New-York tribune., 1906-05-05
a Good Sheaf Of Spring Romances.
american and English.


~ YOUTH But KNEW BY Agnes ana Ererton
iano pp xiv 52i The Mec1illan co2paaPy SPeeo
THE PRINCESS OLGA. BY Erwin wardrnan
12nlo' pp sl5 Harper & Bros.
THE SEA MAID. BY Ronald Macdonald. s2mo.
pp. S22 Henry Holt Co.
THE TRUTH ABOUT ToLNA. BY Bertha Runlie
pp. $50 The Century Company
The PRISONER or oRNITH FARM. BY Fran
Sons. sO"s''' '-'"V' - 90 "'''sS ''''Oners
cUBFayT FagE.,.y BY .@a Una sOeFrad- iamo PIP Y. sa
THE SCHOLARS DAUGHTER. By Beatrice Har-
raden- With frontispiece by Charlotte Weber
PP As 3 i5a poad STSiiqGS Mead co oy '0hn rae lz0'
THE TRTUNPHs OF EUGENE vALMoNT. BY
D. Appleton Co.
It IS a great comfort to find, from Lady
Baltimore" that AIr Wister has had not only
the wit but the courage 10 forbear repetition.
THE ViFginian" was a great and deserved
success. According to the custom OF to-day the
author ought TO have made his next novel at
least enough like il TO satisfy the expectations
OF stupid readers But Mr.. Wister has rightly
perceived that the suffrages Of stupid readers
DO not count. that what an intelligent public
required was that ne should do the thing that
he had It in his heart TO do So he has written
Lady Baltimore" which Enthusiastically comes
from his heart, a sincere we'll thought out book
which embodies charming romance. and at
the same time. IN many other ways. makes for
reflection. The interesting thing. too. IS that
sn passing from the atmosphere Of the plains 20
that OF a quiet old provincial town in the South
Mr.. WIster has evidently experienced no dif1-
Guilty whatever. He moves among the people OF
Kings Port as though he had known them all
his life, ana the effects of airy comedy which
he extracts from their society are never forced
On the contrary, the spontaneous vivacity Of this
book IS perhaps fits chiefest charm. The trI-
umph Is the more to 8Tr Wister's credit in that
he has plainly fallen under the influence Of
Mr.. Henry James. and has endeavored through
many pages to manipulate his dialogue with
something of that writer's excessive ingenuity
But even while he strives TO follow his master
in approved fashion. the attraction Of his motive
holds him and genuinely inspires him He feels
a kind OF gusto in the handling Of his material
and he shares the emotion with his reader.
Another source of Mr.. Wisters felicity on
This occasion is the fact that he has something
60 say about the present state of American soci-
ETY. and he has so planned his book as TO give
himself ideal opportunity for saying IT, He
IS troubled about the materialism of the North
Ee IS critical and compassionate over the South
HOW 70 find fault with and how to praise the
people OF both regions. and do 1t with tact. was
his problem. He had plenty Of sympathy to
start with but he devised something even more
arrangement OF this means the introduction OF
types and incidents which Of themselves give
his argument not only natural out a slngu-
1arly graceful drift The story begins with the
cuaIntest possible episode, involving three young
persons and a wedding cake the cake being OF
the kind that Is described in the title OF the
novel. A spirit OF fun more or less pervades
this incident, and while there is no lack OF seri-
BUSINESS in the book. both as regards the devel-
80 --Tge@- -EAR
authors fdeas about society, the accent OF gentle
raillery is preserved from beginning to end.
We have no intention OF sketching the story
Il is Of TOO delicate fibre to endure that treat
znent. But we must not fail to note that the
story as a story. is full Of interest
human, sufficiently dramatic, and though
in no wise startling. sufficiently original
The talk that counts so much as good
talk would not be there II It were not
for the story Lady Baltimore" is In short
not only as good book as "The Virginian" but
in its totally different way. much better one
There is more thought in it, and I: is more
mature. more skilfuI piece OF literary crafts
manship. Just because il IS so good we would
be glad 20 see one or two improvements made
IN II for later editions. The entire preface
should be omitted It IS superauous to the point
of being grossly intrusive. The play upon words
on page 2S1 should be expunged as unworthy Of
better for the exeision of it's last paragraph.
II Mr. and Mrs. Castle bring one thing more
than another to the writing OF their books 1t Is
the essence Of pure romance. They do not need
many characters or much in the way Of plot-all
they need is a thought OF love- young love. love
blithe and debonair, and with this they are rich
bevopd the dreams of most romancers. Their
exemplar Of love in 'IP Youth But Knew is not,
when all is said. either the hero the heroine.
but an old wandering fiddler. Gelger-Hans. who,
having himself loved and lost. paradoxically de-
votes himself to the dissemination Of JOY rather
than OF woe. In the first chapter he comes upon
q young Anglo-Austrian nobleman, whose chaise
has broken down the edge Of a forest in the
Westphalian kingdom bestowed by Napoleon
upon his foolish blackguard brother, Jerome.
The delayed traveller is disposed to sulk and be
naughty, but Gelger-Hans is not the man TO be
abashed by a cold demeanor. He has a begul-
fng tongue. and when that fails there is always
his fiddle. Wrapping young Count Steven round
with melody. ne leads him, almost he might
lead a child. into the heart OF the forest. and
there makes him acquainted with adventure and
romance. Count Steven rises TO the situation,
after his fashion. II is not. must say, all
together satisfactory fashion. The hero OF this
book is almost a duh person. and the heroine.
though undeniably sweet, is scarcely more than
that But it does not matter. Geiger-Hans is
ahere with his addIe. and somehow he throws
rserfect glamour over all that occurs. There is
grim excitement here and there in the tale, and
We are grateful for It, but we are more grateful
sor the crazy old musician. wise tender, resource
ful picturesoue-in word, one Of those rare
tvpes who only at long intervals come into mod
ern fiction Nothing could be prettieT. nothing