The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-06-24
The Crisis.

This novel by Winston Churchill author
of Richard Carvel," though il has been
published but three or four weeks is sa id
to have reached a circulation of over one
hundred thousand copies. Certain il is that
the appetite of the nove,-devouring public
for historical fiction is not yet stated: GER
tain it is. also, that it is an appetite easily
pleased. Everything goes" in the fiction
line. apparently. so long as it can be
classed under the head historical" 1.-The
Crisis" is much better than some stories
which have won popular favor. but IL is by
no means a great book. That the author
has labored over it, carefully and consci-
entiously, is evident He has set himself
down at his desk and has said: Il will
write novel dealing with the civil war"
much as he might have said, Il will write
an article on the potato crop"-and the one
has much inspiration, as much genuine
uplifting Imagination the other would
naturally have. His story is without plot
his characters, save the great historical
ones brought in incidentally, are common
place; his hero is given more Importance
and prominence than his deeds justify. the
villain is Intellectual and there is more de-
tail than the events described call for
Brice. the hero, young Bostonian. who
goes 10 ST. Louis TO practice law late in
the late fifties. discovers that Abraham
Lincoln is great man and pays him much
tribute, but In a patronizing way that L.
irritating. He belittles his great man. in
fact, by making him more uncouth than
the truth of history requires, and in making
him a story teller on such an ill-timed oc-
caSion as when young woman goes to him
to plead for relative who is likely 10 be
shot as Confederate spy. There are a
number of things in the book TO irritate
the critical reader. The villain, Eliphalet
Hopper as well az the hero. is a New En-
glander, and is made TO a very poor
article of dialect. The word 'callate' is
much overworked in Hoppers vocabulary,
and is frequently used in a way no New
Englander would dream of using it, Mr..
Churchill INDUCES in slang occa sionally. IL
is not one of the characters of the book. for
instance, but the author who speaks of Il
''put-up job" and does not use quotation
marks.
But why call attention to the faults ?
The book has merit. 1t is undoubtedly as
accurate a portrayal of certain phases
of life and feeling during the civil war
period one who was not an actor in
those scenes could be expected to give
Most Of the events of the tale take place
in st. Louis where Southern sympathizers
formed so great a part OF the pou'Ilatio
The division OF sentiment and its effect
upon social life are closely set forJn. There
are certain indications that a number of
the minor characters are drawn from life
and are perhaps recognizable in ST. Louis
local circles The attitude OF the German
population of the city and its reasons for
supporting the Union cause are presented
with a good deal of force The actual
war figures but little, though toward the
close the scene shifts to tennessee. Brico
being i'm Sherman's army. IL is nowhere
an exciting tale but likely 10 be read 10
the end. and II will serve well as supple
mentary reading for young people who are
studying the history of that eventful pc
Rod and wish 10 gain side nghts upon II.
And IL IL lacks the something which must
come from the author ana no, from his
material-a power. an individuality. an ell
ement that should weld the whole together
and give IL distinction-it is lack common
to recent historical fiction and one that in
terferes in no way with It's popularity.
Published nv the Macmillan Company.