The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-08-15

Franz de Jessen's story OF katya,
translated from the Danish by w. J.
A,exande. Worster John w. Luce &
20. Bos,on), is we'll qualified to satisfy
the reader. 1t is called a romance. and
q has an abundance OF highly stirring
,omsntic incident. at the same time 1t
has It's realistic quality with plenty that
,s believabie and amusing. At the be-
ginning we are In Russia. 1t Is de-
urh,:ul to read of the company as
.smbled on the Prince Rilinshs broad
Estate in the Ukraine. We are made to
know exactly how Katya, the l7-year-
old daughter of the house. purloined the
,aspberry kvas two bottles Of IT, that
b.d been hung in the well to cool.
This lawless appropriation was not
quite so trlflng as 1t seemed. When
ratya was sent 10 her room by the
prince. her father, as punishment for
deprivl..; the household OF the cool
drink that 1t was accustomed to enjoy
a, luncheon, she revenged herself by
rlunrirg the parrot in mourning. 1t
appears that the parrots name was
petrushka. The story reads at this
nslnt; a moment later she stood in
her own room. hot and GREATNESS. but
encouraged 10y sweet thoughts Of
vengeance She drew down the blind
and locked the door Aha. Petrushka,
i,,s our turn now She rolled up her
sleeves tied the parrot by one leg
20 the back of a chair. routed out an
old nail brush and sat herself down
sstr,dc the scat with the air of an
artist at his easel
Somehow the reader forecasts the
indignity that IS 20 he offered to the
beautiful bird He shudders The story
part.cularlzey that the parrot was
bright green with splashes of red OF
the wlngs, and proceeds. Carefully
and with many caresses Katya pro
ceedcd 70 slacken him all over, coating
him from head 10 foot with the Princes
French hair dye. which according to
the label was guaranteed absolutely per.
mAnent" The story fingers upon this
business 81 the funeral dyeing If the
gorgeous bird The detail IL not without
Interest, We may venture 10 quote
little. II was katya's first experience
with hair dye Tho description runs:
1T was a long business. much longer
than she had imagined. The first coat
only sufficed 10 thlnly veil the brilliant
emreald Of Petrushka's feathers" We
pause TO charge the translator with
the offence of the split infinitive. and
proceed: The stupid bird would not
keep still, but wriggled and shifted
continually protesting with particular
vehemence when II became necessary to
turn him over on his back. and most
undu,ifully resisting the somewhat UNI
gentle Efforts Of the girl 10 pull out his
wiass and paint him underneath. He
chartered ceaselessly all the while. cock
!ng his head awkwardly on one side and
growing more and more astonished as
Tho bright feathers became blacker and
h.arker.' We should like to linger upon
'n' account OF the transformation OF
She parrot. we feel. however, that We
'lrt sufficiently indicated the power OF
ST." story teller to be interesting in this
PARTICULAR. We allow ourselves to add
merely that the bird behaved itself with
sad decorum after II was dyed. and
that It was not at all responsible for
''' opinion Of certain others who gazed
upon Il in its changed aspect to the
cttect that Il was the devil.
ul The paper cover OF the book Katya
:. called the Becky Sharp OF Russia.
va ..AF S'lilt AlAlt W Nlt ildlilts tltI
power OF fascination IS well Indicated
IN the course OF the tale. There are
very amusing pages indicating her ab.l,
ity 10 have her own way. She was
clear sighted and strong She could
Ming herself into an emergency with
srea. effect. II seemed proper that she
should marry Petya. She married Mkt.
They murdered Mkt in the Balkans.
ka A. ~ a..
she was capable OF making tremendous
Impressions IN Russia. Niki's father is
curious character. AS a Russian
General lie made himself rich. What
he did OBVIOUSLY he did cautiously.
Others could not venture to find him
out He knew we'll how to involve his
super!ors. His labors we're for his Con.
Curiously enough the relaxation Of Ihis
schem!ng General was needleworA. lie
made beautiful things witt. his needle
Tor HIS daughter-in-law. His grand
children loved him
II Is remarkable what disaster was
cause-a by the amiable Katya Far
bingham, the English dipomatist, and
inc saamored Mkt ran away from
her at the same time. Mkt ran a
dreadful course. lie Joined the revolu-
OF which he was captain lie bombarded
the town, He blew up friendly ships
Inc k!ndes; belief regarding him mus,
De that he went mad. II will be re.
themoercd what distress the Russian
navy suffered al the time OF the wal
WIN Japan. Here the horror OF the
nome experience Is unevasively anC
tremendously pictured. Mkt. son OF the
great Admiral Orlofr. shelled Odessa
ne paid the penalty that he deserved
hatya' the widow, married a mean per.
foh' she followed her nature. and sh,
vas 10 more fortunate than Beck,
Sharp.
We have thoroughly liked the story
IS agreeable to be fortified in
teelhs and It seems reasonabl. to ado
WAT 'hatya" has been approved b,
george Brandc5 who is described OF
we paper cover as no less a person
''n Sic .sai.ng critic in the world"