New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-08-30
FICTION.
Old Romance and Some Modern
. Notices.

| Lane. -"-0' Pr ~ 90 'o'i
R REI3a5ot PIRATE, The Romance of Gay
| Boston: Little. Brown & Co pf
| THE UNWELCOME MRS HATCH Nv Mrs
BuTton Harrison. Emo PIP. 49, - Appleton
THE RED TRIANGLE. Being Some Further
Chronicles of Martin Hewitt Iavest ieator By
33rthur Morrison. l2mo, PIP. BOT Boston: L. c.
1t is little difficult on taking UP The MS.
in Red Box" to disassociate the novel from
the atmosphere which has been created around
II by the circumstances of it's publication We
nave been told ad nauseam how it came into
the hands of the publisher without a title and
without the name of the author attached. So
lnuch russ has been made the thing that
one naturally approaches it with heightened ex-
pectations. But, after all, the manner in which
the book has got itself printed is a matter by
itself, and if we recall it now it is merely TO
point out that injustice has been done to the
author in introducing his work with such a
beating of drums and blowing of trumpets
The MS. in a Red Box is simply another sev-
enteenth century romance of the sort which
has become more than familiar in the last few
years. 1t is, like so many of the stories which
nave gone before it, clever piece of writing
That is almost all that be said for it, Ii
does not rise to the standard of Stanley Wey-
man or Rider Haggard. 1t makes US think
rather, of the average achieved by a romancer
like, for example, Mr.. H. B. NJ. Watson. In other
words, it is workmanlike but wants power and
distinction. The hero is a well born young fell
low in the Isle of AxhOlme, who witnesses the
doings of Dutchman in readJusting the bal
ance between land and water in his native
place. The inhabitants are against the scheme
almost to Naturally, Master Vavasour
falls in love with a Dutch woman, and natur-
ally, the villain of the piece does all he can to
make his romantic efforts of avail. The plot
is conventional, though it embraces
citing incidents than the most conven-
tional of the writer's of the day disposed to
grant their readers. The author had chance
to strike note in making more of the
actual transactions of the intrusive Dutchmen.
but he has turned his back upon the oppor-
tunity, devoting himself chiefly to the struggle
over the hand of Anna Goe A pleasant read
able tale is The MS. in a Red Box but
are sorry that after much preliminary talk
about it, it has not turned out to be better
book.
"a Detached Pirate" is the story of a woman
who has been divorced and has made up her
mind to be IAN old-maid pirate" She sails
from England to Halifax, and there proceeds to
frt and enjoy herself. She goes about as
Miss Vandeleur, and everybody falls in love
with her. For little while fortune smiles but
then her former husband appears and though
he chivaIrousy keeps her secret, life grows a
little difficult. 1t goes from bad to worse. The
truth comes out Just at the wrong moment,
and. instead of marrying very desirable per-
sonage, she retires, more or less ignominiously
to scenes. Wherever she goes, however, she
has her admirers, and the reader grows some
what bewildered, wondering what this butter
fys fate is going to be. 1t is settled in
fashion only dimly suspected until the closing
pages are reached. 1t is a light, vivacious
ratiVe-set forth in letters-and is amusing
enough, though it is a shade too flippant and IS
not always in the best possible taste.
Mrs Harrison's new story is likewise of
divorced woman, but in the case of 1.-The IN
welcome Mrs. Hatch" there are not even the
briefest moments of pleasure for the heroine.
She has given her husband a weapon against
her through youthful heedlessness and impulse
rather than through positive wrOngdOing, but
the weapon is all that is needed in the circun-
stances, and she is successfully cast out upon
the world, her daughter being brought up in the
belief that she has died. The story deals with
the unhappy woman's misery at being excluded
from her daughters life. At the end it takes a
happy turn, but not until the readers feelings
have been pretty thoroughly narrowed. 1t is
brief and it is written with a skilful hand The
different characters are clearly drawn, and the
situations in which they are involved are briskly
hit of. The Unwelcome Mrs. Hatch" is a di-