THE SKETCHES,

Otago Witness, Issue 2004, 21 July 1892, Page 39

THE SKETCHES,

" ONLY HUMAN." The popular author who writes under the pseudonym of "John Strange Winter," does not frequently produce a novel of formidable dimensions. And " Only Human," which is larger than her average work is in two volumes. This will not militate against its success, though many people will be glad to find that Mrs Stannard has no idea of confining herself to the publication of shilling novelettes. The plot of " Only Human " is not intricate, but it is admirably developed ; and those »vho take up the book need not be under any apprehension that they will find it dull. The Broughtons are one of the two families with whose affairs the author concerns heiself. They lived at Brompton a quarter of a century ago, "more like substantial landed gentry than like town-brerl folk, and were known for their charming garden parties, their excellent dinners, and irreproachable wines. Their sons were sent to the best public schools, their girls had foreign nurses, expensive governesses, and the best masters. Mrs Broughton had her neat brougham and her natty open carriage, her butler and footman, and all the surroundings of a rich man's wife. In short, the Broughtons lived at the rate of some LGOOO ov L7OOO a year at a time when extravagance and show were not the order of the day, as they are now."

The story relates <o the children rather than the parents. Jack Broughton is the eldest son. He has two brothers and three sisters. He marries Mary Featherston, " who was well born and exceedingly pretty, but who had nob a penny in the world to call her own." But —

Mrs Jack took to spending LSOOO a year as readily as a duck takes to water. Having given one dance, she wanted to give more. Having once used her influence with Jack to help his mother in the matter of Phil's Eton bills she|very soon got into a habit of persuading Jack to put his hand in his pocket for everything that the family required. Nor did she forget to ask him for everything that she wished for herself . "Jack, I do wish you'd buy me a diamond necklace," she said, coaxingly to him one afternoon when she had fetched him from the office a little earlier than usual. "A diamond necklace, Midge," he cried, with a burst of laughter — " why, what in the world do you want a diamond necklace for ? " — "What do I want it for? Why to wear of course," she answered. "Why, last night at Lady Crosshampton's, I was almost the only woman in the room without one." — " And you were a deuced sight prettier than any other woman there," Jack declared. — "Ah! but think how much prettier I should be in a diamond necklace, Jack," she urged. " Indeed Ido want one ; I don't see how I'm to get on any longer without one." — " By Jove, Midge, but you are getting on all the same," he cried with a burst of admiration. Mrs Jack turned her head away — " I think you are very unkind, Jack," she said frowning. Bat those who imagine that Midge is selfish or naturally extravagant will soon find out their mistake. Many wives, who are splendidly unselfish, and prepared to make any sacrifice for those whom they love, have appeared both reckless in their expenditure simply because it had never occurred to them that their husbannds would live beyond their income. Until one night, when Jack comes home about half-past 10 and announces that he is ruined, his wife has not the remotest notion that she is spending more than he can afford. Then the trutb is told her with terrible abruptness, and, even before she can realise it, the husband she adores is in the hands of the police. He has used securities belonging to a client, and the client has caused the arrest of the fraudulent solicitor.

" Midge," as Mrs Jack Broughton is generally called, determines at once to see the client, who is Sir James Craddock. The account of the interview is described in vivid language. This is the sort of man on whose tender mercies she has to rely :—: —

And yet Sir James Graddock, upright, honourable, just as he was, was perhaps as hard as only a very upright man can be. Himself incapable of a dishonest action, he had no mercy for those who were not able to withstand the hour of temptation. In the great city house of which he was the head, such clerks as remained in faithful service for a certain number of years might be sure of a comfortable provision for their declining years or in case of ill-health overtaking them ; but did one yield to temptation and help himself to what was not his, or find himself unablo to resist outside persuasions to reveal certain facts, that one need look for no mercy from the head of the house. So far as Craddocks' (as the house was always palled in the city) was concerned, that man might just as well go out like Judas and hang himself, for any hope of forgiveness or of being taken into favour again. But in this case, Sir Janus Craddock was not unmoved : —

If the truth be told, never in all his life had he been so nearly moved to throw his principles to the four winds of heaven, as he was at that moment. Mrs Jack's beautiful sad face, her eloquent gestures, her abandonment of grief, all helped to stir his heart and make him forget for a moment that he was one of the sternest as well as one of the justest and kindest of men. He got up from his chair and walked to the fireplace— then he looked back on the bowed lovely head, the gleaming shoulders heaving now with scarcely suppressed grief, and in another instant the day would aye been hers. Then, alas for her, the lamu-

light fell upon the diamond necklaco whijh encircled her throat and bathed it in a narrow stream of fire. His heart was hardened in a moment, and he strode back to his seat, impassively waiting until she should say her say. The appeal, however, fails. When at length Midge finds other arguments fail, she say*, ■' You are so rich " :—: — " What has that to do with it ? " he cried. " Again and again I tell you it is not altogether a question of money, although I am not so rich that L 60.000 is a matter of no moment to me. But it is a question of right and wrong, of justice and injustice. lam sorry, very sorry to refuse you, but I have lived all my life on certain principles — they are as well known as my name — I cannot go against them. It would not be right for me to do so, because you are a pretty woman with a persuasive voice, and have a little child asleep at home. Think for a moment, and you will see what an impossible thing it is that you ask. Then, at la-.t, the suppliant desists, and in her despairing rage, threatens him that if ever he has to ask a favour of her, she shall have the gratification of " giving an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth." Jack Broughton takes his trial, i s found guilty, and sentenced to 10 years' penal servitude. Midge has not only to bear the shock of the sentence, and put up with her little daughter's innocent and ignorant gaiety, but she has to tell her husband's mother. Mrs Broughton has a paralytic stroke, and it is at this stage that the extraordinary heartlessness of her own chilc'ren astounds the reader : — Within a few hours the news had spread round to such of the Broughton family as were in England that Mrs Broughton had had a paralytic seizure, and the result was that during the following day Phil arrived, having got a few hours' leave from his regiment, and after saying that it was a dreadful business and staring in a frightened way at his mother, who was still perfectly unconscious, for some few minutes, he went back to the dining room and then found out that tho house was stuffy, and came to the conclusion that he would be better out of everyone's way. " What time's dinner, Midge ? " he inquired. Now Midge who had been up all night had not given so much as a thought to the question of dinner. She had eaten a bit of toast and part of an egg for her ' breakfast that morning and would be perfectly content with whatever the cook should think lit to serve up to her both for luncheon and dinner. "Oh! well — I'll manage to dine out," said Phil, catching at the idea with a long breath of relief." Phil had scarcely got well oat of sight before a neat open carriage drew up to the door, and Maudie — now Mrs Cathcarfc — was dropped :—: — Ah ! how d'ye do, Midge ? " she remarked, not offering her hand but dabbing first one cheek and then the other against her sister-in-law's — " I'm sorry to hear poor mother's so ill — is it very serious?" "I'm afraid very serious," said Midge with swimming eyes. "She is not conscious yet." "Dear — dear — poor thing. I'm sure I hope she's not going to die, I've got invitations out for two dinner parties, and I've had three new evening dresses this month." " Oh, Maudie ! " Midge burst out. " Bertie thought it was better," Maudie went on apparently not perceiving what was in her sister-in-law's mind. " Yes, it doesn't do you know to sit quietly down and let the world pity you, it will despise you next if you don't take care. As I said to Bertie : 'If Jack chooses to go and do such disgraceful things, it's really no fault of ours, and I don't see why we should suffer for them.' So we sent out invitations for two dinner parties last month and two next month. If we hadn't, people would have fancied we were mixed up in the affair, instead of which everybody has been as nice as possible about it and really pitied mo and felt for me." "I don't think you needed it very much, Maudie," said Midge, who felt as if her heart would burst. " No, but I do, such disgraceful doings. I have no patience with him, and if it wasn't that his sentence touches me, I should say that he richly deserved all that he got." Finally, Aggie, otherwise Mrs Edward Lawrence, arrives. She is not so heartless as her brother and sister, but she is insulting to Midge, who feels that Maudie " was quite sisterly and kind in comparison with her." Unfortunately, Aggie come 3 frequently to Brook Gardens, and does her best to vender the miserable life of her sister-in-law more miserable. She is a very horrid young woman, who, to other failiugs, adds the despicable vice of meanness. However, the wind is tempered to the shorn lamb, and as the years creep on, the attitude of the family towards her become? less objectionable. Eventually Mrs Broughton dies, and leaves Midge enough money to provide for her wants and those of her little daughter. And soon after this Jack Broughton is released from prison, and husband and wife — with the child, who knows nothing of her father's sad history — go to San Francisco. Here, at Los Andre, they are vere prosperous and very happy. Jack, having become rich, would have returned to London. But Midge was obstinate on that point, and so they remained at Los Andrp. Her daughter Marjie being lovely — as well as an heiress — has plenty of admirer?, but no lover until she meets James Craddock, the son of that Sir James, now Lord Esseldine, against whom her mother swore undying vengeance. As may be imagined, the thunderclouds gather, complications set in, hearts seem likely to break. Whether Midge adheres to her threat to Lord Esseldine, I shall not say, but she ulrimately facea her old enemy, and has to make a final decision. " Only Human "is a suitable title for a novel which, in spite of a certain necessary vein of sadoess, is bright and entertaining. Indeed, one is disposed to think that "John Strange Winter" scarcely attaches enough importance to the trials and troubles of her heroine. Perhaps this is because she has very considerable compensations. — A. W., in Figaro.