The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-09-29
SOME OF THE new BOOKS


No one who reads this latest story by
George Horton can doubt that the author
knows his Chicago well. at least in all its
outward aspects. Here Is picture from
one of the opening pages:
South Water street was a long. narrow
gorge, as lfeless and desolate at this
hour as the bed of lost river. 1t seemed
a squalid hallway. upon whose walls OF red
brick the disused awnings were spread
like frayed and dirty cobwebs. Homing
carts ratified by over the cobblestones, and
two or three belated market wagons were
backed against the curb. A few broken
barrels and as many piles of boxes added
TO the ugliness OF the vista. which was
not improved by an occasional heap OF
refuse
This forbidding scene is in way a key
to the story that follows. 1t is tale
realistic to the last degree but the realism
is of the unpleasant sort that makes one
wonder why the author should care to
portray it in such detail. The group OF
characters is made up of Harry Chaplin,
a commonplace young man. clerk in a
real-estate office; Nellie Aiken. saleswoman
In the cloak department OF a large dry.
politician, and his wife; Mr.. Dare. artist.
and a German family. Chaplin meets MISS
Aiken at an Italian restaurant, the ac-
quaintance beginning there ending In mar
riage. The woman fancieS herself TO De
intellectual and her chief ambition IS TO
pose in that capacity. So she joins literary
cluos, French classes, etc., and neglects
and selfish. and unhappiness for both is
the inevitable result. That her unhappi-
ness does not eliminate in an elopement
with another man is due merely to acct
dent. The tipsy husband tells the would
be betrayer of certain physical defects OF
the woman and that fastidious person
goes to Europe without her; leaving the
husband unconscious of having thus pre-
vented a scandal. This episode-the hus-
bands confession-is in extensively bad
taste, and Mr.. Horton would have done
method of Disseminating the wifes lover.
But while the story as a whole is por-
trayal of selfishness and sordidness, and
most of the phases Of life set forth are
unattractive and even repulsive, the book
has certain unquestionable merits. The
character drawing Is Photographic in its
accuracy. Everyone knows any number
of common place men like Chaplin, and his
evolution from a gay young beau. always
with little money in his pocket and con-
tent with such mild designations as a Be-
hemian supper, into married slave, with
shabby clothes and not enough extra
money to buy himself a daily luncheon.
is a common enough thing. The wife, too
closer observation on the authors part
than the habit he gives her of storing
up other peoples bright sayings to use as
her own at opportune times. 1t is not an un-
usual trick with so-called wits. Edward
Crissey, too, is very well-drawn char
acter. The pleasant domesticity of the
German family is put into effective contrast
with Chapin's unattractive home. For the
most part, indeed, the handling OF the ma
terial is good, the proportions well adj
justed, the ''scene-shifting' smoothly done.
The trouble is with the choice of theme.
Mr.. Horton proves here that he can pic
ture life, but he chooses vulgar phase
of life, and its vulgarity so dominates all
other and more inviting features of the
tale as to give its atmosphere to the whole.
He is too literal and journalistic. With
his skill at vivid portrayal he should be
able to make more agreeable pictures.
| Dickens dealt with commonplace people,
| with beggars and criminals. but he invested
even their lives with CLEANS of sunshine
and humor, wherein he was more true to
nature and facts than those who insist
| that realism must be unrelieved misery.
Mr.. Horton is on the right road when he
writes stories of the life Of to-day, but he
| is wrong In laying such stress on a casual
| phase of 1t as to give all existence in Chi
| cago q gray color. The Bowen Merrill
| Company publishers.