The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-10-08
MADE IN ENGLAND

The Story of Clementina." by William
 J. Locke. John Lane Co.,, N.30.
 II is only once in century that an au- thor brings anything really new into the world of fiction. It is only one author in a thousand, rather in ten thousands, who can be credited with a really new creation Locke has brought that one new thing into fiction He is the one in ten thousand who has created that one thing altogether lovely-a new creature. That new creation is a unique variety Of hero A hero of another sort than the swashbuckled, virile hero of the usual romance maker. Locke may well look upon these new heroes that he has made and pronounce his creation good. Here tofore-in romanee-manliness and virility have consisted of a conglomeration of these and like so called virtues (the word employed as derived from the Latin): Eeoism suspicion, brute force, devillsh sapiency, bumptiousness, racapcity, ag- gressiveness destructiveness, arrogance, pugnacify, and & further assortment or other gladiatoral attributes. The hcton world shook beneath their tread, ana tair maids were to be captured only by bump tlonsness and bravn But Locke created .Septirnus" and Simon and in dc doing employed an entirely new set of characteristics to make hero; Tor ego ism. selnshness; for suspicion, falth m the eternal good in humanity: for sa- piency, becoming only to Lucifer, wise innocency: for bumptiousness, gentlehess' for rapacty, generosity; for aggressive ness. modesty; for destruetiVeness, con structiveness: for arrogance, kindliness; for pugnacity, tranquility; for belliger- encv. plaeabilty and mediatory capaoil- itv. One fancies such a change in nero makeup no loss to the world. since Hons have to be looked for to be killed and that at great expense and effort-ls seems unnecessary for the modern man to walk the ways of his home Vlliaee with mien and war paint of a lion Killer,
 Ephraim QuiXtus, Ph. b. IS the pess : of Locke's good heroes. He is man or mild manners. kind heart unmarred faith in humanity, He has lived to De- at the opening of the story, a Widower of 40, never so far as he knows oe- ceived. hurt or harmed by any huinah beine Also 1t is very sure that he has deceived nor hurt nor harmed any creature He Is by inheritance SO licitor. by choice a world famed scholar' his chief interest in mundane matters being antediluvlan stones and bones.
  tives one an uncle of immense age and wealth who has in all his long life declared an intention of making QuiStus his sole heir; the other a loVaple nephew. Tommy Burgrave, an artist whom in turn Quixtus promises to make his heir. The heroine is Clemen- tina Wing, a woman of 36 years, she has buried her early romance and her lover with it. She is a famous portrait
 o;,,u ar1nin and enhancement to charms, she wears any old hat with a ''wobbly rose for edornment, her hair is always tousle and her "seolding locks" a-stream Her fingers often stick from the tips or her gloves and she dares wash her race with soap and water instead of elu- tria ting 1t with cold creams. She has almost forgotten that she is woman and the world has certainly forgotten that she comes near being handsome woman.
 The Archaeological society demands a portrait of it's distinguished presi- dent, who is none other than QuiXtus And Tommy Burgrave fnveigles ms uncle into Clementina Wings studio to sit for the portrait.
 Now the capable managing, active soul of Clementina can only be rubbed raw by contact with the unru1tied calm the mid-Victorian courtesy. ana the unmarred faith of QuiXtus. Still be- ing A genius Gin so far as she admits that woman made to be mother may be made into genius) she grasped for her portrait the mans air of intellectual- ty. of aloofness from the practical ar fairs of life:" and, unconsciousIy 1ol- lowing spirit leading invested the face with a spirituality which had eluded her conscious analysis.
 So on Clementina's canvas QuiXtus appeared as 40 years has allowed him 10 be, a man of unmarred faith and righteousness.
 Nc sooner was the portrait completed than life laid rough hands upon Quxtus His life long friend and partner in the solocitor's office, Marrabe by name. ao- seconds with all the firms wealth, credit and trust funds. The ancient uncle dies full of wears and malice, and bequeaths his wines only to the abstemious euixtus, and his wealth to be tangled in the red tape of organized charities. In his wifes old desk Quixtus. for the first time beset with distrust discovers a letter to one, My Adored Hearts Dearest and Most Beloved Angel" and written undoubtedly bv a Will Bamm ersley, the one intimate friend of Quixtus' reserved youth and young manhood-two ideal alterations or. his life shattered at once by just sheet of paper Furthermore, in all the pros porous days of Qulxtus' career he has kept to him, by ties of courteous aims and a weekly dinner at his stately house in Russell square. three derelicts, Huck aby. Billiter and Vandermeer The three have been shining examples of subser- vient gratitude until by mischance they taste too deeply of the wine that is red and show to Quxtus the ngratitude, the malice, the neanness that they have kept SO carefully hidden
 Now. with every faith shattered, Quix- tus desires only a guide to the Whole Art and Practice of Wickedness.' He de- sres to plunge at once into the vortex Of all fascinating sins. But to decent, clean lived. pure souled person all orgies seem rather uncom mforta a ble, dirty and un- satisfactory. Moreover, to the keen and kindly eyes of Quixtus every rascal will present some better trait. some gleam of good His pursuit of wickedness Is far from lurid-or turing. As Clementina at the end of the pursuit. rushing to the rescue of the gentleman, declares: "Not one single piece of wickedness could he commit"
 It is all gaiety and life of the most ar tistic sort when Clementina discards the reckless rose' and the black gown gap ing at the back for a ;hundred guinea gown. gold silk gleaming through amber gris net" for diamonds at throat and in hair all that she may rescue Quixtus from the snares laid by the dimly, dainfi- ly gowned Lena Fontaine. And in the rescue Clementina comes into full under standing and acceptance of her chiefest glory. ''the glory of being woman.
 What the Republic Wants. By Arnold
 Bennett. George H. Doran Co, New