of 1t all is its chiefest charm.
The plot is excellently conceived and ex-
ecuted with broad and sure grasp. There
Is not a tiresome or a superhuous line
In the book. The character drawing is
excellent, and am sure every reader will
wish there were more like them in real
life.
While the fantastic love episode is the
central theme of the story, as 1t should
be- upon which the human interest Is TO-
Called, nevertheless the chief virtue Of
the story Is the freshness and idyllic quail
ity of It's telling. This, Of course. resolves
itself into the old aphorism-the story
teller is born and not made And this
applies to Mr.. Harland, as readers OF
The Lady Paramount" will agree. The
conversations are so happily favored
with wit and brlliance, and yet withal
so graceful and natural that the reader
Is charmed, then absorbed. Very few
stories can boast of brilliant CONVERSE
tional qualities Just as in real life 1t Is
meagre accomplishment. The possess
sion is what made the Dolly Dialogues
the success they were. This delicate gift