New-York tribune., 1905-11-19

for man woman who does take "the largcz
view to conceive that anywhere anybody could
be found who would not rather be scandaized
by the living together of and woman
under the circumstances established by the aI-
thor than by their legal and absolute separa-
ton Yet, according to her presentation of the
situation in the State which she loved so werI
the vaunted Southern chivalry" draws the line
sharply at another mans wife, and allows her
to be the victim of incredible baseness without
thought of interference; and highbred women
acquiesce, not only passiVely but actively, in
the theory that wife is a husbands chattel, to
be dealt with according to his pleasure Surely
the lesson of the story is which was well
worth driving home with all the force at the
authors command ForcibIy driven it certainly
is, but relieved with much appreciation of tho
fine characters and kindly natures of those
whose views the marriage and divorce ques-
ton the author seeks to broaden The genealcg-
ical prologue is somewhat confusing, not to say
battling, but "cousinshp" counts for a great
deal in Kentucky, and no doubt in order not to
antagonize the people whom she most desired to
interest Miss waltz deemed it advisable to es-
rablish basis of even remote relationship be-
tween her hero and the woman in whose donles-
tic affairs he Yentured to interfere.
The penalty a pays for being a hero is
well brought out in Mr.. Piers novel Floyd
Halket saved the life of Stewart Lee while they
were both schoolboys and the latter never for
gave his preserver for thus putting him under
the bonds of lifelong obligation This is tho
ancient grudge" that gives the title to the
story a grudge that is not even wiped out when
Stewart marries the girl they both love. 1t is an
absorbing story of strongly contrasted types,
told with natura1ness that causes the various
characters to Ifnger in the readers memory with
agreeable associations. The first part of it is
laid in Harvard College. whence Floyd goes to
serve his apprenticeship in his grandfather's
steel mills and Stewart to study architecture in
Paris. The last part is laid in the manufacturing
town where both young men have their offices.
It would not be fair to the author to unfold
the nature of the plot which largely centres on
the labor troubles which Floyd is well equipped
to deal with, from his intimate association with
the workrlen while learning mechanical de-
tails in the shops but in which he is danger
ousiy hampered by the well meaning but ie-
norant philanthropy of his unfriendly friend
The tale is not tragedy, although it ends in
one The hero enlists the sympathy of the
reader who yet recognizes that he is strong
enough to bear his troubles with certain de-
termined cheerfulness and to win out in the END
as indeed he does, achieving a VIE
who, if not his first love, is plainly destined 10
be his last one. This may prove a slight shock
to the romantic reader, who is accustomed 10
having only one heroine to a novel but it is II
accord with the laws of nature as well as with
the excellent logic of Mr.. Piers story.
How to be funny though tiresone seems 70 be
the goal OF so many writer's who approach fic-
ton in the lighter vein that one takes up
novel announced as humorous" with many mis-
givings When they are discovered to be ii
founded. as in the case of Mr.. Adanss john
Henry Smith" the pleasure is the more keen
Golf automoblng, Wall Street and love four Of
the most absorbing topics of twentieth century
America form the basis of the plot on which
Mr. Adams has constructed his amusing tale
The humor is partly in the situations, bat mostly
in the telling, for there is legitimate interest
in each of the four directions il which the h2Tos
activities are enlisted. In other words, the story
is worth telling in the first place and the gayiy
Iightsome style but serves as a lubricant To
make it run the smoother. Not less funny than
the story are Mr. Frost's Illustrations, pen and
ink sketches, supposedly drawn by the putative
diarist Mr.. Smith. c-udey anAteurish in ~fA-