The times., 1899-04-23
A western ReaIist.

When Frank Norris, a young Western
man, made his appearance in literature a
year ago with Moran of the Lady Lst-
ty," there were people who prophesiad for
him an uneommonly brilliant career, for
that tale had an originality, vividness,
and power about it which made an i'm
preston on the reader.
Mr.. Norris has now brought out a novel
of an entirely different character, which
he calls ''McTeague; A Story of San Fran
CISCO" and nothing stronger in the way OF
realistic fiction is to be found in American
literature.
The story is not a pleasant one in any
possible sense of the word. There is moth
ing pretty in it except the heroine, and she
is only moderately pretty for the space of
two or three chapters. The hero-if he
can be called by that name-is only about
half human. The minor characters are the
more or less warped and distorted speci-
mems of humanity TO be found in the side
streets Of big city. But every character
and situation in the story is absolutely
true to life. Mr.. Norris would probably
resent being called the American Zola, as
man of his vigor and independence US
foreign celebrity or other: but 1t Is fact
that his work comes near being to San
Francisco what that OF Zola is to Paris
IL Is fearless, strong and full of artistic
spirit. There are not many men who care
TO spend a year in painting a muckheap.
but when one does, ii is reasonably GER
tain that the painting will be good. And
McTeague and his companions are a sort
OF human garbage collection.
Mnr &c
gish, duli-witted animal, who, through the
restless ambition Of his mother has been
led 10 become a dentist instead of fulfill
ing his natural destiny of manual labor
He is not vicious; he is simply a big brute
with some human feelings, endowed with
self-consciousness He meets little Swiss
girl, Trina Sieppe, cousin of qu.ck-wi .ted,
socialistic, shifty friend of his. Marcus
Schouler. This is probably the FIRST in
stance in literature of a courtship begin
ming in dentists parlor. McTeague and
Trina are finally betrothed, and soon after
the engagement Trina wins $1,000 prize
in lottery. This fortune eventually de-
velops miserly instincts in Trina, and
when, three or four years after the mar.
riage. McTeague is forbidden 10 practice
because he has no diploma from a dental
college, she becomes more and more miser-
I ly and insists on the most rigid economy
for them both. AS the author points out,
she had during the first years of their mar
ried life cultivated refined tastes in him
which she now refuses him the means TO
crafty, and the result is blind unreason-
ing irritation and fury against her on the
part of the man. He ill-treats and finally
deserts her, taking with him all of her saw
ings which he can find-the $1,000 is in
vested in safe place. After his departure
she begins once more 10 save, and her PAS
sion for money finally results in her ob-
tanning possession OF her little fortune all
in gold, that she may have the delight of
handling the pieces. Finally, McTeague
returns once more, and this time kills her,
escaping with the money in canvas sack.
He also with a fatuous, feeble instinct,
carries with him canary In a gilt cage, a
possession from which he has never parted
His irrational impulse Of fight takes Elm
into one OF the desert tracts OF the south
west, and he is tracked by Marcus Schoul-
er, who has long borne a grudge against
him for marrying Trina. The two have
a fight in the wilderness. and with a dying
impulse Marcus handouts their wrists to-
gether SO that the huge. misshapen, half
reasoning barbarian is left to die from
thirst and heat in the place called Death
Valley chained TO the dead body OF his
worst enemy. II is grewsome tale.
The descriptive power Of the author is
something marvellous, and his grasp OF
character equally sure. From McTeague.
the giant, TO the timid little dog-doctor,
Old Grannis; from Trina. with her half-de-
veloped civilization and strong ancestral
and racial instincts, 10 the crazed Mexican
woman. Maria Macapa. there Is not false
touch in the portraits. These people are
not the poor folk of the story books, or
| the ideal Americans; they are real peop.e,
of types which are fast becoming common
In American cities; common, sordid, vul-
gar, full Of half Understood racial tenden-
cies inherited from Old World ancestors,