The sun., 1915-03-27

II - thesis that Joseph Conrad
undertakes to expound in Victory"
(pouhcddy. Page and Company. ami
after On, reader discovers IT the story
suT,rs His hero is an amiabIe
swcdc brought UP to believe In his
fathers philosophy. which in sub.
stance was the negation OF every
thing In consequence he waa,lers
around the world as an observer.
ncycr interfering in other peoples
business. keeping to himself and
being suspected and disliked in -on-
sequence. He violates his principles
on two occasions: first. he helps out
sea captain In crisis. which makes
rim his friend. though he seconds
much time In proving to himself that
there * no such thing as friends nip.
Tho captain dies and leaves him
tangled up with the remains OF n
bankrupt coal mine on an island cast
of Java. Then he rescues a girl from
A concert hall in Sourabaya. which .s
at the eastern end of Java. and takes
her to his island. She loves him and
'res to make him understand that he
ioves her. hut his philosophy will not
admit # love nor of the crude
religious ideas Of the girl or Of tho sea
captain The hero is bounded by a
stupid German blackguard. who will
probably please English readers just
now This person sets on his track
,hrce atroclous scoundrols two or
them British products: and, after
motives are thoroughly dlsseCted. a
scene ~ violence wipes out the whole
l5,. A the moment Of death the
Svedc discovers that he loves the
c!rl Tho tone Is humorous through
all the very minute descriptions of
ife in the East. which is unusual with
Mr Conrad, the end is clearly in
tended 10 he ironical. perhaps humor-
ous Tho work is as artistic as any
that Mr. Conrad has turned out: we
regrr' that he takes his fun 80 grlmly.
Two disreputable vagabonds e,ude
tA4'- pursuers and take shelter in n
southern home whose master Is away
n Francis T. Eliott's pals FRS,
Harpers). TIE younger one owing y
Ais striking resemblance is enabled to
impersonatc the owner; the older orc
,o'lS the story and We easily share his
excitement and fear of detection
Among tho persons To ho deceived
ore DISH nest cousin ard the clrI
who loves the absentee. When she
accepts the impostOr as her lover the
elder vagabond's conscience is stirred
The outcome Is unexpected and s.nti'
mental and will make the reader fee
''at he has been cheated. The story
has kept him excited. nevertheless
even if ;he vigorous beginning Is not
sustained
"'u THE Cheerful blackboard" 'Tn'
Pobhs- Merrill Company. 1ndiannpolisI
Roger Pocuck has the assurance &
Hout the most sacred tradition ''
Canadian fiction. the impcrturhabi'
calmness and capacity Of the Nhrth
ives. Mounted Police. With tn'
nero. who tolls his own story. il i
dIfhCu.; to feel much sympathy; ever
his mixed parentage does not accour
;or his behavior. That seems to b.
the result of tho authors reading q
modern uicaresque literature and no
of observation Of human nature H'
has also utilized scral = of hist 'rN
The women episodes are not pleasan n
reading There is no reason 10" car.
.c the hero hlpckguard; hc merel'
poses dramatically whenever IN" al
thor calls IN him TO do so.
Tie dozen ard half cp.s de
whica Sewcll Ford allows his her" .
relate in shorty McCabc on the jon
Edward j. Clodc, New York; ar
nearly all amusing and arc var!egate
enough TO loo read Consecut!Voly WI
pleasure Shor'y's peculiar NeN
Y.rhcsr is kept up to date. lie
engaged ihIs time in seeing that
corideuC" man carries out honesu
thc phudnthrupic provisions OF d
c.r,ntric viii but Mr.. Ford has II
',use not to stick - that ingenion
mechanism. Tie branches out u
No. p'oa,,S. sometimes bringing !
Slowy'e frieads of earlier tales an
spmetiw,- not. In one instance Il
t.lds forth on the immigrant ques
ton seriously. in another he snrca'
'.ra.I, makes "A man who IL kind an
peasant 20 every one an escape
NDdt,' AZ "A rule, however the NOR
Is to be found in Shorty's slang con
mcr's OF in the story Itself IL 's
good deal Of a feat t. keep ms hef
bright and entertaining; We can rec"
many predecessors of shorty WI
had their day and were run into u
prouuf by their authors ohe "
mentions Pcmanuid; there ~ ne
ina, We should like to have Mr' foi
try.
Unfortunately for the heroine
Naude Radford Warren's barbara
Marriages." Harpcrs) the author NJ
picked her out as the subject Tor
careful. and frank dissection OF loi