The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-07-10
Literary Lights And Shadows
BY S. MAYS BALL

"a Marriage Under the Terror" by Pa
tricia Wentworth. &C. P. Putnam's
Sons)
The publishers advertisement in front
of the volume explains how "A Marriage
Under the Terror has been awarded IN
England the first prize in the Melrose
novel competition, a competitor that was
not restricted to first stories.
The distinguished literary reputation
of the three judges, Mrs. Flora Annie
Steel Miss Mary Cholmondeley and Mrs.
Henry de la Pasture, was a guaranty
alike to the contestants and to the pubic
that the story selected as the winner
would without question be fully entitled
to that distinction. In consequence many
authors of experience entered the English
contest, with the result that the number
of manuscripts submitted was greater
than that In the competition previously
conducted by Mr.. Melrose. This novel
then won the $50 guineas prize. first prize
the judges having fixed upon 1t lnoepehu-
entity and without consultation as the pest
OF all the many that were SUBMITTED IL
their joint letter to Mr.. Melrose they say
the novel is full of dramatic situations
and interesting from start to finish.' Mrs
Steel and Mrs. Pasture. likewise Miss
Cholmondeley ought to and do Know
What they say regarding the mover Is
quite true The character drawing 10
fine, the pages thronged with people ana
there is hardly one, no matter now ~
significant to whom the author-WiioeVo,
patricia Wentworth" may be-nas not
given a distinctive personality
. The heroine is wee bit WOODEN oue
most heroines in life and In DOCKS are
that.
The studious reader, but few of us are
10 or "
will not fail to gasp at the audacity ol
new author in selecting the F'rench Rev
olution. at its fercest and its most saw
age stage. as the setting for piece OF
fiction The studious reader JUST llleh-
toned recalls wonderful IA Tale OF Two
Cities" things of that sort and Patricia
book, in his hand, only is likely to get a
jolt. not very much of one, to be sure.
The story opens in August, lfG, with .ne
coming of the heroine to Paris, TO tne
home Of her cousin, a Marquise already
marked as a plotter for imprisoned roy
altv. When the Marquise is arrested and
taken to prison the girl Is accidentiy
swept along, too; but since there is no
charge against her, she Is unceremo-
niously thrust out into the street. Alone
and bewildered, she is taken by passing
shopwoman to whom she appeals, to I'VE
in her house There she must chanee
her name to save her life and 40 EN-
broidery to earn her bread.
Meanwhile. even while the woman hur
ries the pretty girl away, has come the
first slaughter of the prisoners, whefsln
are killed all her friends-eyeryone she
knows in Paris.
Under the same roof lodges member
of the convention, a young man entho-
siastic for the revolution, but sane. hu-
man and kindly. He befriends the pretty
girl-who wouldnt?-and falls in love
with her. It is discovered that the pretty
girl is an aristocrat and the Revolution
is about to strike when Dangeau, her Eel
low-lodger, her friend in time of need,
now her worshipper, springs forward at
the trial and defends her To insure ner
safety he declares that the lovely creature
is betrothed to him, and the mob that mas
been clamoring for her life laughs good
naturally, faces about and demands an
immediate wedding.
But in the pretty girls mind the in
stincts of her social order are strong and
she is repealed by her husbands activity