New-York tribune., 1908-10-10
Fiction by Mrs. Lucas, Mr. Mer71ck'
Mrs. Thurston and Others.

milan Company. .,-
LYScas ;Sa BkUgbPEMRc 35s Tbe MeclaTe gy company
THE FLY on THE WHEEL BY kad kataeslpe f Co Oe''i
Thurston. 12no. pP $50 Dooo' MA - ..I1,o
Prince Charlie BY Theodora Peck PICTURES Cc
by John Rae. IAno, pp :sS, Duffieid q Co
CY TIA PkAeEb .os by 6 WSace Morgan
faro Do 4aS. ID. Appleton & Co.
THE EPSON MYSTERY: By Headon Hill I1lo'
pp. sls r. F. Fenno d Co
The critic who complained that one could not
tell whether a book by George Eliot was mover
disguised as a tract or a tract disguised as a
novel. spoke for a straightforwerdress N uhese
matters which few writers can afford % hS5ieo''
But now and then some one arises VINO hiio"'
how TO drive two horses at once without getting
into difficulties Witness Mr- E V Lucas Iie
* both novelist and essayist IN MS new
hook. over Bremerton's." but he gives MS "oIh
q ur;tv and q charm which might. indeed have
escaped him il he had confined hlmseH to one
of his two forms Of literary craftsmanship Ihe
loze story in the book is too slight to have s'ooo
nv itself The miscellaneous themes over "i'ch
BE- ,1avs bookishly and humorously, would hard
IL have furnished forth collection ~ essays
On the other hand, by dint Of now glancmg a'
sentiment and talking in graVeI VEN o'i
matters having next TO nothing TO 90 Win 'ie
hero's romance. he contrives TO give MS pooh dii
originality and atmos9here when deserve
the wa-mest praise. The suppoSltiIaouS mar
rator is a bachelor Of fifty or so, who finds lod8-
tngs over the shop of a bookseller Ihere are
1;t.hle reonle in the house. and there are some
pleasant kinsfolk rear At hand Mr.. Kent + al
ooner. returning to London after a long absence
..,.,s IN se++ie down and enjov himself at MS
ease with theatres books, quiet club and a fe"
friends Unconsciousy he proposes to Iead
-a+ber selfish life There is something IN MS
nature however. some store OF sympathy ana
goodness which presently mo6thes his pian. Ite
GETS interested IN the people around flih- ne
t,,-ns from, books 70 more human things. Inc
hook moves slowly at first. and there is even
brief period during which the reader is lit'Ie
anxious. fearing that Mr. Lucas has not quite
warmed 10 his task Fortunately these oouolS
are allayed before one has time 20 be seriously
discouraged The author kindles. he makes L al
coner and the latters companions more ara
more 1ovable. he becomes more and mtre anus
ing in his purely discursive pages, and we vote
.,0,er Brenerton's" success. It is an ln0lVid-
ual.zed piece Of work, very ligh- in touch put
with the quality only 10 be c communicated 10 a
story by a writer with a sense OF literature
There is repose in it. quiet refreshment Tor the
5aded reader
The tainted money" question provides the
main situation in Mr.. Leonard Merricks strong,
earnestly written story Of "Lynch's Daughter
Betty T,-nch her fathers only daughter, is the
he,ress OF millions Richard Keith, ambitious,
high spirited and impecunious English painter Is
ta love with her. bat wiz not declare himself. 1t
IS not any morbid senstiveness TO the difference
Of their stations that makes him hold back; he
feels no false humility; he knows that Betty
loves him and is waiting fer him to speak 1t is
the fact that the methods by which "Old Lynch
has made his wealth are VIGOROUSLY Of the most
unscrupulous order. and some unyielding lnteg-
rfty in the man forces him to reject wife who
would bring with her tainted affuence. AT
last Betty Lynch wrings the confession from
him It is the first crisis in her life Without
any clear understanding Of what her act would
entail she resolves to sacrifice everything for her
lover: she viii come TO him penniless rather
than let money be barrier. In this spirit Of
exalted. unreasoning devotion the old home ties
are broken. and the new home is established in
an inexpensive, middle class London fat Then
begins the struggle. Accustomed 10 every lux
ury that wealth could procure. absolutely with
out comprehension Of the demands Of practical
life. Betty soon begins TO chafe under the nag
eing tyranny OF restricted income. Reluct-
sntlv at first, finally with resentfu frankness,
she finds herself craving again the comforts Of
the old life. Her husbands rigid adherence 70
his ideal appears to her merely senseless
prejudice: and when the child comes and ex-
forced upon her assume the look of sheer
heartlessness
The author faces this situation squarely. and
is not afraid 10 give il q logical working out,
even though it takes him through scenes Of bit
terness and suffering II is By such means that
the vife's spiritual education is accomplished:
and ultimately there is a reconciliation. A
life awaits them. q life which viii be crowned
with happiness for the wife has learned at last
the meaning OF an ideal and the beauty and
dignity OF simple living ''Lynch's Daughter is
very much a story Of to-day; and whether or
not the authors attitude toward the taint Of
I'll got wealth be judged somewhat puritanical
BY the worldly minded among US, he at least
deserves the credit Of having developed an alb
sorbing and very human story out Of one Of the
vital problems OF present day ethics
Isabel Costello is the Fly on the Wheel" in
Mrs Thurston's latest novel and because she
IS only the fly. and cannot stop the wheel from
turning round. she meets with the pitiful end
10 which flies are so often destined. A writer
whose success has depended largely upon the
ingenuity Of her plots runs serious risk Of re-
vealing her limitations when she turns her
hand TO tragedy; and in the present tale. dra-
matte as IL is az certain moments there Is un-
deniably a failure attain the main effect
aimed al. The heroine. lovely. impetuous
Irish girl. with a dash CT Spain in her warm
blood had the misfortune TO be penniless. Thus
her sudden engagement 20 an equally penniless
young compatr!ot a Paris medical student, was
bitterly opposed by the brother who supported
him As for Isabel herself, newly released as
she was from convent school she had not
suspected that her attraction 10 sentimental
Frank Carey was not real love until the mo-
rnent when Stephen Carey came TO her 10 break
off the match. Then she looked into the mas