The Minneapolis journal., 1904-10-03

e
If one were to be imprisoned on a
lonely island and to be allowed a half
dozen or a dozen books for his sole COM
panions he would not ask for The Pres
Ident, Alfred Henry Lewis latest book,
as one OF the number. There Is ample
testimony from those who have read
'Wofville Days. that that book is much
superior to ",The President" Our own
recollections of '"The Boss" are that that,
too' surpasses "The President" If these
JOINT conclusions are sound, this latest
book by Mr.. Lewis will add no lustre 70
his literary fame. -
Under the title on the cover is in
scribed: "A Novel; The dictionary,
however, will not support the designa-
tlon. - The story is too fictitious; it
doesn't conform to real life except re-
motely. It is a fairly readable yarn Of
the sort that depends for it's interest
largely upon exaggeration. For exam
ple, see, the hero" Physically he is
built of steel. A huge, boastful, blus-
terlng Russian challenges him to a test
OF grips, Richard Chat is the hero's name
Richard Storms) declines, but after
ward, on being introduced to the giant
by the "heroine,'' grips his hand until
the blood oozes from the finger-ti tips
very early in the course of the story he
buys controlling interest in a New
York daily for $2,S00,000, apparently
giving as little thought to the matter as
an. ordinary man bestows upon the pur-
chase OF an afternoon penny extra in Or
der to get the latest war news. Further
on he, sends his valet, who, however, is
not known as such, out to establish, a
credit Of $f00,OO0,000 in various New
York banks. The money is placed at the
disposal OF a broker to oppose a bear raid
on certain railroad stocks.
1t Is In this stock battle that the chief
| interest of the story centers. It is not
a contest for dollars but for the heroine.
The bullying Russian holds certain GER
t1fcates to which the heroine's father
mas affixed the sigma ture of the Russian,
With the Russians authority but in such
way as to lay himself open to charge
or forgery. The Russian is using these
as club over the, father to further his
suit for the daughters hand. Richard
employssta fraction Of his fortune to
"break' the, Russian, simply to get hold
I of this little packet of certificates i-"7
If more Of the extravaganza of the
story We're needed it could easily be pro-
duced.
Mr.. Lewis paints his characters with
the broad dashes of sign-b board art yet
not without considerable effect The
uncle of the girl in the case, United
States Senator Hanway, had the coun-
tenance of a prelate and the conscience
of a buccaneer." Two other characters,
the president and the general attorney
of the Anaconda company were de-
voted to their company, and neither
would have scrupled to loot an orphan
age or burn a church had such drastic
measure been demanded by Anaconda in
/ tefests.,p.1 80, ~ySf .
: In SMILES Mr.. Lewis follows a like
style. For example, the broker who
manipulated the bear raid, when he finds
that the bears have been caught fast
referring to the failure of the bulls to
call for a settlement, tells one of the
other bears: you needn't fret !
For us to be wondering why he doesn't
come around is as tho a coop full of tur-
keys went wondering why the poulterer
didn't come around
Mr.. Lewis is, we believe capable of
producing strong novel dealing with
political and financial affairs, but he has
not done it in "The President"; he has
only told big yaSn =.
THE WOOD Gypsy. ,:,,~i :
In scarlet skirt and bodice gay,
A bold-lpped, tawny thing,
Comes brown October down the wood.
A gypsy wandering.
Her light limbs shame the leopard's 1.-the
Abandonment of grace,
Her dark eyes prison all the old
Wild passion of her race.
Grooming, she lifts her voice in song,
Some strain of weird romance,
And timed to clashing tambour bells,
Whirls in a wanton dance.
And ere the cadence dies away
In; echoes wild and sweet,
The The oaks and naples shower gold 49,. -.
About her twinkling feet! @.',. =. S,2o @yos
Hilton r. Greer, in October Smart Set.
The Uneasy Chair