The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-09-02

"A 1Au4Sa OF IWO. by Henry GOelet Nc
Vicar and Percy Collins Boston: Lothrop
Publishing Co. Price, $3.50.
Stories evolved thru familiar letters are
rarely very attractive. This volume has
extraordinary charm. The letters signed
Percy DashelI' are supposed to nave
been written by an invalid clergyman,
whose high intellectually and attractive
thought processes are revealed in the text
His close friend, Douglas Dayton, writes
from the "madding crowd and turmoil Of
New York, in contrast with the style Of
his friend, the country parson, but re-
sistlessly in ideas and rhetoric. The same
woman has entered the life Of each and
proved disturbing agency The parson
has subdued his passion. His friend meets
loves her. She is married-unhappily
That is where the keen interest comes in.
Dayton wins her to the extent that she
consents to, but does not, run away with
him at a southern winter resort. The hus-
band is cool brute-one is inclined to
call him. He holds her fast while play
ing cruelty with her disloyal inclination.
Dayton, the lover, saves the lady from
death twice and her husband with her on
one dreadful tragical occasion, when he
might have let him die. Dayton's strug-
giles against his passion are terrific. In
der inclination to do the right thing, he
seeks to crush his unlawful love by marry
love and then the husband who stood in
the way Of his happiness dies while res
cuing child from drowning, and still the
way Is barred to the realization Of his
dream. He and his old friend then have
an understanding about Mrs. r., the tor
menting woman in the case, who seems to
have been with the clergyman, Percy
Dashell, when he died. The book is strong
in epigram. In an early. letter, Dayton,
who went so wildly in subsection to q
woman, writes: 1.-The women of the pres
ent day are so misunderstanding, and to be
in love, one has to live on Illusion" "You
talk a good deal about the pleasure you
get from books, but give me human books;
then all the stupid ones are mere sketches,
| and take no time to read; only the inter-
esting are long. Wouldn't you be glad ii
this were true Of printed matter?" 1T
is curious how despicable man can be-
and yet, in the letter, break none Of the
commandments" Percy to Dayton: VERY
few men are fit to be their own and then
only commander in chief. In the case OF
a woman this applies to her with redoublec
force and with crushing, humilia ting pow
er generally. Mind you, my lad, you may
swing your sword, and say; I am the cap
tain Of my SOUL and throw Off the bonds
and letters Of the worlds social and moral
| life, and perhaps do it very we'll for your
self-but how about her? YOU, have q
sword, but she only has a parasol. You
take upon yourself, not merely a double
burden, but a veritaloe task eof ySisyphus
to roll your moral life uphill again" "Tc
win wonan's love and then tell her II
must not be, is a million times more i'm.
moral more curlike. than to accept de-
posits of money and then declare the bank
solvent" =
The quality of. the book is indicated bs
| these few excerpts. Thoughtful people
will simply absorb 1t. 1t is modern to the
last degree. Ia e 60. r.
: TOWARDS THE RISING SUN. By sigmund
Kransz. Chicago: Laird & Lee. Illus
trated Price, $1.50.
The author gives in this volume very
interesting account Of his observation.
while journeying leisurely from CONSTANT
nople, thru Asia Minor, Greece, Egypt, the
Red Sea, Ceylon. Calcutta and Contra
India to Bombay. The author used hi:
kodak freely. and with decidedly in
teresting text he has produced a travel
| book of the Orient of unusual value :