Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-07-05
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and "Leur Petit Garcon," by l.. Cath
lin. These novels have a particular
distinction. They are the choice OUT
of many for the yearly prize oil the
Goncourt academicians To Les
Files de la Pluie' was awarded the
prize. 1t depicts life at Ushant. ~
is a tradition of the region that when
the women of Ushant pay visits to the
mainland they bring the rain VITA
them. Like so many French novels
virtue in women is regarded very
lightly. The chastity of these women
of the rain is painted as an unknown
quality The style of the book is
openly brutal and forbidding. me
women are not seductive with tho
art of a practised demi-mondalne'
but gross with the animal-like pas
sion which rules in remote country
districts in every part of the world,
but which is represented in literature
only in the works of authors OF the
Latin races. The English writer, as
has been said, apropos of THE Sec
ond Mrs. Tanqueray," of Sir Arthur
Pinero. cannot succeed in describing
the demi-mondaine, or such of her
sisters as are no better in principle
hut practise vice in a coarser, more
repulsive way.
'r,ordination" is a novel which
deals with a selfish type of man who
is bound up in illicit love for a
woman whose enchanting face and
form and gay, happy spirit enthran
him; but, having artistic aspirations
and imagining that love OF the klno
which he feels is no nourlshment LOT
genius he tears himself from the en-
braces of the woman, leaving her IN
despair. Then he marries pure
young girl who bears him a child.
His offspring becomes seriously Ill.
This awakens his parental love and
his genius is forgotten in his anguish
as a father.
LIE Crime de Biodos" is detec-
tive story with scenes laid in the
BASQUE province, well told and well
constructed, and "'Leur Petit Garcon'
is a story of young writer, well
adapted to amuse the idle hours OF
a youthful couple newly blessed with
their first child.
M. Olivier, French prime minister
at the time of the Franco-Prussian
war, has for long time been writing
his memoirs, which have appeared in
the Revue des deux Mondes. In the
course of these "reminiscences, that
have been accepted as a well-sus-
tanned defense of his own policy
at a period so trying for the French
nation, M. Olivier has arrived
at the struggle for the possession OF
Metz, now an impregnable German
fortress. In the last number of the
review he discusses the battle of Mars
la Tour, or, as it is sometimes desig-
mated in history, the battle of Bezon-
Vile. The article is notable, not only
for the conclusions of the writer, but
also because M. Olivier boldly de-
tends the memory of the execrated
Marshal Baiaine. Thus. again, time
performs its endless work of justice
after countless SLOWLY treading
hours!'', 1t seemed, indeed, that the
day would never dawn when one
should arise who would be bold
enough to champion one universally
regarded as an arbitrator. Yet M.
olivier declares that if the orders OF
Marshal Bazaine had been obeyed
terrible defeat would have been in
flicted on the Germans, who, with
greatly inferior forces, had attacked
the whole French army. Had the
commander on the right of the French
line attacked the German advance,
as he had been ordered to do, he must
have crumpled up their whole van
guard. AS it was, the losses of the
Germans far exceeded those of the
French. M. olivier as the defender
of Bazaine points out clearly that
this was only one instance in which
the plans of the marshal were rem
dered futile and ruin brought newt
ably upon him by the disobedience
of subordinates and the contradictory
and vacillating conduct Of the French
emDerOr