The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1897-09-12
HALL CANES LATEST.

Hall Gaines new story is as worthy q work
as the authors achievements in his previous
great novels, THE Manxman' and THE
Deemster," would naturally lead the public to
expect 1t is written with elaborate pains
after complete study OF his subject. 1t is
tervent in the appeal the story makes for
hlgher standard OF morals; ii deals in a mas
terly way with those elemental passions
which are of perennial interest; and it comes
up to that theory of fiction which Hall Game
defines as presenting "a thought in the form
OF story with as much realism as the REQUIRE
ments OF idealism will permit"
The title OF the novel is not a happy seIec-
lion. The name would imply that the hero,
John Storm, is a typical Christian, but
surely he Is very far from being that, and
the name OF Christian Will suffer a dminu-
ton OF dignity if the great works OF fiction
are TO picture such characteristics as repre-
sentative of the followers OF the Nazarene.
John Storm is an admirable man in many
ways, and his ardent love for humanity, his
honesty OF purpose. his he roic self-deniAls for
what he considered RICH teousness' sake, place
MIN In moral merit far beyond an average
christian! but he is Il fanatic and far from
being well-ba lanced man. 1t would be unjust
TO say that he is not Christian in a high
sense of that term, but man so fer from be-
ing thoroughly sane should not have been
used in fiction under title that would imply
of great creed to be called The Chris
tan'-a perversion of Christianity thus Dor
trayed by widely read author viii tend TO
throw away the popular conception Of the
effect OF the creed on its votaries.
Inc story tells of a conflict between love and
religion-of an ascetic's devotion to q woman
y who loved the world; and the nature torn by
ihese different motives is q strong and passion
ate one. The long struggle and the alternate
triumphs of one passion over the other are
finely described. John Storm is q man the in
tensity OF whose virtues leads him into alb
surdity. If Hall Game had meant to depict in
him an ideal hero one might well smile at his
conception, but the evident intention is TO
portray man who has the religious fanatics
faults as well as mis- virtues Occasionally one
gets the idea that the author is looking at The
world through this fanatics eyes, and using
him as q mouthpieee TO express his own
views.
OF the two chief characters in the book the
woman, Glory Quayle, or Gloria, as her stage
name is, excites by far the most interest, and
although it is her worldliuess which causes
The ascetic so much anxiety and grief, she is
probably in practical Christianity fully the
equal OF Father Storm. She is the daugh-
ter OF clergyman, a MHnx girl, and
has, as 1t were, several differing natures
pent up within her bosom. Their conflict
spoils her life's happiness. She is so tull of
energy and ambition that she cannot S tand
the dull life OF her island home, and she goes
OF TO London to Try her fortune.
After many Illuminating failures she be-
comes g great actress, and her lover, Father
storm, imagines that she is rapidly going to
usrditIon She loves him very much, but can
not consent to give up her actress life Tor the
quiet religious one which would be the re-
ouirement OF her marriage with him. One of
the most dramatic scenes is where, crazed
with combination of religious tanaticism
and the pangs Of jealousy, be goes to her
room with the intention of killing her body in
order TO save heT soul from death. The girl
bravely tolls his purpose by making love to
him.
John Storm is the son of lord who elab-
orateIy trains him for political career and
sets his whole heart upon the boys success in
that way. The young man becomes so deeply
impressed with the sufferings OF the world
thst he resolves to give his life 10 Gods serY-
ice and enter the church. This gives ofense
10 Lord Storm and the son finds himself re- |
duced from wealth to poverty. He goes to
London TO begin his work and beholds it as q
modern Babylon. He takes himself very seri- !
CusIy, and because he sees the hopelessuess OF
reforming the wicked city he sinks into de-
spaiT and retires to an Anglican eloister.
This episooe OF the story is one OF its strong
features. It illustrates what a mistake it is
Tor strong and passionate man to immune
himself as a monk, and with what intensity
the duties OF life in the outer world will pre-
sent themselves to such a one as something
shirked in cowardice. Father Storms love
and anxiety for Gloria oYercame him and he
left the brotherhood.
The picture given of London and its wicked
ness IS very vivid and the temptations that
beset the path of young girls who try to make
an honest living there are pointed out in q
way that only an eloquen: story like this
could do toward awakening sympathy. Three
half-pence an hour is the average wage of a
working woman in London and the door is al
ways alIuringly open to pass from honest pow
erty to vicious luxury.
London is represented as being Christian in
name, but really modern Babylon. The novel
isa protest against the existing order of things,
the industrial system THAI makes woman
such an easy prey and the double standard of
morality which makes the man immune from |
the terrible penalties the female partner of
his sin must pay for frailty. An apt il ustra-
ton OF the workings of the double standard is
given in the scene in which the young hospi-
tai nurse is dismissed IN disgrace by the board
and Father Storm arises IN the meeting and
says:
Now you have finished with the woman,
may ask what you intend to do with the
mau2"
What man?" asks the chairman.
81 find the name here. sir-here in your list
Of Subscribers and governors"
Gentlemen said the chairman, arising,
1.-THE business of the board is at an end. "
In one OF Gloria's long and rollicky letters
to her lover she points out what to her mind
is the secret of the sure reformation of the
world: "H men want women TO be good they
will be good, for women dance to the tune
that men like BEST and always have done so
since the days of Adam"
There is singular dearth of humor in the
story II is a looking at life through stern,
sad eyes. Perhaps to take it too seriously
would be to fall into something of the error of
Father Storms fanaticism. Society is not so
rotten and Christian civilization not such
a mere veneer, even in big cities like
London, that workers for humanity need
throw up their hands in dramatic despair, re-
tire to cloisters in disgust with the world, or
20 mad because they cannot put complete
stop 10 evil.
Father Storm is sadly lacking in the sweet
reasonableness which would have qualified
calmer Christian with the same opportunities
to have accomplished much good instead OF
goinO frantic about the Ills of life The story