The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-02-21

An Interesting Book Without a
# Plot" P ersonalia,' by Sigma,
Which Introduces to the Read
cr Famous Englisl1mer1 and
Throws a New Light Upon.
Their Character-The March
Magazines Books and A'1-
tllors.
HENDERSON. Written by Rose r.
Young. published by Houghttcon' NIL Z
r,n ard Company, Boston and New
g3$ York IA
The author Of this story Is a MIS-
4 sour!an whose ancestors llNed ~ MI
tucky and Virginia. After inc r IVY,
ton Der ancestors settled IN hcntuc eI
and after the Civil War her iather
moved to Missouri. When q girl OF ,e's,'.
Z teen She went to Texas ana va y.
school, From Texas she vert 10 Chicaso
aud dropped into literary Work'
y In her latest novel, the book now nil-
I NJ,
task and executed it right well. There
are only three prominent characters In
the story-thc hero. young doctor IN
the West; the woman whom he learns
to love at first sight but who turns out
TO be the wife OF another man, ana the
husband Of that woman. 1t is difhcult
for any writer to keep UP the interest
IN n book with only three characters.
yet Henderson is intensely Interesting
from start to finish, and one IS alta loss
/; to know which of the three characters
rs most entertaining or most admirah pie.
Henderson begins his professional ca
reer under many disadvantages, finally
settling in a small Western town, with
a spitiful5 sum OF money in his pocket
8At5the start he receives a tempting offer
from a fellow-student, who has set up
a UuaclS establishment; but, poor as he
lis, he declines the offer, and determines
TO devote himself to the legitimate.
He lis introduced to the heroine on a
6s.bob-tail street car, which mas neen
deserted by the driver. lie takes the
ireins into his own hands and drives the
car up town, carrying the woman passen-
ger alorg. to her great amusement and
delight At the end Of the journey he
Indicates that he would like to know her
better, but she politely declines, and It is
not until some time afterwards that he
learns that she is the wife of another
man.
lin the course OF time he does meet
her again, however, ana meets her hus-
band also, and becomes rot only their
family physician, but their devoted
friend He performs q surgical operation
upon the husband and saves his life, and
subsequently he saves the life OF the
woman.
Three nobler characters pne rarely
meets, even in fiction. ard although there
are two men in love with one woman.
and although the one woman Is, to all
appearances, in love with both men,
there is no faint of scandal: they are
all upor. terms of the most intimate
friendship, and each retains the respect
and friendship of the other to the end
Of the story.
OF course, the husband finally gets out
of the way, and just here the dramatic
part of the story comes IN. The reader
is left just enough in doubt as 10 the
denouement to add the zest of mystery
to the story, and vet the inference is
Irresistible that the husband discovers
that his wife and his friend are in love.
and that he voluntarily lays down his
1llc dllu SdSilliCeS HIIllSGilH " LIlSil idpll-
ness.
The story is not plausible and yet so
ingeniously has It been writer that it
seems plausible tn the raader 1t GER
tatny possesses ;.the merit of originality
and novelty. It is bright and entertain
ing throughout. and it is SO clean ard
sweet that 1t leaves a good taste in the
mouth, II we may use a common, but
expressive. phrase. HH AZ
HER INFINITE VARIETY. BY Brand
Whtlock. Illustrated by Howard
Chandler Christy. and decorated by
Ralph Fletcher Seymour. Published
by the Bobbs-Merrll Company, OF
Indianapolis, For sale by the Bell
Book and Stationery Company.
tAge cannot wither nor custom stale
y her infinite variety" sings the poet
his heart filled with praises over the
Kaleidoscope moods of womanhood in
different types and attitudes.
a The burden sof the thought underly-
Ing his song furnishes the clew for a
{ title to II very bright. catchy and en-
Eaging story, Enthusiastically American,
and filled with hnmor to provoke mirth,
because there Is just a hint OF pathos
to heighten and render it more real and
apparent,
BY tho way, the story is not a story in
ordinary meaning or acreptntion, There
Is no plot because the American book Of
to-day exchews plots. There Is not
really beginning or an ending, Tho
reader grasps a situation lin mcdins res
and breaks off before the wedding bells
have rung hero and heroine into 'thc
holy estate OF matrlmony"
Yet the book Is destined 10 success be-
cause types and Incidents are dealt with
IN such strong, spirited way. The
opening chapter introduces Senator Yer
non. of Illinois, on a visit to his be,
trothed, Miss Amelia Ansley, of Chicago.
B One gathers by way of Inference that
Amelia is well born, beautiful. OF wealthy
\ pafentage, and that She belongs ia
Z Chicagos leading social set. In her way
lone of the many going to make up Inc
sTEfnife yarieSy''--she appears 10 he
very much in love with her finance The
esnator and embryo statesman.
That In other respects. her crcat or
treats her much as Shakespeare does
julius Caesar In his great play OF that
nams. must he because he Is not mar,
tiai to Miss Ansleys variety" Shakes
q peare makes Caesar weak, vain ap(
pompons. that he may eXalt Brutus. Rrant
{.