SOME RECENT FICTION

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 275, 16 August 1919, Page 11

SOME RECENT FICTION

"The House of Lynch," To the handsomely produced now collected edition of Leonard Merrick's novels lias now beau added one of me most successful of the novelist's longer stories, "Tlio House of Lynch" (llodder ami Stoughton). Mr. Merrick deserts for onco his favourite backgrounds of journalism and the stage, his hero being a clever young English' artist, Dick Keith, who, du ring the course of a visit to New York, whither he goes to paint' the portraits of some society people, .meets and falls in love with the only daughter of a multi-millionaire, Jordan E. Lynch, whose brutal disregard of everything save iinaiiei.nl success and cruelty in crushing out his business rivals have gained for him a very unenviable reputation. Kcilli loathes Lyneh's money, and, much more so, the methods employed in its making. He marries the'beautiful Betly on the understanding that she must not touch a penny of her father's money, and takes her away to London. For a time the pair are very happy, but when. their little boy is born, and, commissions for pictures being few, Keith is ha I'd put to if to meet his household expenses, there comes. |« rift in the domestic lute. The wife, desiring to consult a former doctor concerning her child, who is attacked by n dangerous malady, finds'money troubles in the way, and accuses her husband of cruelty in his refusal to accept any of her father's tainted money which could bo had so quickly from .New York. There is a separation, but when the ob- I jeetionabls millionaire suddenly dies and leaves his colossal fortune to his daughter and she makes the whole of it over to trustees for tlio benefit of various charitable objects and the artist husband achieves fame, by a picture which arouses the utmost enthusiasm in tlio art world, the pair come together again, and the curtain goes down with the pro : rnisc of their permanent happiness. Mr. Merrick's touch is as light and graceful as ever, and in none of his stories is there a more brilliant 'sparkle in the dialogue,-. ;Betty Lynch is a .fine, womanly heroine,, and Dick Keith, with bis fixed determination never to sacrifico his artistic principles to monetary considerations, is a hero of whom any novelist might well be proud. Mr. G. K. Chesterton contributes an introduction in which he pays some high compliments to the sterling quality of Mr. Merrick's work generally, and in particular of the story under review. "Josselyn's,Wife." ' Wife," by Kathleen Norris (John Murray, per Whitconvbo ami Tombs), is. an 'American novel (from .the 6amo pen which gave us "The Story of Julia Pago" and "Mill-tie tho .Tlneonquered"), .which 1 can warmly commend to my readers. The somewhat unpleasant motif of a vicious young stepmother making love to her husband's son is handled very ably and with no unnecessary offence. Josselyn pere marries, when an old man, the -young and handsome Lilian, much to the disgust of his son Gibbs, himself a man of early. middle age, an artist and liiaiKibout-lown. Gibbs, too, -marries, his clioieo falling upon a quiet-mannered comilry-bred girl, who makes him a good and loving wife. Then, after a trip to Jim-ope, Gibbs and his faithful Ellen take up their residence in New York, and the husband is made much of in society. Kilter the wicked stepmother, and soon a violent flirtation develops. The young wife, far shrewder" 111 perception than she is given credit for by her husband and Lilian, grasps the situation and bravely fights to retain Uibbs's love. Thq, man, however, has a strain ot' moral weakness in him, and fails to recognise the real woi-tli! of the devoted little woman to whom he has given liis name. Soon conies tragedy, for Josselyn senior, discovering, as ho thinks, evidence of guilt 011 the part of his wife and his son, has a violent quarrel with the latter, and shortly afterwards is found dead in his study; from a revolver shot wound. Circumstantial evidence ir, strong against the son and Gibbs is arrested, fried, and sentenced to-imprisonment' for life. The- unhappy Klleit believes, 'however,- in hi.s innocence, which is finally established in 11 very remr.rka'blo way, and the released :niah r.nd his wife retire to California, where (iibbo is fated to die of consumption, Ilia nuiclitried but ever devoted Ellen having a new era of future happiness opened up for her through the love of an old and Jaithful admirer, who lias long been a, loyal friend-of both husband and wife. The femalo villain of the piece is perhaps just a. triile stagey, but in Ellen Mrs. Norris lias given hor readers an admirably drawn a most womanly woman, whom a\l readers of the story must respect mid love.