The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-04-24

q youR 4 ROADS TO PARADISE. by
Maud Wilder Goodwin Illustrated
bS Arthur j. Keller. Published ny
II the Century Company of New Aoik'
For sale by the Bell BOOK ana stu
tioncry Company.
Among the many books OF the APRIL
OUTPUT Maud Wilder Goodwin ~four
Roads TO Paradise" stands out WIN clear
dlstinctness, its force and indlvluualltS
setting 1t apart in the nina OF the read
or. as something altogether different
frnr, IN, commonplace and tho ordl-
nary.
The writer has not. il seems In attain
ing n standard for her book, striven nf-
Tor the fantastic or the improbable.
There is nothing specially startling IN
her blot or her situations. But she has
endowed her characters with llfc and
the ability to enjoy it. she has infused
n strong, dramatic element into feS
scenes; size has described her surround
ngs WELL and she has given zcst and
animation to her conversations ana dia-
logucs.
Mrs. Goodwin has taken the title TO
her book from the following passage In
tho Talmud:
"F'our men entered paradise: one be-
held and died. ono lost his senses, one
destroyed the young plants. one only en-
tered in peace
Tho application Of the passage is clear
ly seen in the book The -four roads
with which Mrs. Goodwin deals arc the
approaches to woman's heart the NO
man being Mrs. Anne Blythe, of .,cw
York, a lovely young widow whose hus-
band Richard Blythe, having "beheld
paradise and died. is known to the
reader only by implications.
@ OF the other three male types which
remain, Tom Yates. a New York stock
broker is symboized by the man in
paradise who "lost his scnses;" Stewart
Walford, young Episcopal Clergyman.
BY tho man who destroyed the young
plants" and Blair Fleming, by tho man
who entered paradise In peace"
THE book scene opens in the West
with an interview between Bishop lAls-
ton one of the best and most iorablc OF
Mrs Goodwin's character creations, and
Stuart Walford, the grandson of tho Bish-
ops friend. Archibald Stuart. The young
man comes to the Bishop for advice in
a matter which will decide the whole
future course OF his life.e He is ignorant
OF the world, full Of zeal and cnthusi-
asm and imagines himself quite ready
and willing to be offered as a sacrifice
In loving service at tho call Of his Lord
and Master.
The Bishop, from the vantage ground
Of age and experience advises the canGi.
date for selr-immolation to test himself
by contact with the world. and with tho
men and women in 1t. AS a probationcr
the young clergyman goes to New York
with the understanding that, If he holds
firm to his purpose after eighteen months
spent there and abroad. the Bishop will
give him his benediction and forward
. n mr. m n H n
Mookai.
Once III New York, new influences quick
~ assert themselves. Walford is assis-
tant to the rector of a prominent church.
He meets Anne Blythe who is the Bish-
ops niece and Is pictured with a deli
cacy, a grace and picturesqueness that
render her indefinitely charming. Stuart
Walford appeals TO her Imagination and
cnptivates her fancy. Almost one infers,
lie has found and Is pursuing the right
road almost lie has won the love he
seeks. when hey, presto! he yields to
temptation. chooses the evil rather than
the good, kills the young plants" Of
trust and confidence and SOILS shut ont
of paradise forever That n man misses
his life reckoning and falls below his
early ideals ~ fly nI.means new thing
In the everS DAY passing of events, but
Mrs. Goodwin mikes her reader's:- dis
appointment in regard to 'Stuart Walford,
communicate with the interest which he
first awakens and the sympathy which he
demands
One Is always sure that Tom Yates.
coarse-tlbrcd and brusque, is doomed to
come to grief just as one is Increasingly
sure of the place which Blair Fleming
must win and hold in his lady's heart as
ono grows into better acquaintance with
him. The central group OF figures in
-Four Roads to Paradise" gather for tho
finish at Florence, Italy, where the con-
GLIDING chapters bid them goodbye, and
where tho man. who alone "entered Par
adsc in peace" finds there all that his
heart can desire and hold.