The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-02-28
Among the Books
and Magasines
The Old Wives, rnIe

The Old Wives Tale.
BY Arnold Bennett. Tho George n.
Doran Co. of New York. $3.50.
Somewhat on the William de Morgan
style as to length and discursiveness,
this book while it has it's good points
lacks altogether the humor and vivid
ness in character painting and descrip-
ton that render de Morgan so attrac-
tive as novelist.
The Old Wives Tale" is woven
about the family of an English trades
man, whose two daughters. Constance
and Sophia, are the principal charac-
tiers in it. AT the beginning of the
story. the tradesman whose name is
Baines, has been paralyzed and is bed
ridden. His wife, a large. capable and
energetic woman. is carrying on the
business of the shop with the assist
ance of a head clerk, named Povey.
The residence of the Baines family
is adjacent to the shop and has a
door leading into it. The dreariness
and dinginess of both the homo and
the shop is dwelt upon at length, the
monotony of life in the little provincial
town of Bursley, where they are stu
ated. is made thoroughly evident
Showing like fowers with shabby
setting, are Constance and Sophia
Baines. Their ages, when they frs,
come under the readers notice, are
sixteen and fifteen. Another import
ant member of the Baines household Is
the servant. Maggie, who lives seven
teen hours of each day in an under
ground kitchen and larder and the
other seven in an attic. and is per-
mitted to go out on alternate Thurs
day evenings.
OF the two girls, sole offsprings OF
the house of Baines, Constance is the
one who acquiesced in her lot and
seems to find pleasure in being usefu
,, in the shop and companion to hel
mother. Sophia rebels against trade
and attains a more congenial position
as assistant in the school of Miss
Chetwynd, who appeals to her gentee
instincts. After awhile, however, the
death of John Baines, the father
brings Sophia back home and places
her in charge of the millinery depart
ment of her mothers business. She
| soon falls violently in love with a
travelling salesman. Her mother feels
| that she has cause to utterly distrus,
| the character of her daughters sweet
heart and does everything she can tc
prevent a marriage between the two
| But the motnor's simplicity and homes.
| ty of opposition is no match for the
| in,perlous impulses and uncommoa
4! shrcwdness of her lovely daughter
| whose unfortunate attachment ends
| In an elopement. Sophia leaves Eng
| land for PARIS after her marriage and
| beyond rare letters, her family know
| nothing more of her for years. Mrs
Baines's sorrow oyer Sophia's duplicity
| and separation from her homo is biz
| ter, and though she conceals it in her
+! own heart she is never the same self
possessed dignitled matron, looking
her little world serenely in the face
| afterward.
Constance Baines. the dutiful, fulflls
! the ordinary destiny of woman by
marrying Mr.. Povey. When the mar.
rlage takes place Mrs. Baines retires
from business and goes to live with q
! sister, widowed like herself. leaving
| young couple.
Then the years drift by. 10 the Pc.
! vcys son is born and Constance, al.
| ready model wife, becomes n dotinp
mother. Then she and her husband
settle down to he jog-trot of unin-
| teresting domesticity. In the swift
course of time, Mrs. Baines and her
sister are claimed by death. Then
Mr.. Povey pays his due to nature and
the two sisters-Sophia has returned
from Paris by this time-are once
| more left TO comfort each other. So
phia. who has separated herself from
her incapable husband. makes brave
attempt to detach Constance from the
dingy old house to Which she still
cllngs, her son having taken apart