SOME RECENT'FICTION.

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 253, 13 July 1918, Page 11

SOME RECENT'FICTION.

, A New American. It is good,'in an American novel, to (ret away for mice from Now T York anil tlio everlasting Broadway and Fifth Avenue, and liavn presented -to us, in a well-planned vigorously-written story, eonin vivid pic- S tures-of life, in ono of Hie. smaller centres. New York mid Cliiengo <lo not dominate American life as does London English'life. To some small extent I ho ;1 electric glare of the Great White Way is reflected in flie somewhat somnolent town of Worchester, in which are laid fho chief schncs of Ifr.' Larry Evans's story, "Jfis Own ITonie Town" (New York, Hie U.K. Fly Co.; Wellington, the New Zealand News Co.), but the metropolitan interest in-the fitor.v is merely incidental. Mr. Evans's story has for a hero n younsf man who is regarded by - tho people of his "own home town" as n wns'lfol, a society' riiisfil,' m incurablo Bohemian. The very name of Jimmy dor- J: 1 •don provokes shrugs of contempt, his step- * father, an unctuous old hypocrite, formally disowns him,-his millionaire uncle, a e

shameless, but successful grafter, points to him in public as a hopeless failure; everywhere lie gel.-: the cold shoulder, eavo at a saloon, whero the ne'er-do-well consorts with pugilists,' gamblers, and I ravelling chorus Indies of doubtful reputation, lint though Jimmy's coat l>o shabby, and his pockets empty, hie heart is in flip right place. ' Also ho lias brains, and when finally, niter along absence in New York, lie returns to his native town and takes editorial charge of a struggling newspaper bequeathed him by a relative, ho "makes good" in a way which has somo startling results. For tho down-at-heel idler of the past develops - into an industrious, keen-witted journalist, who sets to work to clean up mmiicipnl and commercial j ffnire with forvorish energy niid very sensational effect. Ko goes at once for "tho big money," selecting his own uncle, the great nfttii of Worchcster, Mr. T. Elihn Banks, for liis first target, exposing his graft, ■ ridiculing his Fecksniffian manner, and eventually smashing tho magnate's candidature for Congress. In tho end he becomes the idol of his fellow townsmen, and famous— far beyond Worchcster—as a playwright, finally settling down as the husband of a very charming young lady. The journalistic episodes are vivaciously described and thero is much pleasant humour in the many" excellent character sketches iii the story. "His Own Home Town" may Iμ recommended as a very interesting and decidedly readable story. "Hoimysucklo Farm," "Honeysuckle Farm," by If. Murray Gilchrist (\V. Westall and Co., per B'. and W. M'nckay), is tho last of a long series of novels by an author who passed away a few months ago! Gilchrist's work,, mo.ro especially his short stories, was highly esteemed by inaijy competent critios, but ho never quite succeeded in leaching /the "big public." His stories deal mainly with rural English life, tho sc«ne of many of them beins laid in tho picturesque Peak district of Derbyshire. He was singularly euocesst'ul in depicting village life. His methods were uimplo and direct, and ho was more successful in his character sketches than in the conception and carrying out of a well defined plot. His latest story, published just before his death, is an excellent example of his literary methods and general stylo dealing, largely with rural lifo aud character.