The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-04-13
..The Mating Of I,,d,n..

BY. NJ re-. Humphrey Ward. Double
day, Page & Co. OF Garden City. New
York Illustrated BY Charles L. Brock,
si.s5 net.
a novel from the pen of Mrs. Hum
phry Ward, written along the lines
which have given her so distinctive
place. not only in England, but in the
United States, where her books arc ex-
ceedingly popular, is an event of liter
AIRY interest and Importance.
In The Mating of LYDIA" Mrs. Ward
has reverted to the environment and
atmosphere calculated to bring out her
powers to their best advantage. The
poetic temperament and romantic
imagination of the authoress heighten
the effect OF II story which has Il more
decided tendency to plot than several
earlier productions of Mrs Ward. IL
the characters in this latest novel are
modelled from historic characters. the
originals are known only to Mrs. Ward,
or TO such intimates as she has chosen
to reveal them.
Threlfall Tower. an eighteenth cen
fury Georgian house of Cpmbria, Eng
land, holds the centre of interest in the
book, Edmund Melrose, it's owner.
howing but one natural. human trait,
a love for rare works of art and pas
sion for collecting them. Disappointed
in love and embittered by it. he lived
~ home, estranged and separated from
wife whom he had married in Italy
and an only daughter Felicia, for
whom he had no natural affection.
The heroine of the novel is not
Felicia Melrose, however 1t is Lydia
renfold. ,the Younger daughter of a
widow. living at Green Cottage, not
far from Threlfall Hall. Lydia pos
sesses the talent. the delicacy. refine
ment and beauty with which Mrs.
Ward knows so we'll how to endow her
women in fiction. She inspires the man
she loves to do what is right in the
face OF great temptation in the shape
or inherited wealth She herself re-
fuses n titled lover and n splendid po-
sition because she does not love the
man, who offers her both, as She feels
that she should. The construction OF
Mrs. Wards book and it's characteri:a-
tion are equally fine. There is q fresh~
ness and spontanety everywhere APP
ent in its pages. a consistency OF
rposc and - gradual working up to Il
climax which. when it is reached,
seems the natural outcome OF a long
series OF pretty tyrannies and cruelties.
bly, tho justest criticism, alto
sother, 10 be passed on The Mating of
Lydia" is to say that it bears the un
mistakahle impress Of its author. who
has created for herself an cnviablc
individuality in the world OF letters.
"Hnndbook of Municipal AccountinE.''
BY the Bureau OF Municipal Re
search II. APPLETON g. Co, OF New
York and London. s. net.
This volume is prepared by the Metz
Fund from descriptive and critical data
collected and constructive recommcn-
dations made. In January. 1906.
herman y. Metz assumed responsible
ity for the administration Of the de-
partmcnt OF finance Of the City of New
York one of the duties OF which was
TO prescribe the forms of Keeping and
rendering all city accounts" The first
year of the Official term OF. the comp
troller was employed in getting in
touch with the problem. During the
remaining three years Of his admins
tration Mr. Metz not only utilized the
resources Of his office for doing con
structiNc work, but also invited and
obtained the active cooperation of the
Bureau OF Municipal Rescarc Among
the concrete results of this co-opera-
ton was the preparation OF a Manual
of Accounting and Business Procedure
for the City OF New Yoril--a volume
OF some 500 Quarto pages. This was
promulgated by the comptroller rs an
executive order under authority OF law.
The administrative purpose OF this
manual as set forth in the introduce
ton was.
l. 4 ~ utStllht ttUnlttIN. the forms oil
documents 10 be used ana the procedure
10 he followed by employees OF the city.
TO the end that responsibility may lie
located for each step taken in each
transaction resulting in the receipt and
payment OF money. the acquisition and
sale OF property. and the mourning
and liquidatinE of liabilities.
=. TO establish and place in the
hands of employees Il manual contain
ing definite rules. departures from
which, in the administration Of the
citys affairs, may he treated AS
breaches OF diay.
3. 70 require those making any
change in corporate practice to state
such change in writing. and TO assume
official responsibility therefor
4. TO make available to each one
who has business dealings with the
city the means Of knowing the tech
meal requirements and OF understands
ing his rights
> To establish Il procedure which
VIII make available to the public "A def
nit" test of economy. efficiency and
fidelity Of service
In his introduction the author saws.
The function OF accounting is to nro-
ducc complete, accurate. and prompt
information about business transac.
tons and results To do This. some