A STRANGE RELATIONSHIP.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLIII, Issue XLIII, 8 March 1909, Page 1

A STRANGE RELATIONSHIP.

A discursive, readable story, of uu particular power, is "The Revolt oJ Anue RoyiiJ," by Helen JR. .Marlin (.New York: The Century Co.; .Melbourne: Cfeorge Jtobcrtson). It h the sort of story which many women read with pleasure, demamliug no particumr effort on their pari, aud trouble.. with no particular plot. Aunc I,'uyli is more entertaining iv her childhood than when she grows up. A little, sensitive, clever child, she is ruled with an iron hand hy hor adoptive father, and hectored in a patronising fashion by her older cousins. But she has occasional outbursts of delightful childish naughtiness, revolts which are always punished with needless se verity, hut which she reckons quite worth tho cost. Tho s-tory of her peculiar relation.!' v.ith her guardian, whom t-he believes to be her father, occupies a pretty lengthy volume. But readers who have time to spare, and who liko a simply written story, will onjpy following tho fortunes of .\nv: There is one ajene, towards tha close of the story, whon Anne and the en rate visit a mountain farm, where the curate '■:, to marry a I'cuur-'lvarJr.n Dutch farmer to his housekeeper, which suggests that (he authoress would make a real surer** of genre studies witt a humorous touch.