29 MAY 1897, Page 22

Nell and the Actor. By Lilian Sweet. (Skeffingtori and son.)—

The plot of this story, which has the merit of being short, is rather too familiar. There are two brothers of the name of Coplestone. The one, Graham, is good, and an actor. The other, Paul, is bad—but not irretrievably bad—and a scientific student. The heroine, Nell, a sweet creature of the now approved inginue type, falls in love with the good Graham, and Graham with her. But Paul, the bad and morbid, falls in lave with her. He and his mistress, a coarse creature of the name of Carrie Fordham, try to poison Nell's mind, and to take away Graham's character. But they fail, in consequence of Nell's thorough belief in her actor. Finally, Dr. Paul relents, and saves Nell's life at Oa

expense of his own. The final attempt of Carrie Fordham to marder the girl, who can hardly be said to be even her rival, is rather too much of an intrusion of violence into a story which other- runs smoothly. The character of Nell and her earlier surroundings are well described.