The morning journal-courier., 1908-03-28
THE SISTERS. By Mrs. Percy Dearm- CT. l2mo, New York: The Mcclure Comnany S1 50, at India

THE SISTERS. By Mrs. Percy Dearm-
 CT. l2mo, New York: The Mcclure
 Company, S1.5Q; at Judas
 A novel oi extraordinary power and interest No CRe can plcA up tnls story without feeling as one reads on that 1t is a story m tne dehueation of life and character. II deals m q real Istic way with the pers0nages present ed and the springs and motives of the human heart and laid bare. There is no apology for evil. The handsome, superficial sir Raymond, Jaunty, ego tis,ical, self-admiring, Wilfui, whose sowing of wild oats before marriage comes to confront him at last with a vengeance, is, however, not the lead ing character of the story IL his il- legitimate and beautiful daughter Rose de Ninton, who is the central figure. the wronged Rose, brought up by wicked, dissolute, heartless. hard ened but beautiful mother, whose whole life from early maturity, when she became Sir Raymonds mistress, to her taking off by an accident, was a parody on motherhood and devoted to enslayng titles roues and money ex- torting from her admirers. Rose tie Winton became early the victim of the passion of Hugh Templeton, nephew of Sir Raymond and heir to the Templeton estates, and she loved Hugh with a love that knew no bounds. She longed for purity de- spite her bringing up amid roues and prongates and longed for a life of rectitude and honor and above all marriage to Hugh. She was buffcted and wronged and betrayed and at last wrecked in health, and at last mere shadow, finds a haven of rest owing to the efforts of her sister Ruth, beau tiful conscientious, noble girl whc had discovered at last that Rose was her sister and the plaything of Hugh Templeton just as she had become engaged to Hugh. There are two highly dramatic and viWdly present. ed scenes, one Sir Raymonds outburS' when he wins his second wife, and the other, despite Roses love for Hugh exceeding all bounds and de- spite his announcement in his desper. ation at losing Ruth's love that Rose must start at once to be married tc him, Rose in her loyalty to her siste, refuses to oust Ruth from her home which the marriage to Hugh would in. volve, and is then cast off summarily by Hugh with a paltry cheek left foi her to pay her arrears for her board and starvation or dishonor her alter natives. Other striking characters ar, l Ruth's beautiful mother, the almos faultleSs Christian, model of wifel, and motherly devotion and self hue gation. whose life ia broken at th, discovery of her husbands perHd, and the living evidence of his rakisl past; Monica. the unfaimg motherl safe guide and mentor and Dr. Rob ert Trelling. the young, able. honor able and worthy young scientist { friend of Ruth, who hopes to win het love The fault of the story Is the a times its proliXity of details whicl weakens it, but, as we have said. it l. a very strong story, much above th, average of the novels of the day.
 It is impossible in a>short summar! to do justice to the intricacies of plo arising from this situation, but sufIic, to say that the author handles he' delicate theme with restraint and : deep human sympathy. The book i conspicuous for its remarkable DOT trayal or the two types of women. g. different and yet both so lovahle ant attractive, for it's representation O life on the grand scale, and for it intrinsic literary merit