New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1909-08-22

THE MAKING OF BOBBY BURNT. Ry George
hobbs Merrill Company.
Mrs Baillie-Reynolds's latest novel, "A False
Position" is a narrative Of the misunderstood
fgs and suspicious that may arise between a
dShand and wife-both iTreproachable in char
kcter-because OF q certain lack OF mutual cam
or at the outset Lady May Fleetwood, whose
marriage with conventional. wel-to-do So
HECTOR is based upon respect, not love. has re- |
s'TNed SERBIAN innocent one-from her hus- \
pand' ana II happens that he knows both the !
secret and The fact that. in a moment Of fright |
Size has lied TO him point blank about It. Other
h'roines. conspicuously Desdemona. have made |
This mistake and IT usually leads to trouble /
False IN one, false in all" is the reflection |
fleetwood makes upon the incident and there
.'ises IN his mind a profound distrust OF her 1
n.F.lYes IN even the simplest relations. The |
d with whom she has denied previous ac-
ltance is, as il turns out, nephew OF Fleet |
rs, and Tor certain months Of the year occu- /
- room in his Bloomsbury house. Every |
IS that takes place between Guy and Lady /
seems capable Of the misconstruction which /
'etwoods jealousy is quick TO put upon it |
ady May on her part, learns of a secret OF her !
.usbands- an innocent one, too when explained |
broad CaYllght-and has recourse TO Il in in |
'rpre;iug his GOODNESS toward her Altogether /
n is most unhappy situation for two such well |
meaning persons 10 have fallen into But Mrs |
FallIie- R,yn0lds does not leave them 20 be per-
raneuty stuck in the slough. There is in the
.,.rt Of each as has been evident from the frs,
rage, something deeper and more potent than
c.strust. il only way be found to bring 1T
\ cat. The author finds way. and plainly points
a-r moral
Mrs. Dudeney has produced yet another novel
= the class that seems TO have exercised Of late
SAT ID afrr for bpr
psychological study Of unhappy marriage. Her
"peuing scene is the departure for their wedding
journey Of Francis Lorian and his schoolgirl
wife il his superior rather pedantic way he is
deeply in love with Rachel and she, though a
lt,le puzzled 10y his patronizng manner and &C.
oasiolal flashes OF petulanco, has yielded him her
uuresorvod alteration. That very day railroad
accident turns the man into a cripple for life
worse than that cripple physically repeent
ana with a twist 10 his mind that gives morbid
"a, -s,ration to all that was merely difficult in
t.rl before Some of the developments in the
%. 4 Rachel are not hard 10 forecast. She lives
r .'h her husband in a seashore village Of Eng
..re nursing him faithfully plying him, shocked
wounded by his harshness, equally fearful
- his affection and his anger. OF course an
,-r.r man aprears on the scene man with the
.ginative and artistic sympathies that the
~ r. has always crayed and never Yet found
viii 30 phase Of il, however painful, escapes
..- careful scrutiny. and even when fate would
s.,u 10 have provided a solution she Will not let
.t be- 50 by any means. but only permits the So
.t.... 20 lead US into another equally tragic d.
-... MA. There is a great deal Of cleVerness IN
,.. story: the minor characters are clearly, II
,,t "a .nuingly. depicted the scenic dement's are
..trI.uy employed; the whole work reveals ca
I.lE.ty-a capabity which one regrets 10 see
aIi..i ed to such q theme.
,.- Chester appears 10 have knack for
forming out racy business stories IN which the
.rg~ot liabilities Of an Arabian Night and the
frtfsl ilities Of real life make happy blend
T -, is plenty in his latest venture, 'The Max
.e = Bobby Burnt" to tax creduHtY-
What 81 tlat? The premises are original ana
,.t.-,.r. the incidents various and slreWdly
destructive. and The ending such as TO satisfy
a.; rar,ics Young Bobby, at the death Of ms
(...,r Old John Burnt proprietor and manager
- .re great John Burnt Store, is suddenly pro-
.. Ted into "A position Of large responsibility
Dos. r5.r cor which lie has not received tie Least
Jr,ra-atiou in the world. Up to this important
moment Bobby has been best known as gay
,..rg clabuan, something II an athlete ana
. t.,,orea suitor for the hand 81 beautiful Agnes
n Extraordinary indeed are the pro-
,,.s ,.l.eri liv farSigl.ted old man for tie