SOME RECENT FICTION.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1842, 30 August 1913, Page 9

SOME RECENT FICTION.

THE CAY REBELLION. Mr. Robert W. Chambers seems.to have settled down to a regular alternation of his longer and more serious novels, sucli as "Tlio Fighting Ohnnce," and "Tho Danger Line," by light and airy productions in which t'ho author's only object is to amuse a not overexacting reader. His latest story, "The Gay .Rebellion"' 1 (D. Appleton and Co., per George .Robertson,and Co.), belongs to this second class, the class of "The Green Mouse," "Iolo" and "Japonette." In "The Gay Rebellion" Mr. Chambers has utilised tlio woman's suffrage question, exhibiting tho fair sex of tho future as a sex sworn to carry into effect the doctrine, not merely of woman's perfect equality with man, but t'ho absolute; unquestioned supremacy of tho eternal feminine. The author gets some good fun out of an institution entitled "The New Race University," the members of which set out to bring into active operation the eugenics gospel of Galton. He draws a highly fantastic picture of a band of charming young women of the approved Gibson and Harrison Fisher type, sotting forth, armed with nets, to capture any stray Adouis who conforms to Greek ideals in form arid feature. The rebellion prospers for a. time, but in tlio end tho good oldfashioned dement of love prevails over mere idealism, and there is a general and humiliating surrender to the once despised man. Tlio story begins well, but tails off in interest towards tho end. Some readers will no doubt be vastly amused by Mr. Chambers's fantastic creations. Others will, I fear, vote tho story the veriest piffle. Mr. Edmund Fredericks's illustrations, which are very numerous and most daintily' drawn —especially the head and tail pieces to the various chapters— are a very attractive feature of the book. "OUTSIDE THE ARK." Tlio three leading characters in Adelaide Holt's clever study of literary and theatrical life in London, "Outside the Ark" (John Lane, per Whitcombe and Tombs), are Hugh Inskip, a moderately successful journalist who turns playwright; Iris Davenant (his wife), tlio daughter of a country clergyman, and Marguerite Stair, a beautiful and much accomplished actress. Tho author husband becomes successful as a playwright, and philanders with the woman who makes such a hit as the heroino of his play. The wife becomes violently je-alous, and her lack of sympathy with tho artistic temperament of her husband is an additional source of trouble. Eventually the husband, driven almost mad by her reproaches, goes on a voyage to India, 'and whilst returning, loses his life at sea. • The widow, wlio has passionately loved him and recognises that it was' largely due to her jealousy that tragedy had entered into her life, is proposed to by an old admirer, but decides to live for her little son alone. Such is an all too brief and necessarily bald outline of the story, which depends for its success upon its clever character drawing and singularly bright and attractive dialogue. The two women's, characters aro contrasted with great skill, and Inskip is no lay figure. "Outside the Ark" is a novel much abovo the average, being possessed throughout of an air of reality which is most convincing. SHORTER NOTICES. : "Daddy Long-Legs," by Jean Webster (Hodder and Stoughton; per S. and W. Mackay) is described in the now inevitable publisher's puff preliminary on tho cover, "as "A Full : of Smiles Book," and for once, at least, the advance criticism is just. Miss Webster, whose charming story "Molly Make Believe," won her many friends, tells her story mainly by letters. The heroine, who rejoices in tho quaint, rather than attractive, name of Jerusha Abbott, is ail American foundling girl, who writes an essay, tho originality of which induces one of tho trustees of her institution to send her to college and launch her, so ho fondly imagines, on a successful literary career. The solo condition is that sho must write to him regularly and unreservedly as to her experiences at college, must never expect a reply or seek to see her benefactor. Tho loiters are full of quaint humour, good sense, and a most engaging frankness. I will not say what is tho exact result of this curious one-sided, epistolary acquaintance, but it is one upon which both the parties concerned will have the reader's. congratulations. A very jolly book, illustrated by sketches of a decidedly post-impressionist, but most amusing, character. The Suffragette is bound to become a familiar figure in English fiction of tho day, and truth to tell, if sho comes in so pleasant a form as tho heroino of Hay EdginWs novel "Tho Son of Eve" '•Hodder and Stoughton; S. ai"* W. Mackay), she will always have a hearty Welcome from "Liber." The story deals mainly wilh London life, although tho scene of the first few chapters is British Columbia, and we got some amusing glimpses at theatrical and journalistic life. This is a very brightly-written story, tho heroine of which, whilst not sacrificing Tier best ideals, comes in the end to see that private, personal service can do as much and more for the cause of woman than can the loudly paraded, hysterical efforts of tho extremist militants. Tho author has evidently a very shrewd perception of feminine character, and what is equally important, never sacrifices the interest of her story, as a story, to any insistence upon polemics. The/' Wooing of Margaret Trevonna," by Ro'y Jleldrum (Hodder and Stoughton ; per S. and W. Mackay) is a wellplanned, vigorously-written rOmanco of they far away days of Charles the First and Cromwell. Threatened with marriage with a man whom she loathes, and seeing no other way out, the heroine poisons a cup of wine, which is, however, drunk by tlio wrong man. Sho flees from the house, and meets a handsome highwayman, whom eventually she marries. But, alas, tho "High Toby" husband had already a wife. For a timo tlio pair live happily, for tho highwayman has returned to respectability and tho enjoyment of a fine estate. Remorse, however, seizes him, and he loaves poor Margaret. Then the plague comes, and tho heroine finds her husband, stays to fight the awful disease among the villagers, and becomes herself -a victim. After her death tho distracted husband returns to "tho road." A full-blooded, well-written romance, laudably free from any undue interruption of the main narrative by the semihistorical "padding" too frequent in novels of this class. Memories of Anthony Hope's "Prisoner ot Zenda" and Stevenson's "Prince Otto"—especially the latter—may bo evoked by "The Tragic Prince," by R. and K. Weckes (Aiuirew Melrose; per George Robertson and Co.), but it is none the less a vigorously-written romance, with an ingeniously-complicatcd plot, many exciting incidents, and ail unexpected but quite satisfactory ending. Tho story describes court life at Ncuburg, and thei planning and carrying out of a revolution against a reckless, dissipated ruler, Prince Hcinricli. If the story lias a fault it is to bo found in the overcrowding of the stage. But so rapidly does 0110 intrigue succeed another, so cleverly is the reader's interest maintained, that ono may pardon a ■ slight vagueness hero and there in the characterisation. The novel was one of those submitted in a £250 first novel competition. It did not win tho prize, but it was certainly worth publishing,

nnd is well worth reading by those who like fiction of the Ruritanian type.

The youtlihful hero of "Danny's Own Story," by Don Marquis (Doubleday, Pago and Co.; per George Robertson), is a happy-go-lucky lad, .who is left on a doorstep, anil after a childhood of rough treatment finally runs away and becomes tlio assistant and companion of a travelling quaok doctor, of a typo which will be quite familiar to readers of tho la.to 0. Henry's stories. Danny has more than a dash of Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn in his composition; indeed, had not Mark Twain given the world the adventures of that immortal pair, I question Whether "Danny's Own Story" would evor have been written. But Mr. Marquis must bo credited with having produced a capital yarn, in which many interesting side-lights are thrown upon life, especially negro life, in the southern and middlo western States. Tho hero is eventually discovered to bo the son of the doctor and the latter's long-lost wife. Ho is a humorous and likeable youngster, who will mako. many friend 3 amongst tho readers of Mr. Marquis's story. Tlio illustrations, by that master of .black and white, E. W. Kemble, are exceptionally good. Such lino pen drawing is rarely to bo met with, and is a welcome chango from the too genea-al wash drawings, badly duplicated in carelessly executed process blocks. ; Mr. Mortimer Crabb, of New York City, gentleman at large, agreeably if npt munificently "dollared," on the surface placidity poreonified, but possessing unsuspected depths in -which quito remarkable mental activity lies hidden, is the hero of Georgo Gibb's latest story, "Tho Mater of Opportunities" (Appleton and Co.; per Georgo Robertson and Co.). Considered by his friends a mere lounger through life, lie suddenly becomes involved in a 'series of adventures of a highly exciting character, espousing tho oause of friends in troublo, exposing rascals, and championing beauty ill distress, all with an outer air of detachment which covers, as a matter of fact, a highly romantic spirit. Mr. Cra-bb's experiences are related by Mr. Gibbs in a series of stories, all more or less co-related, which will afford excellent entertainment for a few spare hours. Illustrations, by Edmo.nd Frederick, of the now quite familiar types of tho slim and beauteous American young men and maidens, duly accompany the text.