The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-01-16
Among the Books
step"

Ba Georgia Fraser. Wittcr & Knit
ner, Of New York. publiehers. sI5o.
There arc 80 few real novels written
nowadays. so many hybrid productions
that. when analyzcd arc found 10 have
thin coatlnt: or romance which ia
SIMPLY used to mask or veneer III.
real purpose Of thc witer aud Ia
render attractive the presentation Of
opin'ons on torions subjects, that A
story like Crow STEP with a scnuine
plot and with all tho picturesque clc-
ments TO give II value. i3 both refresh
Ing throngh/its novelty and attractive
because of It,
Georgia Fraser'c Grow step follows
9 previous book, The Stone House OF
Gowanus In Grow Stop the period
~ that succeeding the American Revo-
luton. but so recently xuccccdinl, ID
that welcome and peaceful domesticity
Is cmbittercd by memories Of lately en-
perienccd strife and bloodsnrd. Grow
fob lea csu CT s h.B5Rn
stop or tho stone House. 80 called be-
cause Of It's steep stepped gables and
the large iron figures forming an In
scrlption as TO the date Of rs erection.
~ situated on Western Long Island
In tho lovely Gowanus valley. occupy
ing position that rcmovcs IL from tho
disndVnntaEcs OF an ocean front. aud
yet gives IL access 10 tho salt waters
of New York Bay. and places IL within
easy rchch OF lie iircuckclcn of those
days and tho Brooklyn of oura.
The family occupying Grow step
tho principal actors III tbs life drama
hnfoldcd by the novelist, Is that OF
Acrson pclcnaut. descendant of tina
Walloons. the first Dutch ccttlcrs of
Staten Island. Ills own hor.u and that
OF his ancestors at tho Narrows av.
int. been seized by the British at tha
beginning OF their occupation, Dele.
maui later gladly availci himself oj
an opportunity 10 secure tile old man.
sion which had scrvsJ as q military
redouht during furious struggle be-
tween Stirling and Corvallis in
which Stirling held &, long enough 10
permit his main force 10 Join wash.
ins,cn on tile opposite heights, aud 90
escape CORVALLIS.
To the quaint Dutch architecture aud
interior Colonial architcciure OF 't.royT.
Step. 10 its heavily raftcreI coilinra
and old world furnIghlngs IL added
therefore tho memories OF It's seven
years occupation as military ro.
doubt contrasting cautiously enough
with its revived pictorial beauty. itf
fresh paths nnd hnsging. us fresh
paint on barns and outbuilJinRs aud
tho fact that, whom tho STORY oponr
1t is tic hnrnc cot only Of hcrson Dele
naut. but of his two beautiful daugh.
terS. Sophie ani Annette,
Sophie is tho elder OF tia ,wc Girls
Car one on whom tho burdru or house.
%ifely cares has fallen since her
mothers death She has beer too busv
always, In locking out for the comfort
and well being Of father and sister
20 realize her ndlviduol needs and at.
fractions Annette. pictured as rarc
blossom Of sirihnod with her golden
)iair her boufnnt drapcrics and her
ttrdlikc dc1icacy OF motion seems TO bo
rreatrd more for tho pure p,caeure OF
tho scpEeg than fer any purpose Of
utility. being set apart in the eyes Of
nil around her Nv her beauty alone
The strongest emotion stirring inc
shallow depths of Annctje's confplacent
existence Is an aversion 10 what she
looks upon as the lack Of Eaiety IL
Eow5nus valley. tho gaucrcrlc OF Its
men and tic ugly clothes Worn by IT'S
women.
Under mask Of Innocence ana
youth. this mental revolt OF Anne;jc'e,
this ever increasing deslre 10 break
tho trammcls OF what she considers u
marrow. aturid circle and 10 escape into
brighter and more oongcnial environ.
ment goes forward without susn.cion
on tho part of Sophie and Aerson Dele.
naut Sophie Is consequently tilleo
with CONSERVATION when she nnds tina,
Annette IL engaged, without her
fathers Knowledge or consent. to Cap
tain Formont. British officer who ia
mn tho point of returning TO England
end taking Annette with him. Know
ms tho passionate patriotism OF Aer.
son Dclcnaut, and his undyinE hatred
OF those looked upon by him as his
country'a cneniee. Sophie interposns
between her sister and tho proposed
running away argument that success-
fGliy prcvents IT. and sends Captain
Torment homo alone TO claim his in
heritance, Sophie promising to guard
his promised bride until his return
Annette. as far as she can be. is
furious with her lover for what she
considers his corardico in leaving her
behind him. 1t takes hcr some time 70
become reconciled 10 his absence and
TO hcT return from New York to Crow
STEP. But she has the captains letters
TO look forward 10. then his return.
and big wedding which she has al
was lonGcd for, SO she plans. But
Aerson pelenaut plans too He has
sworn to himself that Annette shall
never wed Britishcr. SO when the
letters come, he hides them away anu
Annetjos heart grows harder and
harder. az ship after ship comes In
without her having tidings from Lon
den. The long summer days pass BY
Annctias dover chest is filled with
daintily fashioned bridal garments.
She has no mind to be laughed al as
a love-lorn forsaken maiden and an
the man OF her first choice does no,
present himself. she takes another OF
her second choosing. Simon Bartwcil.
recently returned TO Long Island, and
Tho builder Of a fine mansion there
over which he is most anxious to In
stall her as mistress
The dramatic climax of ahe novel Ia
reached in the discovery by Captain
Iormont of Annetje's Inconsistency and
the imposition which has separated
them. Aerson pelcnauts confession
Ind the return OF CAPTAIN rormont.s
letters como as a sequel. the conclusion
of tho story being as full of interest
es the beginning.
Grow Stop" liz a simple enough bit