The San Francisco call., 1901-11-03

tors in their respective classes of hction.
Cardigan" besides being the best work
from the pen of Mr.. Chambers TO Date
undoubtedly excels all other novels deal
ine with that period Of American history
Immediately preceding the Revolution OF
rs In narrative and character drawing
of the kind that makes Cooper's Leather
stocking Tales" the JOY of every American
generation. Mr.. Chambers shows particu-
lar excellence.
Although Cardigan" is A historical
novel in the true significance of the word,
Vet facts and descriptions are introduced
so skillfully and made so consistently
part of the story that il is a most pleas
ant relief to the bungling efforts of that
great majority Of cheap authors who have
Of late been digging UP on their school
books that they might make their fiction
go" through the reflected light of long
dead greatness.
Cardigan" is historical naturally.
Characters are not introduced merely as
lay figures and because the author expects
through familiar dealing with well known
names to create interest. but because they
are part and parcel of a we'll told tale.
II is interesting through the exciting
narrative to pause and appreciate the
gradual development of the hero, Cardi-
gan. who gives his name to the book. 1t
is the same development that changed the
cry Of many a good man from God save
the King to God save our country and
brought success to a righteous cause.
Cardigan ran serialiy IN HerpeT-S
Weekly. so it is probably already t2niiiar
10 many OF our readers. Cssrcfgan him
self is q charrningiy RANK. loyal and
brave American la9 whose character cans
not bur appeal 10 all. We meet him rs
lie is iusf merging from boyhood TO man
hood al is = pleasure to mus see hiln as
hauuv. healthy lad of schoclroom and
Fr-
81 IS plainly certain that he will prove of
he right stun for the days of trial TO fol-
low.
That part Of the book that deals with
me Indian times, when the British
through treacEery were endeaVOring to
enlist the support of the Six Nations
against the colonists. is remarkably well
done. There is not only plenty of incident
and hair-breadth escape 10 hold the in
terest but on Indian matters Mr.. Cham
bers proves himself a close student. He
does not write OF the Indian simply as the
big chief with scalps at his belt. hatchet
in his hand and talking nothing but bad
pidgin English On the contrary. he
looks upon him with sympathetic eyes and
presents him rather in that dignihed light
50 characteristic of Cooper.
OF fighting there is a plenty in the book.
The wrongs of the great chief Logan
through the numbering of his family; the
subsequent outbreak of the Indians and
the fight in the fort; and later. the skir-
mishes of the colonists with the British.
notably in the Concord fight Of 1775-aHl
are splendidly described. Cardigans long
run through the woods with Sir William
Johnson's messages to the Cayugas and
TO Cresap. while the villain Butler and his
trackers are cl0se on mis- trail. forms as
exciting an episode in fiction as one could
desire.
In the way of character studies the
sturdy backwoodsmen Jack Mount aud
the Weasel show Mr.. Chambers at his
best. although all of his plot-makers bear
the stamp of reality. For one thing [
rather admire Mr. Chambers and that is
his gentlemanly treatment Of his arch vii
lain. He does not allow Cardigan, when
the crucial moment arrives, to soil his
hands with the life of Butler but thrusts
the rogue out into the night and out of
the story after giving him a very close
call for his neck. There are not many
authors who would have used such for
bearance after their hero had been so
badly misused by such an arch f1end as
the IA seal Butler
Some words must be said for ''Silver
Heels" Cardigan's pet name for his lit
tie chum. who afterward becomes his
sweetheart. She deserves a first place
among all the other delightful heroines
Of romantic fiction who have become
famous in story and drama. Mr. Cham
bers works out his love story very pret-
tily and delicately. In affairs of the heart,
Cardigan is delightfully."- dull and clumsy.
but the author pulls him through all
right in the end-not, however, with
cut struggle
If you like a really good historical novel
get Cardigan" In story it may be a
little long drawn out for some yet every
line Of it is worth reading.
OF an entirely different sort is "The
Right of Way by Gilbert Parker In the
matter Of close psychological study, pow
erful narrative and remarkable character
drawing this book easily leads any of
this season 1t possesses all the power cf
Hall Gaines Eternal City, without the
great bulk of 35O0O words that Mr..
Caine finds necessary to express his
thouglEs- The narrative runs along with
as much snap, Zest and incident as any
Of Hopes. Doyle's or Hornung's books.
In brief, Parker's book is the story Of
the moral and physical degeneration Of
a man until a sharp climax is reached
and then the soul growth and develop
ment begin. Charley Steele as we know
him first is a man Of most remarkable
intellectually; a man who possesses a
mentality as sharp and clear and cold as
the rays Of diamond. In the first pages
we are introduced to him as he is win
ning a mans life from the gallows. a man
that Steele knows is guilty of murder.
This case proves one of the turning
points in the life of Beauty Steele for
1t indirectly brings to him a wife. He
wins this woman simply on account of his
brlliancy. At this period there is little
IN Steele to excite love or affection. He
Is on the road to ruin through drink. and
worse than that, he is dragging down
with him a young clergyman and his
Wife's brother.
Things 90 from bad to worse with
Steele as the years roll by. The clergyman
becomes thieving speculator and the
brother-in-laW turns embezzler to the
tune of some twenty-five thousand dol
lars. The appeal of his wife's brother
70 Steele for help in this extremity starts
the lawyer out on debauch that finally
winds him up in tavern fight with the
river men, a knock on the head and a
plunge in the river
Steele's life IS saved by the murderer
who owes so much to the young LAWYER
for his able defense of many years before.
The scene then shifts to the miserable
hut Of Steee's one remaining friend
this man whom Steele had Immediately
after the trial, called to his face guilty
as helli'
Steele RECEIVERS consciousness and then
Z