The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-09-24

The Golden Bowl, by Henry James. It seems a serious thing to take up novel in two volumes. It is a serious thing. There is something absolutely and almost absolutely weighty about it. When it is by Mir. James the se- riousness augments. We must not on- ly split hairs and weave gossanler and analyze sun-dew, but We must solve the psychological problem of tight fitting toque, a Princes Order. mil- lionaires waistcoat
 We have two volumes of impress sions," with never sensation. Happi- ly nothing ever happens in MT James pages We could not stand real sur ring incident when impressions and suggestions have brought to the slate "when ones nerves had at last done for one all that nerves could do, when readers are put into the same situa- ton in which Mir. James puts his crea- lures: Left in darkness of proWl- ing dangers that was like the predica- ment of the ilightwatcher in beast haunted land who has no more means for fire"
 The volumes take their title from certain Golden Bowl of exquisite shape and probable antiquity. It was or crystal very heavy and very strangely nodded. It seemed whole but was cracked. little force and it would be easily broken.
 The plot of Mir. James's story is no more a safe and wholesome thing. An Italian Prince, a Real Prince, possibly the Worlds Last Real Prince, has loved an American, one. "blessedly an Amer ican-as indeed you had to be, blessed ly an American for all sorts of tnings: !: so long as you hadn't blessedly or not to remain in America" This may be MT James's own views of true bless edusss, born American not living in America. The girl beautiful and poly glot as to languages and id1oms IS yet very poor. Impossible for Prince uarEellousiy mortgaSed to marry poor American, however polyglot. The American therefore fees the wooing Prince or rather they mutually go off at tangents from their love-lit Rome Appears on the scene Maggie Werner, an American with million year, a moderate income for Americans and marnates in and out of books in these days Here is an American whom the Prince can and does marry. All this being brought about by the very friendly and intermeddling Fanny As singham. But just ere the wedding day arrives the poor American girl ap- hears on the scene. Charlotte Staut is Maggie's friend. a school friend or Paris some years agone, she is also Charlottes admirer, gracefully bestoW- ing of her millions on her poorer friend. Charlotte must be thirteenth guest at the wedding, Charlotte must have an hours shopping in London with the Prince. Just one hour alone as of old in Rome prowling about old shops ostensibly to buy a gift Tor Maggie. It is in this ramble that they come upon the Golden Bowl Chariotte wishes to present 1t to the frlnce' Maggie's present being merely con fessed pretext Tho Prince has sub lie sense that lets him know the Bowl to he cracked. his superstition prevents his accepting it as gift lest its oreak- ing bring Ill luck. The BoWl remalns fin its quaint leather case to De pur- chased later by Maggie for her father The little Hebrew merchant repehts him of selling 1t to so trusting soul, he goes to the purchaser to give back, after the way of Judas, part or the purchase money, to tell of the crack when incidentally he tells Of the two who two years before almost bought if. the Prince and Charlotte Staut Un- tIi then Maggie had been told of no previous acquaintance between the prince and Charlotte. Charlotte mean- time has married the high. deep. great little man." MT. Werner himself. multi millionaire. She being the Prince step-mother- in-law has spent the most of her married life going to house. parttes. balls and functions with the Prince, the simple Verners blessedly preferring the quiet of their own homes and the joy of the Privifino Even MT. Jamess delightfully."- glossing style can not make pleasing the story Of a mar rfed nrfnce's love making with a con- scienceless step -mother-tn-laW.
 such a step- mot h er-i -in-law. She was lilre some wonderful finished instru- mcnt. something intently made for ex- hibition for prize the extraoroi- rsr1, hneness of her flexible waist, the steT of an expanded flower. which govc her a likeness also to some long, Soosc silk purse. well filled with gold nicces but having been passed, empty through d finger-ring that held IL to- rethcr" A stepmother-in-laW some lining more than fearfully and won derfully made. .-,.s i,,,.. she was a bore, a special product-so detached yet so ......,..', sort 0, small social capital.' sort Of soclal cspital herself. law unto herself en- tirely. Yet after all very confirming spouse when the man Of millions put on the suken moose In the old EngiNR house, Fauns. NW
 "TIer strange sense for tongues, with which she juggled as a conjurer at a show tuggled with balls or hoops or lighted brands" If there is ever to be A third volume might we hope that Mir. Werner will buy himself high place
  who before the crushing blow came to her could carry her own cnds and vet appear the image of high, pale lighted disappointment she meanwhile presented as of a creature patient and lonely in her splendor. was an inn nression so finely imposed that she could fill her measure to the brim and vet enjoy the last word, as it is called in such cases. with a perfection void of any vulgarity of triumph"
 Charlotte's tactics were too fine for this word a. day world. Her bland lies her noble seIfishness. her candid court shin of the prince were all to bring her hut to that most dreaded goal America-"the dreadful great country state after State-whlch have never seemed to me SO big or so terrible" One never knew how far Charlotte would xo.' Fanny Arringham declared. Mir. James happily never lets us know how far Charlotte did go, but we have the saving hope allowed that nothing ever happens in MT. James's pages It Ia a Rraat relief to fix this fact in