A Deputy Providence. By Henry Murray. (Chapman and Hall.) —This
is a very readable little story. Mr. Barstow, senior, haa acquired a powerful hold over the estate of his neighbour, Mr. Fetherston, and seeks to turn it to advantage by bringing about a marriage between his only son and the Squire's only daughter His munificent offer to burn the promissory-notes which represent the debt on the day of the marriage, has, however, a motive behind it that has nothing to do with his son's interests,—he has discovered coal on the estate. But, we ask, why did he not fore- close at once ? Of course there are difficulties and cross-purposes. Nelly Fetherston has a lover of her own, and young Barstow, who is this lover's friend, has no wish to wrong him. The scene is transferred to London, whither Miss Fetherston goes to earn her livelihood, and whither young Barstow also drifts on a less hopeful errand of the same sort. There is some powerful description of East-End life. On the whole, the tale is better executed than conceived. There are certainly improbabilities in it. Tom Manton may have been a feather-headed young man, yet he would hardly, after being accepted by one young woman, less than half- an-hour afterwards kiss another just outside the cottage where the first was paying a visit.
Previous page
