The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-05-17
"The Husbands Comedv."

It is a far cry from such an idyl as the
love-story recently written by Mr.. James
Branch Cabell for Harper, which he cali
ed In Ursula's Garden and his novel;
EFT Just issued in the Smart Set for June.
The setting of the first story is in
period sufficiently remote from the pres
ent to invest 1t with the romance and
the glamor which naturally gather
around the golden age of EnEland's life
and history. From such an ideal por-
trayal to the realism of the twentieth
century in American social life, the
transition is as great as is the change
from the dim. cool recesses Of an old
y English garden with its moss grown sun
dial and It's prim solemn yew hedges, to
the broad glare of sunlight falling
straight and full upon the suburban
home Of q Wnll-Street broker, whose
wife is given to weekend house parties
and their attendant gayety.
1.-THE Husbands Comedy Is hardly q
comedy pure and simple. 1t is an expo
sition Of a phase of society which bears
above all else the stamp of modernity,
in that bathos saves 1t from tragedy, and
lack OF right feeling and real sentiment
lays bare its pitiful pretences.
The knife of the surgeon cuts to heal.
The pen of the novelist, akin to the knife
is the surest cure for an evil which 1t
holds up TO public view. Mr.. Cabell has
stated his situations plainly, tersely and
women who figure in THE Husbands
Comedy show themselves. through what
they say and do, for what they are. Be
ing weighed. with the utmost impartiality=
In their originator's balance, what Won
der is It, II they are found wanting, even
by him, when they arc implied, to be in
harmony with tho world around them,
which fosters and admres such
The story Is the story Of tangled
threads and mis-matched lives. The one
woman making the readers acquaintance
who is undenably womanly, is frankly
supposed to be so because she is not very
intelligent, and is sufficiently lacking in
acumen to be easily deceived. The other
female member of n quartette playing
the comedy Is merely human flotsan.
thrown uppermost In the turbld swash OF
the American social whirlpool. for the
damaging of everything within her
sphere of touch or influence.
The different plane of thinking and
\ feeling, the different estimate placed upon
manhsod and mnnllness by the code of
to-day in contrast with the code of yes
terday Is made plain in the language
which the hero OF tho novelette, Mr.. MUS
grave, employs In requesting another
man. Mr.. Charters to stop making love
to the flotsam-emboded as his wife, He
says, incidentally to the request:
.'Now you're about to make a scene
and we aren't here for that. We aren't
aren't going to rants we are simply go
ing to have n quiet, sensible talk. We
aren't characters in n romance: you aren't
I4ancelot. you knew, and I'm not up to
the part of Arthur by a great deal. I'm
not angry. I'm not jealous, ] don't
put the matter on any high moral
grounds simply say it won't do-no,
hang 1t. II won't do"
The interest OF the story Is great. Even
for those who might otherwise pass the
subject by. the manner of Its treatment
here will engage attention, and, though
with limitations. enlist sympathy, A GER
tain fine accuracy, careful grouping easy
variety OF incident, infinite play of sug'
gestivenesss, tho flip of light scorn and
delicate touches OF humor or pathos
mark the story as the inseparable charac'
teristics OF Mr.. Cabel's style. IT Is pre-
destined to wide circulation and Will
without doubt add much TO its authors
rapidly growing reputation.