The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-08-09

year UelOre TIC DuHdiO convention ana D year
after the introduction of the Wilmot provso
Speaking of the post norton attack on Silas
Wright, John Van Buren, said: 1.-THE blow aimed
at the living statesman fell on his new made
grave, and by an inscru table dispensaton of
Providence, the assassin was converted into
hyena." John was an inveterate smoker, and his
father wasn't. Once, when riding together in
close carriage, Johns smoke annoyed the
father. who complained of it. WELL" was the
flial reply, "why don't you get out and ride
with the driverln
EVERYBODY who reads fiction reads Mr. How
ellss stories, and it is rather amusing to listen to
the expressions of vague dissatisfaction heard on
every side after the conclusion of one of his
serials. Few readers are quite pleased with any
one story, as whole, but they find it difficult to
explain why this is so. The truthfulness of the
novelist's delineations of life and character are
universally acknowledged; the men and women
in his books are real people and behave exactly
as they might be expected to behave in actual
life. The opening chapters of any given story
by this author attract attention chiefly by this
perfect portraiture of commonplace people and
everyday events. The reader recognizes in the
characters likeness to persons of his acQuaint-
ance and finds them conducting themselves pre-
cisely as he or his friends might do under given
circumstances Nevertheless, as he follows their
history through successive chapters he becomes
conscious of a loss of interest in their eventual
welfare and of an indescribable disappointment
with the outcome, however happily the actors
may be disposed of. The trouble seems to
be that Mr. Howells is lacking in the dra-
matte instinct, and in consequence of that
lack fails to "fll want which most
readers of light literature consciously or uncon-
sciously feel. The portrayal of the daily life of
commonplace people, however eventful their
existence may be, is not enough if they do not
rise now and then above the dead level Of
civilized existence in act or emotion. 1t is not
because the characters are commonplace that
this is the case, for drama and tragedy are
possible even among the somewhat slow and dull
men and women with whom Mr.. Howels loves
to deal. In none of his stories does he lack the
materials for dramatic situations, but he as inva-
rlaby fails to see them or to utilize them.
Few characters, III fiction or real life could be
more commonplace, not to say essentially unin-
teresting, than Silas Lapham and his family,
in the uneventful lives of these people circum-
stances arose which made even tragic results
possible. The situation between Penelope and
her sister is unique one in fiction, and while
the method in which Mr. Howell chose to treat
1t is true TO nature the dissatisfaction which
the reader feels with the story undoubted-
ly hinges on that point. 1t was
situation full of dramatic possibilities.
and the imagination refuses to accept the smooth
path out of the tangle Novel readers want
something more than photograph of life, how
ever clear and fautless it may be. Imagination
must enter into the work. and though the
strokes of the artist be sometimes unskillful,
and his delineations untrue to nature, he will
be forgiven if the dramatic instinct inherent in
nearly every soul is satisfied.
A GOOD many newspapers feared and not
without reason, that Parson Newman would
make himself and his subject ridiculous in the
funeral sermon preached at Mount McGregor,
but all these journals, save the Philadelphia
Times, were honest enough to confess, after the
event. that, though the preacher had been some
what too gushing, he had offended no proper
canon of good taste. The Times however, hav-
would be violation of the proprieties resolved,
accordingly, that it was, and makes violent at
tack upon the parson, whom it calls pretentous
blathersklte and other rough names. Had the
memorial address been the absurdity which the
most fearful anticipated, merciless criticism
would not have been becoming on the part of
any one who bore respect for the dead General
or his family. So far as they could be made so,
the ceremonies at Mt McGregor were private,
and concerned no one but the immediate friends
Though the reverend gentleman selected to
ofhciate on the occasion might not be the choice
of the public, it was not their concern. He was
the pastor and personal friend Of the man whom
he eulogized, and as such he should have been
treated with consideration and his utterances
received without disapproval The Times has
written itself down a greater blatherskite than
Parson Newman.
REMARKABLY immunity from lung diseases is
claimed for those who dwell in regions where
peat is habitually burned, as in many parts of
the Highlands of Scotland. This is ascribed to
the limitations of peat smoke, which contains
antiseptic ingredients, tar, creosote Jailed to
carbolic acid), tannin, etc. Diphtheria and
Group are said to be less common in the neigh
borhood Of gasworks than else where, and one of
the recognized treatments of whooping-cough
has been to expose the little sufferers to the
atmosphere of gasworks Whether the coaltar
products and the vapors from the lime purifiers
are more valuable than the open air and exercise
accompanying them is question not deter
mined. Moreover certain localities are free
from certain diseases, or are notably subject
to them, irrespective of any cause due to the
interference of man, his modes of life or indus
tries.
A ST. LOUIS paper of Friday announced that
the horse on which General Grant rode through
several battles of the late civil war would be