The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-01-22


Woods, author of "Metzerott Shoemaker"
has q very different sort of theme. Miss
Woods writes novels with a purpose and
the purpose of this is to show the superiorl-
ty of true spirituality over spiritualism.
and the power of the one over the other.
Incidentally. she touches upon orthodoxy,
church creeds, theosOphy AMI faith-cure.
and describes q force she calls vitalism.
which gives it's possess0r q moral influence
over all with whom he comes in contact.
There is a good deal of mysticism and
vagueness of thought, and at times, d.
dactic style not at all agreeable. but the
story has q measure of power and interest
that holds the attention to the close. In
the group of characters are two or three
Episcopal clergymen, an evangelist OF no
especial church affiliations. a buddhist,
spiritualistic medium meemeriZer emu
woman who was once "voOdoo'-surely
personages capable of affOrdIng enter tain
ment, 10 say nothing OF instruction. Sow
eral of these characters are gifted with
personal magnetism and clairvOyant or
other occult powers more or less developed.
The one Osthighly favored in this direction
is b clergyman. aud he woos and wins the
medium" beautiful but weak-wllled
young woman. away from the mesmerizer
and eventually marrles her. Being weak
willed it is argued with able logic that it
is better for her to be under the control of
so estimable man than under that of
mere psy Geological eXperimenter. Being
novel with purpose the writer gives CON-
paratively little attention to the working
ont of individual characters; the people of
the story are lay-iigures TO advance the
authors theories, and do not of themselves
mako q very distinct impression upon the
reader Chiefly they are memorable for
their remarkable ocular DEVELOPMENT.
There are eyes changeful and brilliant.
eyes large, sweet and spiritual, eyes
large. black and burning. eyes tender.
blue and soft; there are wild. uncanny
eyes, wonderful, changeful eyes. terrible
eyes, large liquid eyes. luminous eyes. and
q pair of eyes so singular that the authors
powers of description give way before
them and their mention is followed by an
exclamation point. What she would do if a
blind man made his unweIcOme appear
ance in her story il ditlicnlt To conjecture.
30 much seems to depend upon the express
sion of the organs of sight. Some rather
original propositions are advanced by
these people with the soulful eyes. Of one
it is ssid that since he had been q Christian
Socialist ne had read the papers as a re-
lIgIous duty-"not that the papers were
themselves particularly religious. but one
can often reach the facts from the daily
papers by the simple process of believing
the precise opposite of what is therein
stated" Again 1t Is asserted that mar
riages are often brought about by q species
of hypnotism. Men are as apt to be hyp-
Noticed into marrying one whom they
do not really love as are women; not
moro apt. however" The hero of the
story likes his cup of coffee IN the morning.
but questions whether it Is best for him:
1T stimulates the action of the brain and
produces an exhilar8tiOn. glow of gen.
erous purpose and sympathy at times
which are very pleasant but which. as
they do not proceed from the ego, are q
sort of semi by pnotism. and should be
avoided" Here is a picture OF two lovers
which somehow does not suggest reveren-
tial thoughts. but rather q reprehensible
wish that kodak had been in action on
the spot:
He did not let her hands fall abruptly: gently,
tenderly he folded them together before he re-
leased them and turned to 20. At the door he
paused, looked back. and. seeing her stand,
statuelike. with folded hands ana bent head,
even as he had left her. he returned swiftly, and
for a moment bent over her. without touching a
thread of her falling hair or fold of her white
robe. The silence OF that moment was hoer
than prayer. sweeter than caress.
But random quotations are apt to convey
unjust Impressions. From Dusk TO
Dawn" is an outgrowth of phase OF mod
ern thought of the religious and socialistic
drift, and as such is of interest.
+
Gods Fool" by Maarten Martens. is Q
story of a very different sort from either
of q very different sort from any other
novel that the experienced reader can re-
call. Ii Mr.. Martens has purpose other
than to tell q story OF interest that purpose
Is deity concealed. Not that the tale is
without ita Lessons and Its morals: on the