The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-01-16

Woman recalls the popularity which the
novels o. Mr.. Stanley Waterloo haye
gained IN London. In the English edition
Of this novel Dir. Waterloo has written a
critical essay or tho Chicago School or
Literature" hailed last year by Sir
Walter Besans IN an appreciation o. Mr..
Watefioo's works. Apropos % chi
cage School Of Literature" Mr.. Waterloo
had this to say: "a first impulse r TO
ray that no such school exists. There
are not q few writers IN this region. but
there is no wsii-defned school. The val
Ieys OF ths Mississippi and Upper 81.
Lawrence rivers combine 10 make vast
country between the AHeghanies and
Rocky mountains, I'm which country
majority OF the people OF the United
States have their being. These millions
have. perhaps, as much intelligence and
are made up as much OF reading COM
munisies as are the people Of any other
area of the world. The books of a num-
Der OF writers CHANGING 10 live west OF
the Aileghanles are successfully published
and widely read, and the number of auth
ors and readers increase yearly. II Is
region OF newspapers, at almost every
railroad station. and in every hamlet.
UntEl lately American life was chiefly
portrayed as Il has been, or Is, on the
Atlantic coast. or as it was In the early
Cts on the Pacific coast. and as 1t Is no
marc there or any where else. The great
American cities have thus far exercised
slight influence upon the writers OF
American fiction. Our noyslists and
snort story writers have chosen the life
Of rural communities and small towns for
background. Speaking broadly, Amer
lean life west Of the Alieghanies and east
Of the Pacific slope has been almost UNI
known territory In the world of fiction.
YET this territory holds most of the
real bone and Einew of American life,
holds the center OF population, the very
core Of the continent OF North America
Prom this central region of the great
lakes and the Mississippi valley tribute
IL paid to Chicago. The life OF the people
o. this area Is largely concentrated and
fully Illustrated here. and such life be-
Gins to find expression through tho
writers of Chicago and the Middle West.
They should. perhaps. rather be called
the Chicago group than the Chicago
school as Sir Walter Begant has chris
tened theD-with that quick and kindly
appreciation OF what Is good anywhere,
which Is one OF his characteristies-for
they differ greatly In their methods and
points OF view Nothing approaching a
school, or cult OF authors exists In Chi
cage. and probably nothing of the Kind
will ever flourish here. The spirit of the
West Is too broad, too alive to the i'm
meuse diyerEities OF human experience
and character TO admit the sacrifice of
individuality TO any set form. In Chi
easo and Its vicinity a number of writers
who lock out upon the world around
tAem. each for himself or herself have
arisen and shown their force. In their
hooks American character and Amer
lean iifa appear existing In the Middle
West. Human life has interest every
where, and. sooner or later, these chron-
iclers Of one quality of II must take their
nghtfui place in the world OF literature"
-
HAMA; a collection OF short stories by
the author OF "Quo Nadis.'' Little
Brown s. Co. Boston.
Several short stories By uenryk Sienkie-
wlcz are issued under the title HAMA"
The tale which gives the title TO the
volume Is the pathetic stcry Of a Polish
giri, left an orphan and the ward OF q
nobemau's son He aud a handsome
Tartar love the girl and fight duel for
her. Both ar@ gri@Yously wounded and
the girl, through exposure catches the
smallpox. She Is terribly dlsilgllred and
tie love Of both her sultofs dies when
Tiny lock on her face, bat each offers 10
make Der his Wife. The girl refuses 10
accept their loyalty under the circum-
stances ard becomes o sister OF charity.
Tartar Captivity" another story. was
the first draft. which was aftcrward ex-