New-York tribune., 1909-11-13
FICTION.
Ne5c N0cels and R0mances by
american 4atkors.

THE TITLE MARKET; By Emily Post.
Illustrated Icy ). II. Gardner SopeT.
i2mo. PIP 3s6 Dodd. Mead q 60.
KATRINE. a Novel. BY Elinor Macart-
asy Lane. Frontispiece. l2mo, pp. SIS
Harper 4 Bros.
THE GAME AND THE CANDLE. BY
Eleanor NJ Ingram. Illustrated by p.
T. Johnson. l2uno, PIP. S2S. Indianapo-
lis: The Bobbs-Merrill COMPANY
VERONICA. PLAYFAIR. BY Hiaude VIII
aer tS'oonln. lllnsIrGlsd oy lester
Itslrh. l2no, pp. Sls. Boston: Little.
Brown & CO.
THE SEVERED MANTLE by William
Lindsey. Illustrated in C0lots by Arthur
J. Keller. i2mo, pp. i5S. The Hcughton
Nifhin Company.
Mrs. Posts contribution to the discus
sion of the great and growing problem
OF International marriages. their causes
and results, bears evidence Of serious re-
fection on first hand observation. OF
course. a general discussion OF q social
problem in a novel is but rarely possible
as an integral part Of its plot ana cha:
acterization The Title Market" pre-
sents but TWO cases-that Of an Amefi-
can-Italien princess Of long standing and
Of her niece. who, visiting her, comes
under the influence OF the environment
OF rank. its pomp and circumstance, its
advantages and privileges and social de-
STABILITY. The shadow side is shown in
the character, daily Ire, habits and
ethics of several mobiles, more than one
OF whom present themselves 70 the girl
as possible husbands, and in the glimpses
she gets Of her aunt's private life and
the sacrifces she has made Tor her un-
stable husband. II is this aunt who, in
the closing chapter, becomes the authors
mouthpiece. 10 sum Up the pros and
cons, mostly the elatter. There is some
sound common sense in her remarks,
even though, as generalization. they do
not go Tar below the surface. The
author had 10 bring her plot 10 prear-
ranged ending; hence. no doubt, the uni
form moral undesirability OF the for
eigners. Some twenty years ago Mr.
John Kendrick Bangs expressed a de-
sire 20 write q story about a Sunday
school superintendent who did not turn
out 10 be a defaulter. I'm the same way
one could wish for an international ro-
nance whose noble hero proved not 10
/ toe q blackgusrd: there have been hun
dTeds OF them ia real life. To re-
1 turn TO The Tide Market" however:
4 II VIII prob3 bly, be most popular and re-
ceiVc most attention ia American circles
( where such marriages are least likely TO
/ happen. IL furnishes good light reading,
! does not venture too far into the in
uicacics Of Italian character and social
lie, has a slightly mel0dramatic plot,
and ends most fiatteIingly 10 our na-
tlonal consciousness Of our own superior
qualities, morals and virtues. Il may be
worth while 10 point out TO the author
that there are no Italian ''media,ized'
families.
u was the iate Mrs. Lanes boast
that not 3 single drop OF Anglo Saxon
/ blood flowed in her veins-tlat she was
an American Of pure irish descent. No
I wonder, then, that 'Katrine," her third
and last-EOvel should be a tale Of IRISH
! character and temperament. with all
their bewildering contradictions, their
ioYable qualities ana the reverse. KAT
! rine' herself-ancther prima donna -
is ideslized. but Dermott AIcDermott is
as attractive and welI-Mmned an Irish
man as one IS likely 10 meet with in the
hction of the present day. The Amer
lean hero Is colorless by comparison. OF.
rather, he is unconyincing. because he is
tine embodiment, first Of all of the re-