The sun., 1916-08-19
CRITICAL REVIEWS
OF THE SEASONS
LATEST O
Mystery Stories by Carolyn Wells, Adele Luehr-
mann and Anna K. Green.
A Psychological Yorkshire Tale-Mr. Franck's
Tramping Trip Through Mexico-Russia.
How the Serbians Retreated-The Polish Jews.
Dancing and Dancers. and Other Subjects.

Is expected Of the people that figure
in detective tales. but In this case by
the time the author chooses to solve
the mystery not a shred Of character
il left to the murdered woman or to
he unfortunate persons to whom sue
cessively suspicion Is directed. In no
case Is the motive strong enough to
explain the crime. while the means
employed by the young woman who
induces the criminal to confess are
repulsive. 1t Is a carefully constructed
tale and may crafty the devotees Of
this school Of fiction.
Suspended Memory.
A blow from an automobile that
runs her down deprives the heroine of
Adele Luehrmann's The Curious Case
Of Marie Dupont (The Century Com
pany) Of all memory Of her previous
life. She is cared for by the person
who is the cause Of the accident, is
brought up In luxury and shows only
good and amiable traits. The prevail
iLg fashion for dancing, however. leads
to her giving q public exhibition that
betrays early professional training and
arouses the suspicious Of several per-
son The outcome il her identifica-
ton with a notorious dancer formerly
employed In a disreputable hall In Paris.
This portion OF the mystery Is handled
ingeniously. and the old New Yorker
who has spent twenty years in Paris
10 well drawn and attractive. A sud-
den shock restores the heroine's mem.
DRY and enables her to rid herself Of
hAr ltsraD,tahtn pauH he, NhA .,NhAr
clumsy device Of introducing q bad
twin sister. who YVES murdered at the
time OF the accident. Having cleared
herself. she is able to marry the man
who has believed in her throughout.
1t Is a promising and exciting essay In
his form Of fiction. Tho compiled
tons run into one another naturally
the author will learn to cut out those
that are superhuous.
ss~bstitating . Twin.
Twins and n marriage cut short
also figure prominently in The Chic
Le0afec (Dodd. Mead and Company
a new Issue of "a story by tho veteran
Anna Katharine Green which ap.
peared first at least ten years ago
The heroine leaves her husband the
moment they are married and expendi
much ingenuity In turning herself int
q twin sister. who unfortunately doe
not exist. She keeps the reader ant
her husband puzzled. Her object Is 4
escape the wrath Of a mysterious sc
cret society to which she once be
longed. Americans will ind 1t har,
to share her apprehensions.
The sins Of Parents.
The marked feature in the minute
study Of Yorkshire village life whicl
Edward c. Booth calls Fondie (Apple
tons) is the unreasonable sever!t.
employed by the parents Of the thrc
young people who are the principa
characters. The father Of the her
belongs to some eccentric dissenting
sect; he whacks, the boy. thwarts hi
inclinations and reviles him on a.
occasions. The boy IL n marvel O
humility. outdoing Uriah Hecp blu
without his hypocrisy; he Is n cleve
mechanic, tries to help every n an
applies the principles OF Christianit
to all his actions: for this he is de
spised and nicknamed "fondie," wh!cl
IN equivalent to fool. His friend IL
gentleman's son. tyrann!zed over b
his grandfather. but helped and infiu
enced by Fondie. There Is a girl.
boisterous. forward hoyden who wi
not take a dare: she Is the vicar
daughter. treated with great severit
at times by her father and completed
neglected at others. She has forme
the habit OF disregarding him entirel
z-l A.l~- NJ, ~ nna rO rs
in their teens, and for a ime the ton
Of the book Is that Of comedy. The
the girl throws herself ut the head
the squire's son. gets into trouble an
makes 1t known in the village. tn
author omits no detail OF this cru
story and gives besides a bitter d.
scription Of a worldly clergyman
Fondie, who has always loved tho gil