NEW BOOKS.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume VII, Issue 11, 14 March 1891, Page 16

NEW BOOKS.

‘FOR SO LITTLE.’ BY HELEN DAVIS. This novel is one of the sensational kind, and to lovers of that class of fiction should prove most acceptable. The interest is wonderfully well sustained throughout. Having once taken the book up, it is too fascinating to put down until the end is reached. The child-wife, Elsie, indulged by her father, petted by her husband, recalls Nora in A Doll’s House, Her wonderful love for and her belief in her husband is well portrayed by Mrs Davis. Her innocent acceptance of Dr. Langley’s assistance in her troubles, her unconsciousness of his devotion to herself, are skilfully worked into the deeper plot of the story. The doctor himself is very attractive, and his struggles between honour and love give us glimpses of his genuinely good heart. He has always been an old friend of the family, and Major Legh, Elsie’s father, who lives with the young couple, feeling ill, sends for the doctor soon after the wedding.

Virtually, Dominie Langley saw that it meant the appointment of family physician to the Mahers, as under all the circumstances it was hardly likely that another medical man would supersede him after he had been once called in by Major Legh ; and he asked himself again it there was any necessity for an avoidance of this house in particular. For the moment it seemed to him that there was, for surely the right was his to protect himself against unnecessary distress of mind. On the other hand, so far as he knew, his attachment had neverbeenpositively disclosed, and his excuse would probably be received with amazement and pain. Strong liking, too. for Major Legh made him solicitous to attend him in his illness, so that, after weighing one thing with another, and turning each argument over m his mind, he decided to pay the visit in the morning.

Major Legb’s illness is a curious one, and Lawrence Maber, the son-in law, who dabbles a little in medicine, avers it is dyspepsia. A hospital nurse, Beatrice Morte, whom Mrs Maber has previously known, is engaged to attend the sick man.

The young lady was about twenty-four and above the average height. There could be no doubt that she would be considered a handsome girl by some people. Moreover, hers was a face with a great deal m it. There was power expressed in the clearly defined chin, and in the firm lines of the mouth, while the brilliant black eyes gave further confirmation of strength of character.

But Major Legh, despite his nurse’s care, dies. The end comes suddenly, and, unfortunately, Elsie has persuaded Miss Morte to take some much needed rest whilst she watches her father. The old man dies in great agony, pointing with his finger at the sleeping nurse, and crying, ‘Look—to —Lawrence.’ Elsie is very ill after the terrible shock, and Miss Morte naturally remains to nurse her. She is much thrown with Lawrence, and they become great friends. One evening, when Elsie is better and in the draw-ing-room, she tells her husband he is not looking well. He crosses the room, joining Miss Morte at the piano, and asking : ‘ Miss Morte, am I looking ill ?’

The rich crimson had mounted into the girl’s face as lie approached. but her voice was steady, ns she replied, • You are not well. Mr Maber. I told you so last night.’ * Dili you T lie said, sitting down on the music stool and looking at her in ids quiet, amused way. ‘ 1 have forgotten purposely. It is like getting an encore from Patti to hear your sympathetic tones again. You didn’t sleep well yourself. 1 saw your light burning at two this morning, and I heard you turning over the pages of your book furiously as if you could not read cither. Your pulse at this moment isn t right. It’s so quick that you know better then to let mo feel it.’ . . ■ . -

* indeed you shall not !’she cried, as he attempted playfully to seize her wrist. * I’ll rap you across tile knuckles if you do - there I And she did.

Bat things go further than this. A atenee is held in a bachelor’s bouse, and thither Mr Maber escorts Miss Morte, he assuring her. ia answer to a feeble protest, ‘ But people will talk r— ‘ My dear girt, people will talk about you whatever you do. A young and pretty woman must make up her mind to that.’

A young man named Lothian, who is preaching life insurance, is a great spiritualist, and, meeting him at this seance, Lawrence Maber invites him to give a Tontine lecture to the whole Maber family, dependents, servants, friends. This is done one evening, and Lothian, who stays all night, takes Mrs Maher’s ‘ life ’ in the morning after her husband has gone to his office. Major Legh has left her £20,000, yielding an income of £5OO a year, but Elsie has no power to will this money after her death. Supposing she has no children, it goes to another branch of the Legh family. Elsie is delighted at the idea of making some provision for her husband in case of her death, and insures her life for £lO,OOO. Lawrence professes to be very angry when he hears about it, and says she must allow the policy to lapse. Beatrice Morte had counselled her to say nothing to her husband about it.

Lawrence is in difficulties, but strives hard to pull through. Beatrice gets jealous of his love for his wife, and does her best to win it for herself. She is overheard by the servants calling him ‘ Laurie,’ Elsie’s pet name for him. A little boy arrives, and Elsie’s life is in danger. The baby, too, is so delicate they fear he will not live. Dr. Langley is unremitting in his attentions, and baby recovers, but Elsie grows worse, her case being extremely puzzling to the good doctor. Lawrence gets the medicines himself at the chemist’s. Mrs Billings, the nurse, watches Elsie one night when Lawrence and Beatrice Morte have gone to a ball. She gives the wife some oysters for supper, which suit her very _ well. Miss Morte gives her some more the next day, which make her so terribly ill that another medical man is called in.

The story here is most fascinating. The reader is sure that Mrs Maber is being slowly poisoned, and gets very angry with the doctors for not discovering the fact, and for allowing her to grow worse and worse daily. Which of the two, the husband or the lady-companion, is administering the poison is doubtful, and it seems probable that they have joined hands in the dreadful crime. A third doctor is sent for, and he gives no hope of Mrs Maber s recovery. Mrs Billings discovers Miss Morte arranging the medicine bottles, and sternly tells her to let them alone. Later, after taking some iced-water, Elsie goes into a state of collapse, ana Dr. Langley says ‘ she won’t last long.’ Sending the faithful nurse to look what time it is, he snatches the moment alone with his beloved Elsie to give way to a torrent of passionate words. Mrs Billings returning, tells him about the iced water, and says Miss Morte immediately changed the glass when Elsie said it was nasty, but she, the nurse, has secured some for him. Dr. Langley takes it away with him, telling the nurse not to leave her patient on any pretext whatever, and to give her no food until his return. Then he analyses the icedwater, and immediately causes the arrest of Lawrence Maber and Beatrice Morte on a charge of attempting to poison Elsie Maber by administering-antimony. It would be unfair co Mrs Davis to tell the result of the trial. The book should be read to be fully appreciated. We congratulate Mrs Davis on her successful treatment of a plot which is evidently taken from life.