The San Francisco call., 1899-11-19

4 AAt more rTln4A ana intensely gro
- tesque than Morgan Robertson's
Z Where Angels Fear 20 Tread
The most striking theme in them. which
appears more than once. Is the rebellion
OF oppressed sailors against their officers.
and The hard and savage pluck and in
genuiN ~ the men In sailing the shin on
inckcc-rp navigation through frightful
cificulres Oaths. Delaying pins and pis-
fol shots are sent flying through the Air
- every tale. Technical nautical phrase
ologs is hung at the reader without ex-
tenuat.on, apology or Interpretation. One
begins the story as II he had leaned into
moving boat, is swept down a turbulent
RAPID and hardly reaches smooth wafer
al the end before he is caught with a Jerk
and left 10 tumble ashore.
one great merit OF Mr.. Robertson's
Niiung Is that he really imagines. His
characters walk. talk. change their rela-
i've stations about him as IL they were
awe ia The flesh and he was among them.
fle drops an aside OF suggestion. indicates
ihe point OF view he happens TO be TAX
lilS az The moment. and is TOO alertly on
the Match 30 see what Bigpig Monahan or
N1llaln s"arth viii do next 10 stop and
explain more fully than by hint.
The best of the narratives arc the
stories - the sea. Mr. Robertson's i'm
aslnaiion of the struggle Of the microbes.
lnough y exhibits his extraordinary power
o4 Nls1alzing conceptions with the def
i-iieness ot material objects. Is tediouslv
ingenious; while his young savages on the
Nesert Isle are too seriously treated TO be
amusing. too much the creation OF the
fancy 70 be instructive
The November Boolman contains an IN
terescng sketch OF Mr. Robertson's life
Nhlch Is here quoted as the best OF COM
rnentaries on his writings:
morgan Robertson. whose latest vol
Hme az sea stories. Where Angels Fear
70 Tread, has recently been published by
t4e century Company. turned 10 the bust
ness of writing after a. life strangely mic
1eFesQ4e IN its hardships and adventure
-Mehlg-lNo years ago. then a lad OF Is
re fan away 10 sea. fred by an ambition
10 De hrst mate. His father was a cap
tam On The Great Lakes. but his family
INTENDED that Morgan should remain on
4@no. but the boys mind was made IN.
80 leaNing his home IN New York State
ne round his way TO the seacoast and
t--ppea ar cabin boy and general fag. do
Ing hls own and everybody else's work az
me gentle urging of fists and behaving
llLs. he sailed twice around the world
thlpping with all sorts OF craft from sail
lng vessels 10 transatlantic liners. until
hls early ambition 10 become first mate
vas finally realized. During this period
ne nae most of the adventures which he
starved. and more than once he had hair
breacth escapes from death. and his ex-
ploits az fighter OF bullies might make
reading more Interesting than polite. Once
ne Went ashore disEusted with seafaring
arc became cowboy on the plains. Then
Ae oIlIteq 10 sea again. and FOR a time
w1s skipper OF a millonaire's Yacht and
lived on pate-de-f0ie-Cras and pale ale
once DE taught Young ladts how 10
swim. and once he even thought he was
a. anarchist But nobody believed him.
ne futureless life of the sailor ap-
pealec less and less 20 him as he grew
older one day he rolled into the ofice of
a phrenolos.st 20 have his bumps exam
ined. The rhrenolocist said he was CON
sirnctNc ano advised him 20 learn a
trade. The sailor looked about him.
ihoIEht IN The determined manner pecu-
Lar 20 h.m. and decided 10 become =
matchmaker. II was clean work and
seemed interesting. and when he learned
that DE could wear white shirt an aav
while an work he apprentcCd himself on
The spot The ambition 10 he first MAZE
transformed itself into a dogged resolve
70 become an expert artisan. The watch
makers apprentice became a diamond and
pearl setter. earning experts wages
When his eyes gave out from constant
ch.sel.rs of bright metals he turned 10
writing. and almost instinctlvelv turned
20 the sea for inspiration. HIS first effort
however. was poem. for which he cher
ished an unreaso1ing tenderness.
"Once during his darkest DAYS OF pub
Nsher-hGlting. after one OF his best sto-
rice had been returned with regrets he
went Boz despair one dav 20 his old shop
down tn the diamond district. 70 ask for
"a sob. An order had come in that need
a. tho h2est and most delicate workman
shiT-a necklace of diamonds The sea
Er rrf#
monls and tramped home with them as
he had tramped down TO the shop-for
reasons OF economy. Weary and worn.
h.s brain seething with the adventures OF
that other struggle whose story. The
Survival of the Fittest' he afterward
wrote. the dim-eyed artisan set 20 work
AL night he cut and engraved. growing
hl!uder each hour. but sticking 10 the
task until the diamonds were one line OF
shining white before him. without form
0r meaning. The last few stones were
set by feeling alone. The stone was
worked into place the tool dipped IN tur-
pentine 10 make the cutting bright. I'D
the delicate chiseling. guided by instinct.
IN the morning he took n back 70 the
shop. almost certain that he had wrought
its ruin. To his amazement IL was passed
from hand 10 hand-a perfect piece Of
work. Then the man who had toiled all
carpenter who brought tho ship 70 port
in the teeth 81 a gale. in spite Of the fact
that he knew nothing of navigation.
That vas five years ago Shortly af-
ter. spun Yarns was brought out. and
its success is well known. reviewers. al
most without exception. giving II unstint-
81 pra se.' The Century Company. New
YORK. = SOD
The title of Michael Rolf: English
man. boy Mary I. Penderel Is not a
happy ore. bat the story Is pleasing from
ITS originality of conception. our shelves
groan under the burden of stories Of the
poor suddenly raised 20 rank and wealth.
ano showing themselves models 70 their
rev associates: and there IS \ mountain
~ novels and poems treating % the dis
covery among tho poor of those who need
no outward titles 20 make them noble:
hut in Michael Rolf the method is in
verted. young lady Of good family IS
forced by reverse ~ fortune 10 accent a
position as govcrncss 20 the sister OF a
grocer IN a small town IN the west Of
England. IN spite of the pleadlngs OF her
ar4siocratc and heartless sister. and the
il-concealec scofiing of her friends. Maia
Love- bravciy goes 10 1--we among grocers.
butchers anc small tradesmen. Here she