The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-05-17
''The Main Chance"
By MEREDITH NICHOLSON


Among the writer's who are endeavoring
to meet the perennial demand of the public
for fiction it is only the few who turn their
attention TO the romance of the common
life Many OF them produce what they are
pleased to call historical novels, in which
history is an Enthusiastically quantity and
improbabilities run riot; some deal with
wild and unusual adventure. some offer
weird and nondescript tales which are
neither realism nor romance because the
writers neither know life nor understand
human nature. 1t Is only the exceptional
one who has the insight to discern in the
events OF the day and in the lives and char
acter OF the people around him all the CON-
edy. the trs gedy, the emotional possibilities,
that any writer could desire to portray. 1t
IS easier to write Of the unusual and the
remote because the imagination is allowed
free scope. Any one can write historical
fiction; 1t requires especial skin and keen
understanding OF life and Of men to depict
both so acceptably that readers recognize
the truth Of the portraiture.
In 1.-The Main Chance" Mr.. Meredith
Nicholson has chosen as his theme a phase
OF the struggle to get on in the werld in
which all American men are engaged. 1t
is a story OF business life, with incidental
social features and the inevitable love ele-
ment- The notwithstanding young man.
seeking his fortune, is not more free from
sentimental interests or less influenced by
them than was his leisurely ancestor who
sang the songs Of the troubador or twanged
his guitar under his lady's window.
The scene OF the tale is laid in Clark
son." town in a Western State, which
there is some reason to suspect is meant
TO represent Omaha. To Clarkson comes
John Saxton, a young Bostonian, sent there
by certain capitalists of his native city TO
look after some unpromising investments in
the region roundabout. Saxton had once
spent a year or so in Wyoming, where he
had lost his small patrimony in experiment.
ing with the cattle business so that he is
not a tenderfoot in the Western country.
His first acquaintance is the banker who
has hitherto had supervision of the Boston
interests. This gentleman is not the dig
nifed. conventional person known in the
East as the typical banker.
He stood I'm the middle of the room with
his hands IN his pockets, and pulled at
cigar, throwing his head back in an effort
TO escape the smoke. He stood with one
foot on chair and pushed his hat away
from his forehead as he continued refiec-
lively: You're going up against a pretty
tough proposition, young man. You'll hear
hard luck story wherever you go out here
just now; people who owe your friends
money will be mighty sorry they can't pay.
Many Of the ranch lands your people own
Will be worth something after a while. That
Colorado irrigation scheme ought to pan
out in time, and / believe ii will: but
you've got to nurse all these things Make
your principals let you alone. Those fell
lows get in a hurry at the wrong time
that's my experience with Eastern invest
ors. Tell them TO go TO Europe-get rid
of them for while. and make them give
you a chance to work out their money for
them. They're not the only pebbles
Again, he remarks casually, they say
I'm crooked, but they don't say it very
loud. and 1 guess they don't any of them
want TO prove it,
1t was with this banker, his daughter,
warrick Raridan-a family friend; whea-
ton, the bank cashier, and one or two
others that Saxton presently finds himself
on more or less friendly terms. Also, pres
entity, came within his circle of aequaint-
ances one Timothy Margrave, a railroad
"magnate" with designs on the local trac-
tion company's business. and Margrave's
daughter. Saxton himself is a quiet, I'M
assuming man with a modest opinion of
himself, hard and faithful worker at
whatever he undertakes. not brilliant many
way-simply commonplace, everyday man
who does the thing that presents itself
the nearest duty. Raridan, really the hero
of the story. is new and distinctive figure
In current fiction, which is the more re-
markable nearly every community pos
sesses his counterpart He is a man who
has inherited sufficient income to make II
unnecessary for him to hustle for a liv-
ing. as the vernaoular Of the day has it;
lawyer by profession. he gives little at
tention to his office; versatile, brilliant, a
social favorite. liked by both men and
women, sweet-natured and with a fine
humor. he has many demands on his time.
s'He gave, indeed, an impression of great
frivolity, but there were people who took
kim seriously. and lawyers who knew him
well said that he might win success in his
profession IL he would apply himself He
had once appeared for the people in a suit
TO compel the street-railway company to
pave certain streets, as provided by the
terms Of its franchise. and had gained his
point against the best lawyers in the State.
This accomplished. he refused an appoint
ment local counsel for a great railway