The Washington herald., 1913-02-16
By A. ID. JACOBSON.
THE LAPSE OF ENOCH WENTWORTH: By
Isabel Gordon Curtis. Chicago-F. q. Browne

THE LAPSE OF ENoCH WENTWORTH: By
Isabel Gordon Curtis. Chicago-F. q. Browne
& Co
To begin with. I side with Mr.. Curtis,
who wrote the first chapter of this
lively romance, intending it for a COM
pIete short story. 1t would have pre-
vented disclosing a depth of Iniquity
rarely. if ever, looked for in a news
paper man. Why Mr.. Curtis, himself
of the profession, should have en-
dOwed a brother editor with such n
degree of moral turpitude, is a puzzle
anyway What suggested to him his
motif is easier to surmise.
Had Mr.. Curtis continued and finished
this novel. Enoch Wentworth might not
have appeared such a monstrosity,
such a devil incarnate. But why specu-
late? Mrs. Isabel Gordon Curtis is well
known as author of talent and facil-
fly of expression. of picturesque dictfon,
though in the present Offering her imagi-
nation was permitted to run riot.
/ dare say when Mrs. Curtis insisted
upon developing the poker game of the
first chapter into lengthy story, she
intended the book to be an argument
against the evil of gambling for high
stakes, a moral, an object lesson as
1t were, a mirror rejecting the sad
future in store for those who would
but take the trouble to look. This she
has accomplished IN a redllStlC Dut
somewhat Grewsome manner.
The reader who follows the plot with
sufficient interest TO study the char
acters created by the author. perforce
will marvel. or perhaps be repulsed, at
a man, as Hyde and Jekyl-like as Enoch
Wentworth the editor who after day
spent at his desk preaching and dis
seminatinG truth. honesty, good conduct
and morals. deliberately robs his best
- 80 hA Iost atr
of his talent; nay. of his very genius,
in the most cold-biooded, fiendish, ao-
solutely heartless manner.
And yet this IS exactly what Mr..
Curtis has begun 10 do in the first
chapter and what Mrs. Curtis has elabo-
rated upon.
Wentworth an6 his chur, Merry .
talented actor, in the wee sms' hours
% the morning, after an all-night game
OF poker, play for no less a stake than
the losers life and liberty. The entire
story, as such, Is highly dramatic and
well told, demonstrating the survival
of-the-fttest theory, but also that a man
Of moral lesion. 4 wealling of no char
acter may flourish for a while An un-
deniahly fine specimen OF strong wom-
anilood is Dorcas, Wentworths lovely
and sensible sister. AS she is a true
hsroine. whose ready Wit saves the hero
from utter degradation; from the bread
line and from drunkard's fate, moth
ing is too good to say about her and
as everything is possible in novels. no
fault is found with Mrs. Curtis for al
lowing her to leap to fame Ia her very
first appearance on the stage.
This is the agreement of honor as
drawn up and signed by them both:
L hereby pledge myself to you until
death: to do your every bidding: to
obey your every demand to the extent
OF my physical and mental ability, you
10 furnish me with support"
The winners name is placed on top
of the sheet, the losers at the bottom. |
Wentworth wins! The story runs along
smoothly enough for while, until Merry, |
the light-hearted. devil-may- conviv- |
ial actor meets Dorcas, who arouses his |
manhood. He decides to do something |
worth while, and he does. He writes a |
drama. and reads it to Wentworth, who |
then and there reminds Merry of their
agreement, claiming the play as his
own.
Things then begin to happen, and there
IS plenty of tragedy though also enough
Of romance. The scenes at the theater
the clash of the star actors and other
features are exceptionally well brought
out. The denoument is all that could
be desired in a well-written novel Went
worth saves Merry's life and the agree
ment' is Cancelled.
THE FORMER COUNTESS: By Annie Fields Villa.
Boston-Sherman. French & Co.
However many and grievous may be
the faults of present-day fiction the
vice of banality cannot often be charged
against It. In this respect our writer's
have advanced from the methods and
practices Of large class OF fiction writ