New-York tribune., 1905-11-12

Peter Rosegger. Translated by Elizabeth Lee.
Holy Land by CorWin Knapp Linson Emo, pp
$40. Mcclure Phillips & Co.
THE PROFESSORS LEGACY. By Mrs. Alfred
SidgWlck. 12rno, pp- 322 Henry Holt IL Co
In "The Debtor" Mrs Freeman has made a
study of conditions in suburban town within
committing distance" OF New York, yet town
not so new or so near as not to have charac-
ter and traditions of its own. The story cen
tres about the career of promoter of more
than doubtful financial morals. who moves to.
cambridge at a time when he has nearly
reached the end of his rope. The author writes
with acute understanding of the miserable
makeshifts to which the Carroll family
driven to keep up appearance of afffuence
under progressively Strengthened circumstances,
leading logically to a conclusion that is only
saved from tragedy by the redeeming power OF
love. In spite Of the opportunity which her
theme affords her. Mrs. Freeman has happily
avoided making her story in any sense
gloomy one Even the least laudabe Of the
CarroIls-and all but the youngest daughter
have been poisoned by the fathers views of
life and his attitude toward the world espe-
cially represented by tradespeople-has some
amiable and engaging traits. Their relations
with their neighbors afford the author abundant
scope for the exercise of her well known powers
of characterization, ard the more sordid side of
the tale is accordingly relieved with great
deal of quiet hurfor and gentle sentiment Her
pen has lost nothing of its cunning by her
change of locale and it would be difficult to
find a more apt and clearcut picture of subur-
ban life than she has given us in 'The Debtor
OF all her characters, perhaps Arthur Carroll,
the Debtor himself, is the least convincing.
In his cambridge experiences he is always con-
sistent; but in his business affairs we catch
oil Of his Offirp in New York. he IS
Isss satisfying. It is not quite easy to deter
mine whether he is an avowed swirdlcr or
merely gigantic "bluffer.' deceived by his own
pretensions. But this difficulty is not to be
given too much weight. In its main lines the
tale is as truthful as it is both impressive and
entertaining.
Peter Rosegger is a popular German peasant
author If his popularity is based on stories
like 'I. N R. l." it has been cheaply won. The
book follows the Gospel narrative so closely
that its classification under the head of fc-
ton" is somewhat startling. 1t is simply life
Of Christ as revealed in the New Testament,
embellished with some of the more familiar
legends Of His childhood and a few additions
by the author, in the way of local color, that
betray his ignorance rather than his imagina-
ton. The book is accurately enough described
by the American publishers as "a story Of the
Christ told in homely, intimate fashion by a
poor carpenter Of time, in prison under
sentence Of death, who writes to comfort his
soul in the contemplation of the compassion of
the Saviour and the beauty of His life" This
putative author denied the privilege of
reading the Bible in his prison. and undertook
to supply the need which he felt by setting down
his recollection of the Gospel story as he had
learned it in childhood. Yet in spite of the lib
critics he takes with the original, the book bears
If oo6r DIV -rCh
Of a sort possibly to have been written under
such conditions. The only apparent excuse for
it is the chance of it's appeal to q class who
may be more readily reached by story book
than by the Bible itself. Many attempts have
been made by many writers in many lands to
Improve" upon the work OF the four Evan