New-York tribune., 1909-07-10

only for the reason that ii breaks new ground
in a fairly literal sense. taking rs 10 country
THAI IS unfamiliar II contemporary fiction. oHr
romopccrs ransack the world for local color
When Euglen6 France and Italy have failed.
rnomentarily, TO give them the material theT
need the- think nothing Of posting off TO India
or Siam But while row and then it has oc-
CURED 10 them TO turn TO Spain they have
rarely if ever thought of crossing tie frontier
into Portugal Even the writer's Of travel hooks
have neglected that country until very recently.
Mr. CldzneaGovv. who Is the first Of our current
novelsts TIL this practically unexplored field
has labored there 70 excellent purpose. I e has
iabored. It may be added at his leisure, living
himself ard his reader plenty Of time and genty
of room in which TO turn round This is novel
Of nearly six hundred pages, plainly written
with the desire TO put a spacious scene before
as. carefully realized in all its details 1t has
something Ike atmosphere, something 10 recall
IN really vivid fashion old country, peopled
by characteristic figures.
The period chosen for the drama Of the soul
which is here described is that period in which
Portugal was slowly binding up the WOUNDS left
by the Peniusuar War The fields and vine
yards could readily enough be brought 10 smile
again. Il was harder TO straighten out tie pc
lit;cal tangle and readjUst all the ~a--t.rns of
society In the light OF measures promote quite
counsels Of honest statecrafc. one Of the gravest
difficulties confronting a people beginning TO
breathe again after years Of tense excitement
was that involved in the question Of Church and
State. At 2 time when the devoted monk, long
occupied in aiding those Who had suffered from
the war might well have expected ind rest
and happiness in an era Of peace. the monas-
teries were suppressed and men Of religion were
cast out from their homes 10 fend for them
Ill. f7o4t'
hero. whose name gives this book its title. is
enc Of the sons OF the Church thus afflicted. The
blow falls early in the narrative and the author
handles il picturesquely. as well as with some
dramatic force. Antonio and his fellow Bene-
dictines are suddenly svooped down upon by
band Of soldiers. accompanied b. the civilian
villain OF the piece. who mas resolved TO find
his cwn profit in the suppression Of this par
ticular monastery. II is a rich establishment,
and III money lender. who conceals beneath
lately acquired title Of nobility all Of the baser
traits that could possess. is aware OF the
fact that besides the precious objects preserved
in the sacris5y there are certain elaborate deco
rations which would yield large sums if brought
into the market for the competition Of collectors.
The Abbot and the rest incontinently eX-
PEELED and Antonio has presently TO make up
his mind what he shall u with his
hood and his future. His choice is nominally
discreditable. He decides TO GO back into the
world But in his heart he cherishes secret
purpose and that i the ultimate rescue of the
monastery from profane hands and its restora-
tion 10 holy uses K is d practical plan that he
has in view. but il also includes OF course.
taough he himself hardly suspects it. the work
ing out II the fate 4 his own soul. he has 10
face in due time the old problem of the human
being tempted by the things Of earth from the
things Of heaven.
This motive has been used so often that il is
hard for author TO escape conventionality in
the treatment Of it. Mr.. OldmeadOw avoids the
pitfall awaiting him not by turning to any BIZ
zarre expedients but by developing his hero's
career ia rather natural fashion. This is, per
ha3s the reason why his narrative is long.
He seeks 70 bring his hero to the goal by nor
mai processes Antonio does nothing romantic
or rash. He seeks work and finds It. Of all
places in the world. in the wine business. From
Portugal his affairs take him England and
wonder, for a moment, If this transition is
going 20 dislocate 2 very promising scheme; but
Nfr. Oldneadoyy is faithful &c his Portuguese in
spiration. and soon brings the traveller back 10
his native land. Indeed Antonio prospers
enough 10 take up some land beneath the very
shadow Of those sacred walls from which he
had been evicted. and thenceforth his fortunes
are identified with the scene Of his early pieties
II is in the quiet Eden Of the monastery itself,
now available for any purchaser. that the
pent confronts him If may designate a
lovely English giri whose heart turns to Antonio
from the kindest OF promptings. Therein lies
his bitterest trial. It is easy for him 70 resist
the Establishments Of the neighborng farmer
whose daughter is flung at mis- head. no sus-
FsectirE that the handsome young wine grower
Is vowed - the priesthood The struggle TO
beat down his love for the English Isabel is al
most more than n can bear. and it is the harder
because she rfa1I-- avoNs her own sentiment
How does the coniicr end2 To learn that the
reader Is commenced 60 the book itself. He Will
fnd il fun Of interest Though the emotional
transactions Of the hero and heroine threaten
more than once 70 lapse into something not
Ike sentimental -ravf-ishness they Lave. the
whole a reasonable impression, and antonio. II
not his la6yIove. remains q genuine and sympa-
thetic human being The story gains much from
its background The Portuguese types and Gus
toms introduced and the Portuguese landscape
are dealt with in . vein of simplicity only max
ing fh2m the more effective
The Strain of White" is 2 pathetic romance,
F7sst in 10 wise depressing because of its Iathos-
The motive is drawn from a phase OF life no
unfamiliar n the Northwest years ago, when
the white man and the Indian still odds
oyer the point II supremacy. The soldier come
out Of civilization would occasionally relapse to
the extent 81 taking indian ife-snd by and
bx lie would leave her by the -gayside. The
heroine o. this book IS the daughter Of such an
arrangement she grows 70 raaideniood before
she obtains clew as 20 her father. Wien al
last she finds him ne is gray veteran. with
white wife by his side Neither she nor her
daughter is Of the stun TO welcome Francesca
into their nome, and tie unfortunate
sg7, rT-f7. d ---t-.