New-York tribune., 1907-06-08

l2mo. PIP. 254. Charles Scribner's Sons
THE oFl5ce 62se AK Ktn9a5dI TI P%K3gGHMAN % By
i2no PIP. $50 Harper & Bros. l'eoe
OF THE FOUR million By o. , 94t6ES 4S6E;
illustrated by AlGe L; Barber Stephens l2mo pp
THE CASE OF DOCTOR HORACE A st,d,, oe
the ImPortaBTce TC Of Conscience in the Detection
Emo PIP, V. 25S Baker & Taylor Company ifaS3Ta'ed
THE sFERIFF OF ,WAsCO By Charles Ross
Jackson. illustrated by Louis + Grant i9Tor
pp. SlS. G. W. Dillingham; Company ---''0
The author of THE Wingless Victory" does
IN a modest way, what is ordinarily done oply
bv a writer Of genius. She commands the road
er's sympathes for a heroine who is. on the
whole just little bundle Of exasperating and
even unloveIy traits. Wimot Borlace is one Of
those women who, when they appear in. fiction
make you wonder why any one should nav any
attention them at all she is selfish and
she is silly Married to a man whose ouaIittas
are merely good, rather than romantic. she sees
only the weaknesses with which his virtues are
mixed, and. instead of playing the part of a
loving and helpful wife. she gives herself IN IN
dav dreams and 1irtations. In a word she IS
the kind Of ungrateful mink that rational people
would like first to shake and then to forget
But on the other hand, Is she not very human
type? Miss Willcochs. at all events, paints hcr
as such. and the result is a novel worth reading
There is nothing that succeeds In fiction like
a sure grasp the everyday truths of human
nature. If you have that you can risk the com
nonplace and. in the long run. you have every
chance Of achieving something better Miss
Wicocks has the right resources, she has taken
the risk and she has made Wimot Borlace and
her husband deeply interesting. The reader
rsy balk little at the outset. Wilmot is sorely
trying to ones patience, and then TO make
matters worse the story moves rather slowly,
because Miss Wincocks has not learned the art
Of making one page answer for two. But it is
tnnnossibIe 10 shake off q certain anxiety
what the foolish young wife is going to do next.
Is she going 10 throw her cap over the wind
mill and leave the hapless doctor she has
ried to fight out his battle not simply unaded by
her but humiliated and embittered? Is she
going 10 fire him with her own imaginative en-
thusiasm and transform him from q man OF or
binary neroism into a kind Of demigOd? or is
she going to come safely and normally into port
at last happy in living life at one with him
on a basis Of complete understanding? These
questions must be answered before the reader
IS willing to put the book down. which is one
way Of saying that Miss Wilcocks has indeed
extorted beauty from the commonplace. making
sn admirable novel out OF the most unpromisinG
material She is a thoughtful writer, and she
has genuine emotion into the bargain. She
may not be a creative genius. but she has
something 10 say that is worth saying, and her
work rings true.
It is its sincerity that also gives to Mr. DiX's
novel. Prophets Landing" rank that II could
hardly claim on other grounds. There IS nothing
very original about this story of life in a little
country town. The plot is simple and the char
acters are the familiar types which have done
duty in unnumbered American 'neighborhooc"
stories. The style IS adequate, and that is all
that can be said for II. But Mr.. Dix, like Miss
WiIcocks. deals in the issues that are common
70 all men, great and small. the issues Of right
ard wrong cruelty and kindness, Justice and
craft. There is not a false note IN the book.
The people in II doubtless creatures OF
homespun. but they happen to be alive, and
their concerns swiftly become the readers con-
Germs. stirring in him the feelings that are sus-
ceptole to the appeal Of goodness and gentle
ness The central figure is a Connecticut store
keeper whose father has bequeathed TO him
many good things, but rot the generous i'm
pulses Of which lie IS most in need. Joel Harvey
Is q victim Of the unimpeachabe but dangerous
aphorism that business is business. He is a
shrevrd tradesman and he prospers, but he is
not content, his father was before him, 10
make haste slowly and meet his rivals on even
terms. He will cut prices whether he Injuries
old friend or not, and little by little, as he
gets deeper into the ulire Of sordid gain. he be-
comes more and more Indifferent 10 the welfare
Of his fellow villagers. One after another Of
the latter he sends TO the wall. and by TIE time
he has anassed e little fortune and is seeking
political office, he has aIienated all his old
friends. has raised up enemies and has even dis
turbed the happiness Of his own household The
tale is brief, but Mr.. Dix has managed very art
fully TO avoid any appearance OF haste or crowd
ing in setting forth the development OF Joers
character and career. His climax is brought
about IN natural fashion. What we Ike best
about the book is its wholesome truth. Without
Juggling moral in by the heels, the author
teaches a useful lesson. 1t is good book,
American TO the core and very pleasant TO read.
THE Princess and the Ploughrnan" is a singu-
lar romance. singular because it is a tissue OF
inprobabiIities and at the same time leaves a
very plausible impression. The heroine is a girl
who must find husband by the time she Is
tWenty-three or abandon all claim TO a fortune
left by ner aunt, spinster with quaint ideas.
Naturally Miss Mary Adams rebels and prompt
ly proceeds to fail IN love with girl rejoicing
in the name Of Felice Vivian. (There are, in
fact, some charming names in this book One
Of the characters Is called Permelia McIlheny)
Naturally, also, a lover of the right sex duly ap-
pears, but he is beyond all peradventure the
most amazing lover in recent fiction Disdain-
ing all preliTninaries he marries Miss Adams
ana then, politely bidding her good day, leaves
her free 10 use her life and her fortune precisely
as she pleases. The wedding, we may add takes
pace IN a cornfield in the middle Of the day
II is not surprising that the friends Of Miss
Aoams-always excepting Felice-are scandal
lzed TO within inch of their lives 1t is. in
snort, fantastic book an incredible sort Of
layl, but Mrs. Kingsley knows how to carry off
her queer little comedy. The sweet sentiment