The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-12-11

are shown as they reflect on the life
OF his son. who Ia the hero. The au.
thor shows how the little boy il
puzzled by the things that happen,
nrst in Brussels and Homburg and
later at school In England. He In.
dulges In clever and charming child
psychology and in reoonstructions of
mid Victorian conditions, which can
hardly be memories. like Mr.. De Nor
gan's. The boy learns nothing about
his peculiar position till the end of
tho book. but he feels early that there
ID something queer around him and
grows reticent and self-reliant; in fact
the author makes him devel. } powers
OF reflection and analysis that would
be abnormal In any boy. yet with all
this shows him to be a manly and
lovable fellow. Mr.. Pryce's whole
story IL simply the history OF his
gradual discovery Of his position; he
finds himself illegitimate and nameless
and does not care. His relations to his
mother are described very beautifully
her sufferings are touching, though she
holds back the truth too long. His re-
forming fathers return to the con-
ventions of society when his fortunes
change Is natural enough. The stu
pid malignity Of the woman who
hounds the family would be devilish
II she did not stand for outraged Brit.
ish responsibility. The book is a SER
mon against would-be reformers who
make innocent victims pay for their
notions; 1t is written In the form OF
minute biography, which is now the
fashion; 1t ends when the hero is II
years OF age and has discovered that
he has talent for acting; it may b<
easily extended into a trilogy or an In.
definite series Of combinations.
No doubt the vicinity OF the Pomp.
ton lakes or any portion of northern
Jersey might properly be made the
scene of romance. but we fear tina,
Marion Harland has waited too Ions
with "A Long Lane" tHearst's Inter.
national Library Company. New
York;. The sordid village tragedy
she recounts Is told in spasmodic dis
connected episodes and is rather diff.
ticult to follow. There are pictures OF
rural conditions as they were some
time before the war, and memories OF
the people who shared In the affair
for it Is based OF actual facts. but 1,
will call for close reading I o make
out what the story is, as the readel
Is led astray by much irrelevsn,
matter.
There is much amusing indignation
in ]. Wesley Putnam's ''The Hidden
Things" (The Macaulay Company
! New York;. The author is incense6
I at New York criticism of Mr.. Harold
NJ. Begbie and after saying what he
thinks OF this in his preface proceeds
to show up the wickedness and
frivolity of New York. He write,
better English than Mr.. Begbie, it may
be said. He sends an unsophisticateG
young woman from a New England
village to Manhattan. where she
wishes to earn a living and also to see
life. She becomes a model for a popu.
lar illustrator and meets other artists
writer's OF best sellers and publishers
also some Young women associates OF
theirs. Although the author is severe
in his comments on all these people
they seem to behave very decently t
the girl and put no temptations in hel
way that she does not seek for. HeI
Manhattan career Is cut short by ar
automobile accident which brings hel
under the influence of a writer of up.
lift novels. The story %thereupon be
comes ingenuously melodramatic ant
ceases to interest.