The sun., 1904-12-17
Rider Hassard's Latest story.

Mr. Rider Haggard has long ago demon
strated the fact that he ia man with a
story TO tell and that he knows how to tell
ID In a straightforward and workmanlike
manner. His books belong to the realm
OF pure romance, and are not unduly
weighted with historic details or moral
deductions. He chooses his period as q
skilled architect selects his style, and oon-
structs the fabric of his fancy as master
builder erects an ediice in accordance
with the requirements OF the model. Every
stone is carefully carved and fitted in its
place, and II the accuracy Of detail and
adjustment seems more remarkable than
the novelty Of the design, perhaps that Is
not the fault of the designer We are a
travelled and an observing people. The
minarets Of a mosque are rs familiar to
most OF us as the Flatiron building, and
certainly the period of the Crusader which
Mr.. Haggard has chosen as the scene OF
this seasons novel, THE Brethren, is one
with which we are too well acquainted to
expect TO meet with many surprises. If
the characters which appear in this story OF
romance, adventure and mystery in lands
that were unfamiliar to us before Mr.. Cook
and the historical novelist had gone into
the business OF enlightering the world are
merely twentieth century personages mas
qierading in Eastern gauzes and coats Of
mail--well. that is characteristic OF the
times, too. We do our banking in Dorio
temples build our fathouses in the style
Of italian palaces, and copy our country
houses from chateaus constructed after
medi val models.
One element Of novelty in this story
is the introduction Of two heroes Of equal
value, twin brothers, both engaged in
loving the same fair lady, who Is captured
In the good old fashion that came in with
the Arabian Nights and Cinderella, by the
emissaries Of the Saladin and is rescued by
the lovers after some four hundred pages
of adventure that would be thrilling II we
had not read about too many such things
before. The two heroes declare their love
ON the same day under a solemn compact
to abide by the lady's choice and to remain
loyal friends and brothers in spite OF their
rivalry In love. One brother Is q born
monk but he doesn't know it. and the
other is a brave warrior and knight. The
lady. who is beautiful. as all such characters
in romance have ever been and ought to
be, cleverly conceals her preference until a
Solomon like decision is forced from her |
toward the end OF the ct ory, when she is
called upon to choose which brother shall |
fall victim to the Saladin's vengeance.
Another little surprise Is reserved for the
reader in the fact that it Is the sanity lover |
who yields to the charms Of the mysterious |
Eastern princess, who 30 cleverly acoeler- |
ates the action of the plot and rescues the
characters at intervals all through |
tho story However, all ends happily at
the last with benign and clement Saladin. |
a very splendid wedding ceremony, in
which the lady and the knight are made
happy. while the sanity brother now a
tonsured monk, pronounces the benediction.
The only unpleasant thing about It all is
the death Of ths Eastern princess; but one
knew from the beginning that that was
bound to happen otherwise there never |
would have been any monk. 1t was a
question Of the princess or the efriar and |
there was but one way to settle it,
The headlong movement and weird ina
gerry OF the story are less pronounced than
in Mr.. Haggards earlier novels, but the tale |
10 picturesque and vivid and will appeal |
TO the people who are interested in the sort |
of thing 1t presents. The book Is published |
by Mcclure, Phillips h Co.