MORE FICTION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 14984, 4 May 1912, Page 4 (Supplement)

MORE FICTION.

« Good at : the Game "-(Long,. London) —is the latest'of- Mr. Nat Gould 8 voluminous contributions -to- sporting t ra Mire, and the publisher states; that he has printed and circulated no lesa than eight million copies of } Mr.; Gould's books, and thitl 30 of to stories had previously been published -by ■ two other publishers. This • must be a record in the circulation scores of living writers. Sixes and Sevens". : (Doubleday, Page, and Co 1 is the title of the last work from the pen of that fascinating American author, the late 0. Henry. who has charmed » large circle of readers during < the past few jears. This book is a volume of short stories which ..depend more upon the . writer's . charming style, .and quaint, humour than upon originalitv of ideas. " UlvssCs and the Dogmau and ' Let Ale feel our Pulse '' stand out as two of the most humorous and laughter-raising gems in this volume that can be said to lacs on© page that .anyone could designate as "dry.". ,■-. .. .--vv-- ■ " •'The Cure "—by Desmond Coke (Bell, London; received through ildman and Aiev) —is a psychological farce winch is laid-in a pretentious English sanatorium, the ciuackish methods of which are cheerfully exposed. . Lady Medwin, the idolized wife of a devoted husband, finds herself gettino- old -and flies for youth to the "Solto 11 Hostel." Hero slid meets a variety of mild adventures, watches over a love affair, and sees a number of queer people. Finally,. discovered by her husband, who 'explains that they have both been idle and. that wholesome work will keep them sufficiently young. r- _ _ " The . Lotus Lantern "—by Mary Imlay -Taylor and Martin Sabine (Little Brown and Go., Boston, U.S.A.)deals with a love story of charm and dramatic power. As one may gather from the title, < the - scene is laid in Japan, at the present time. ' \ military attache of' the British Embassy and betrothed to the daughter of the British Ambassador* meet an. attractive .Geisha 1 , Girl, tJme-Sp (flower of the plum) by name, who is in danger of being placed .in the power of an unscrupulous and cruel 1 Japanese prince.: Hollands; iivmpathy is enlisted, and lie becomes passionately. devoted to •< the little Japanese girl, who is pure, . sweet, and . devout m spite of. her surroundings. The story has: the power to interest to the end; " The Town A Crooked Ways "—by J. S. Fletcher (C- F. Bell and Sons)—is an original story of the North of England tola in-a most, attractive fashion by a writer,, who in these days of dreary novels can ways, bo relied upon to produce an entertaining. story. The author deals in the • main with the Uvea of a number of rather Quaint English* people, both rich and poor' who, as. a role, prefer things crooked to .those straight,and above board* but in con- . elusion happiness and prosperity attend, to .his 'hero and heroine, who walked steadfastiv "fit* tile' midst -of their uncongenial foundings." ' The book has the merit of ■ being-quite cut of the usual track of : *everyday, stories, and is written in, a plea-' ; T i '} " Dame Veronaof the Angels " —by Annie' -E. Holdsworth iMethuen,- London)< .with the heredity problem from the mystical point of -view. sc . -As is duly explained v in the working out of a more .than usually "implicated' 'plot," the third daughter of ahold Scottish Catholic family is destined ■tioa nunnery'in ; accordance *• with- "family' •custom;'- bufr« v loves ? fcer'-clder sister's • be- « t«>tfcedj:\and th&-result, is.- a child,-Verona, whose character Moulded by -4ie% dead mother's passionate desire, for the safety "atid "shelter'' of . the" cloister. " The actual -father and foster-mother of Verona liave •.father-" is difficult tini<3riwitlt bet', -rthb in -.] ■ iin'hwinti,i]tffi|iTrc&s between! the Protestant ; arid the-Catholic -modes ./of .thought;«,and' "attitude towards * mysticism being ?leyerly 'drawn..:' In the end Verona, dies, and ncr rejected Presbyterian lover is left lamentlug. ""The-' book - will deeply interest 'those ■ mystical? minded persons for, • whom it- is: •• written. - - ■>; .^V<

" Joseph in Jeopardy "—by. Frank Danby (Methuen, London)— is a novel - written in | -the-" author's' usual style. It contains the. unscrupulous woman** i* and ' the* innocent; one : and by way of contrast the man of • a type implied by the title. One Amos .Juxton* enterprising supplier of all things, • from communal breakfasts to Minerals, obtrudes ■ himself in the opening chapters as the fating of a bride; ■ The groom ! is Tunis' v 1 Eassif ,• ! the adopted son of a cleric. ' Having paid off 'the subscriptions donated for his education, he marries evi- , dently froni a desire to possess a relative ~ of his own; ' His bride is certainly a bdr«*; .but thijy live happily enough-with ; their 'meals supplied t>y Juxtori*, Limited,- Until one Lady Diana bursts upon Passiful's vision. - "He has become a . very wealthy picture-dealer, and learning- from the titled goddess that'she is about to marry for the sake of money-to pay her debts, he -pleads "to be allowed the honcAir, being 1 re-'ward©B:-bv her .mere friendship) i The lady appears to: construe the term friendship -. in •. a liberal : manner, ■ arid . "Joseph" is certainly tempted. ; ' At the proper time, , how-, ever, fie asserts his will and - discovers >; virtues- .'in his wife >to - the undoing 1 of i the ; temptress, and thereafter, one assumes, leads a ' decorous and orthodox life.' A 'spiteful and "vulgar' woman, 1 married to Ted Juxton, forms another contrast to the •seemingly dull* Mrs.*' passiful and is repaid for her malicious Attempt to soil the repute of the former by being left a widow with < a; paltry eight hundred pounds income • Old ; Juxton passes into a ' stage of aphasia. 'Lady Diana, failing to recapture /tire • affections' of the hero, marries the moneyed lord, Passiful effecting- a complete escape by captaining a cricket team to South Africa and taking his wife and his father-in-law with him. ' • .V-

The Chift Commissioner '%-by -Hilda, M. Swabey (Methuen, London)—is an exceedingly; readable story concerning the relations of air ambitious -Anglo-Indian Commissioner and his managing daughter. Jplot, scene/ and character, are all good, gjjjpwing„- close.; observation and wide experience 'of,; feminine influence at Simla, are tola :—"" The married lady reigned everywhere. Spinsters indeed might have /their little ; day, , hut the most general homage ; ,was.laid at the feet of matrons. ; Dora pondered 'over this fact, so noticeable in Anglo-Indian society. . Partly it may arise, from the; exaggerated deference Jjaid to Government ,position. -The social importance depends her husband's official' rankj'.nd on the number of ,rupees reckoned as monthly pay. ;, A, girl" is unaffected by Vthese,\ considerations • and consequently has no social standing. TRey do ; not, - however, ; altogether i account .for the superior.popularity of married women. The. cause probably lies in lithe : necessities of masculine ; nature. In Europe these find various outlets,- harmless or otherwise, secret perhaps,- but always at hand, and easily, obtained- ' Music lulls, ballets, suppers at restaurants, '-.and dinners at the club draw off the fermenting vapours of English gentlemen. - But no such resources exist in India. v When sport, polo, and cards arc exhausted, : there remain only the women of society, and in providing entertainment the married Woman is far Wore skilled than the inexperienced spinster. . She has assimilated the idea'Of camaraderie :• smokes, drinks whiskies and sodas, and plays cards for- money ; - the girl -as a ride does none of these things. It is not safe to pay a girl too much attention : matrimonial, entanglements 'may result-; but the- married- woman in this casual society may flirt outrageously without any great inconvenience to her reputation. Moreover, she understands masculine requirements, and has learnt (perhaps!) to talk; is indulgent to a little/swearing, and will ' even enjoy a risky anecdote. "With ft girl, a man most be always on his best behaviour, and this is wearisome in ac climate so conducive to laxity of mind flrfd "bodv. '' ' These are the unexpressed JtefiKngs that 'prompt 'many intimacies between wives and bachelors in India. Some m»?'b« beneficial, ending in real friendfiMM«|';tttniiny - are' at::least harmless, light, M&n ; in this shifting society flowers'th.'ft R<s tropical mors-