The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1904-10-29

and till nearly half way through we follow
her through a succession OF hairbreadth
escapes that are exciting and legitimate
enough. Then we have much subtle di-
plomacy at Belgrade, of peculiar brand,
and unfortunately Mr.. Marchmont drags
into his purely fictitious romance the re-
cent murder OF the Servian King and Queen.
The machinery to harrow the reader is
often in too plain sight, but there Ia 60
enough in the story, and that, we fancy
is all the reader asks for.
The Tanning Of the Shrew" In modern
setting is the avowed plot OF Miss Ellen
Thorneycroft Fowler's Kate Of Kate Hall
(Appletons). The heroine Of course il no
termagant. but a high tempered young
woman who does not get angry at the end
less plays upon her name. The author
did not have the courage to call her hero
Petruchio, or even Peter, but employs anne
more commonplace. The society Is OF the best
and is held up to ridicule with much swapping
Of epigrams. Miss Fowler's art is essential
coruscating; she can write a good story
if she wishes, but having been praised early
for her smart sayings she feels bound to be
brilliant even when brilliancy is out of
place. The bubble by which everything
Is set right is worthy Of Portia. but the max
ing up OF the lovers does show emotion.
Old fashioned ghost stories, one written,
all OF fifty years ago. are offered by the
Rev. s. Baring-Gould in "A Book Of
Ghosts (Methuen 4 Co.; G. P. Putnam g
sons. The author has led people into so
many devious paths OF curious knowledge
that the readers may fear psychical prob
lens or philosophio explanations. There
is nothing Of the sort here; we have plain
ghost stories, Of the kind meant to make
the flesh creep at Christmas time, with
here and there bit Of innocent humor,
and no moral purpose Of any kind.
The figures and the machinery are at hand
but the spirit is gone in Mrs. Sarah Pratt
Mclean Greenes Deacon Lyeander' CThe
Baker d Taylor Coz. The Deacon is true
enough, though his gentleness Is more than
DIAGONAL. his wife will do, too, but the
adventures they met and their frame Of
mind in them will strain the credulity of
the readers Of best intentions. There is a
pietistic note in the book that is new in this
author, and why Is a horserace dragged in
here, too? Is it the Ben-Hur chariot or the
David Harum wrath that forces horse
racing into all dialect stories Of pious
country people3
II is hard to make out to whom Mr.. Cow
erneur Morris Is telling his story ELLEN
and Mr. Man" CThe Century Coz. There
are some very pretty scenes scattered
through the book, but the small boy ex-
periences cannot be intended for grown ups,
while the bitter incidents Of bad life
that the little narrator gets glimpses OF and
the love romance OF which he Is q close
spectator make 1t undesirable for children.
Bits OF the boy revelations are very good
indeed, but the French episodes we have
not enjoyed.
E. Nesbit has written pleasant and orig
inal short stories. In 1The Phoenix and
the Carpet" (Macmillans) we have childs
story, a fanciful tale involving the real
phoenix, q magical carpet and Ave young
sters. This combination, 1t may be easily
guessed, can cause q lot OF trouble and
excitement The story would be much
better II efforts at painfully stolid British
humor did not appear on every page.