Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1885-08-20
--a----
a DEAD

The death of Hugh Conway, the nov
elist, recently, at Monaco, Is a sharp
d reminder of the mutability of all earth
n ly plans and prospects. 1t recalls the
! legend of the wish angel, who hovers
continually about mortals, hearing
4 them express their most cherished de-
\ sires. He grants their wish sooner or
\ later, but under conditions which strip
it of all Joy. He humbles human be-
ings by giving them what they long
for, and thereby proving the Elusive
ness of all dreams of happiness.
Very little is known OF Hugh Con-
way, whose name in private life was
Frederick John Fargus. He lived,
aspired, strove, and in some measures
achieved, then died just as life seemed
to open before him. That much is
known. The ellipsis in the short chap
Ter a be readily filled by the imsgina-
ton Of any one who knows how steep
and rugged is the pathway that leads
even to the boundaries of success.
He was only thirty-seven years old,
had had his share of struggle, self-de-
NAL, priyation, and baffled hope, of
course, since none who strive are
strangers to these dragons that crouch
by tire road to eminence. Two years
ago Mr.. Fargus, who was an auction
eer in Bristol, wrote Called Back, " a
story now known to two or three hun
dred thousand readers here and abroad.
1t was published in Arro0smih'S IN
nual, and lay unnoticed on the Lon
don book stalls for weeks, and perhaps
months. One.day Henry Labouchere,
going on n journey, picked it up to be-
guile the |tediousness of travel. He
read it. W. pleased with it, and after
ward spoke of it in Truth as a very
clever story. Then all London wanted
to read it, and did read it The an
aHGl vas 0 exhausted, and Called
Back was brought out in a new torn.
A hundred thousand copies were soon
sold. 1t was republished in this coun-
try, and had an enormous sale. 1t
was dramatized and had q long run in
London and also in New York.
As q work of art, Called Back had
rs defects, but it also had what offset
the dcfects-an indefiuable charm. 1t
mad force and feeling, the germ and
lie Of all art. One felt that its author
mad a strong personality. 1t depicted
70 new phase Of life, revealed no hid
den things, 1t simply grouped some
Old, old figures of fiction in a more
4 striking way. There was a flavor OF
psychologist mystery about it, and a
surprise at the end of it. The charac-
ters which figured in it, and whose fate
AaQ such a potent charm for so many
thousands of readers were: a blind
man who RECEIVERS his sight by the usu-
" surgical operation, a beautiful mad
woman, TWO very daring and success-
lal villains, with q faithful nurse and
one or two other eiphers in the shape
OF obscure serYitors. Yet the adyen-
lures and entanglcments of these per-
sonages commanded inc public's warm
est attention.
4 lev months later Dark Days"
appeared. This had still greater sue
cess than its predecessor. Its heroine
vas also a beautiful mad woman, and
" mad a captivating surprise in the last
4 chapter. 1t was steady, u~nmltigated
tragedy from the first to the last
word. 1t was serious to the point OF
oppression, never dcviating into the
s4lghtest approach to the comic or flip
/ pant. II wa an intense story, dramat-
caly told IN the first person. 1t had
not a line OF philosophy. Indeed. there
4 vas no q word in it unnecessary 10
'ae siInple telling of q powerful tale.