The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-02-02
THE BREAD-WINNERS.
A Criticism of This Story That VIII Keep 1t
ANONYMOUS.
Literary World

Literary World
How this disagreeable story ever got first
access to the public through the fastidious pages
OF the Century Magazine are at a loss to
imagine, and the question as to what induced
the Harpers to confirm with their creditable i'm
print its circulation in book form only adds one
mystery to another. The authorship is anony
nous, and well it NAV be No author of to day,
with any care for his reputation, would choose
to put his name to piece of work grounded on
so low level. Some weeks since, struck with
familiar note in the opening chapter. but
ignorant of the book as whole. we playfully
asked if that lover of anonymity. Mr.. Horace
h. Scudder, might not be charged with
the authorship We did not know what we were
saying, and we now ask Mr.. SeIdders pardon
10 lay this greasy, slangy, malodorous book at
the door OF a refined and gentlemanlv writer
would be like bringing home dime novel to the
charge of Miss Phelps or Mr.. Arthur Hardy
Who wrote The Bread Winners we do not know
and do not wish to know; and the next book
written by the same hand we shall pass over to
some one else to read. But because the story
has attracted attention. the newspaper
items say, do we feel bound to describe it
somewhat fully and give the reasons tor our
very decidedly unpleasant impression OF 1t. Its
scene is apparently laid in some lake city, and
the background of it is the great railroad
strike Of a few years since. The bread win
ners are gang OF low lived. coarse mouthed
rutiians, bent on war of labor against capital,
two or three of whom are in competition for the
daughter Miss Matehin is girl of the period
OF the cheap jewelry ORDER who has "set her
eap'-not for Sam Sleeny, or Andy Oft, or Mr.
Bot, "bfead-wlnners" above mentioned-but
for Mr.. Arthur Farlham, a young millionaire
who views life from library luxuriousy fitted
up in oak on Algoquin avenue. Mr.. Farnham
IN turn, becomes the lover of Miss
Alice Belden, who, with her mother, is his
nextdoor neighbor. Mr.. Farnham and the
Beldens are meant to represent wealth. intelli-
gence and culture, but do it in very artificial
manner and by means of effects which are sim
ply stacy. All the other people in the book are
'lewd fellows of the baser sort, with an unlim-
tied knowledge of slang for their chief accom-
plishment, and delight in intrigue. profane-
ness, robbery and assassination The author
seems to have had it for his object to see how
many disagreeable things he could get together
and how many disagreeable things he could get
them to say and do The reader is led along an
avenue with high sounding name, it is true,
but with one foot in the gutter all the way.
We do not object to descending in fiction
to study the underground strata of society; but
this expedition is not well conducted and is re-
pulsive from the very first step. There is none
of the social evil in the book, but there is a
plenty of other evils, and we advise readers who
like to rise from novel with feeling that they
have been in pleasant company and have received
some pleasant sensations to leave it alone. We
have no patience with a book like the Bread
Winners, put forth as it has been with profess
sion of having literary authority and merit Of
the virtues that have their home among the
lower classes it gives no glimpse. 1t is simply
openly, Extensively vulgar.