The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-07-29

THE Web Of Life" by Robert Herrick,
has the distinction OF being almost the first
novel Of Chicago life worth mentioning.
There have been stories written with the
Windy City as their scene. and there has
been an immense amount of newspaper lit
erature which had its origin in the big
Middle Western town. but the psychologist
cal novel intended to be a serious study Of
life in Chicago had not until Mr.. HeFTick
began to write, appeared.
The hero of this tale is a young doctor
from Ohio, who has come, ct the age OF
thirty-twO, to make place for himself
in the great Lakeside city. He has con
science and he has ideals; his talents war
rant his aiming for a high place in his
profession, but he determines TO attain this
without, as Debs might put it, sacrificing 10
the golden calf. He does rot conciliate
or coax the rich either as his patients or
his superiors in the medical profession;
and when he leaves the hospital at which
he has been working. 10 attach himself
10 the staff OF an eminent specialist. his
first difference OF opinion with his chief
comes through his consent to treat, At
his rooms, charity patient.
The heroine is a strong, natural. emo
tional woman, one of those rather complex
conditions Of American life. She has the
refinement of the aEIstocrat, the insight OF
the educated woman, and the passion or
the peasant. AZ the beginning of the sto-
~ she is tied to drunken husband whom
she supports by teaching IN the public
schools The author seems 10 have de-
cided opinions on the public school system
of Chicago, and the things be says about
1t are not pleasant. Apparently it does not
from % nj m a nv
other cities.
There are twd striking things about this
novel; one is the depth ard accuracy OF its
psychological insight, and the other is the
absence OF any strained or artificial eie-
rent In the plot. The story moves along
With the certainty of inevitable fate and
the naturalness Of human life Occasion
ally there Is a charming Bit of poetic d.
scription. Nobody has ever reproduced
ths Chicago atmosphere with a success ap-
pre- aching that Of Mr. Herriek. This scrap
of a picture OF the herOiue's poor little
home indicates that the author has sons
of the qualities of his namesake. the old
English poet who sang of such widely df
ferent men and women:
4 Few hundred feet from the street stood cot
tage built Of yellow Milwaukee brick. Ii was
quite hidden from the street by the oak grove.
The ..ne ended Just beyond in tangle Of we, Is
and u 1dergrowth. On the west side there was m
cpen narshy lot which separated the cottage in
the rees from Stoney Island Aytrue-the artery
that connects Pullman and the surrounding vii
lagos with Chicago.
An old German had lived in It. Mrs Preston
explained until his death year two ago. lie
bad a little chicken farm. As 10 else wanted
10 i.=c Ia such desOlate place, far from the
scattered hamlets. she had got It for small rent.
The house was a tiny imitation OF = castle with
crenelated parapet and tower. Crurnhling now
and weather stained, it had quaint, human
wistIl air. Its face turned away from the
roa.. toward a bit Of garden, which was fenced
off rlom the lane by arbors Of grapevine.
They stood still for some time, gazing into
the peaceful garden plot and the bronzed oaks
beye.d as if losth to break the intimacy Of the
las; nAli hour In the solitude, the dead silence Of
the place there seemed 10 Turk misfortune and
pain Suddenly from a distance sounded the
whirr of electric car, passing on the avenue
behind them. The noise came softened across
the open lot-a distant muTmur from the big
city that was otherwise remote.
The spring twilight had descended, softening
all brutal details. The broad horizon above the
lake was piled deep with clouds. Beyond the oak
trees, in the southern sky, great tongues OF flame
shot up into the dark heavens out Ct the blast
furnaces Of the steel works. Decp-toned, full
throated frogs had begun their monotonous chant.
Another fine piece of description is in the
chapter which reeounts the burning of the
Fair buildings. There is throughout
strain of subdued poetic feeling which tri-
umphs over the sordid and commonplace
elements Of which the story is made up,