The San Francisco call., 1904-04-24
Spring Fiction
of Good Timber


been reached and passed, it is not
without profit to take a gauge OF what
has been given us to read and en-
ceavor TO ascertain the character OF
the fiction which will be the output
for the year. Though the publishers
aver that the fan books are the ones
that count the most, both from the
practical point of view of net profits
and from the standpoint of artistic
worth. il seems that the product of the
first months OF the year indicates cer-
tain formative tendencies in novels of
the hour, pointing to characteristics
which must be representative Of the
whole output.
When one casts his eye over the
lengthy list Of tales already published
he must be struck at once with the
preponderance of strictly American
stories. The fashion. put in vogue not
long ago. that favors tales of strong.
racy American flavor. heightened by a
setting Of local color. has developed
into a school Of writing that bounds
itself about with geographical lines.
To the stories OF New England of the
South and West which were strongly
Characteristic Of the fiction Of 1903
there have already been made several
noteworthy additions-additions which
carry strength and may serve to fix
the style for many seasons to come
perhaps. Miss Ellen GlasgOw's THE
Deliverance," like Frank Norris THE
PITT OF last spring. one Of the first and
strongest books Of the season, has the
powerful local flavor of the tobacco
belt OF Virginia. "Tillie, a Mennonite
Maid" Helen r. Martins book, de-
velops the Pennsylvania Dutch coun-
try. Elliot Crayton McCants has
chosen the Carolinas for his In the
Red Hills" Henderson" by Rose Z.
Young, has Missouri for its theater.
The Rainbow Chasers" of John H.
Whitson is a strong tale of Arkansas.
Thus the tale OF the story of sectional
setting runs.
The novel of affairs-business, poll
tics, promotion and speculatiOn-has
not had such representative expOnents
as IL did in the year past. Norris THE
Pit" Alfred Henry Lewis The Boss. -
Brand Whitlock's The Thirteenth Dis
trict" have not been equaled
by Spearman's THE Close Of
the Day" Brady's The Cor
per in Coffee" or Robert Shackle-
toms The Great Adventurer %
The story Of bull and bear. as the
story OF politics. has its limitations. II
would seem that all the opportunities
which these classes OF fiction present
have been exploited pretty thoroughly
and that the vogue must depart as a
passing fancy.
The historical novel, despite all of
the prophecies of the wise ones. is with
us yet. True. it probably reached it's
heyday with Weyman's rare tales and
the romances of Conan Doyle, Edward
Major and Dr. S. Weir Mitchell. but
Mary Johnston's powerful tale of the
Spanish main. Sir Mortimer" must in
itself demonstrate that there is yet
some good that can come out of the
hallowed past. Besides her story the
indefatigable Crockett has furnished
another Scottish tale under the cap
tion Strong Mac: Josephine Caroline
Sawyer has harked back to chivalry
for "AlI's Fair in Love-; Robert Cav
elier," by William Dean Orcutt, deals
with the period Of discovery in Amer
ican history, "Order No. II" is Caro-
line Abbot Stanley's vivid tale of the
Civil War The historical novel has
evidently builded for itself place IN
our fiction Of no vorv evanescent a
character. II undoubtedly fills a void
in the scheme of almost every readers
literary appreciation, for, when well
written-save the mark when it is not
lit is something to awaken the imdg-
ination 10 healthy activity.
There is one class Of fiction which
seems to be taking a new lease of life
unto itself and that is the fiction Of
mystery. of the cabalisuc and the inn
aginative. Within the last three months
there have been published three rat
Ting good detective stories, to say
nothing of the reincarnation of Sherlock
Holmes in one OF the weeklies. Then
Bran Stoker has given US The Jewel
of Seven Stars" certainly a book cal
culated to make one afraid TO look be-
hind his chair while reading it; John
CARING has written The Vikings
Skull" grisly enough; When 1t Was
Dark" Guy Thorne's book, has a title
suggestive of it's story. All OF these
tales have a wealth or imaginative
power and strength OF invention which
must make them favorites with the
readers. Judging from this strong re-
vivai OF the school OF Poe, WiIkie Col
line and Gautier, IL would not be a
wild venture to predict that the present
year is going to witness a distinct ad-
vance into favor again of this fascinat-
ing style OF literature.
The year is too young yet to permit
Of an essay at the quality Of the fiction
which is to be given us. With London
and John Fox away at the seat Of war,
Mark Twain rusticating in Italy, and
the ranks of the writers thinned by the
untimely deaths Of Gissing. Guy Wet
more Carry and Henry Seton Merri-
man, some Of the burden Of amusing
the great reading public must fall upon
new and untried shoulders. The pres
cnt season has been marked by q
greater number OF new authors who
have broken in" TO fiction than ever
before. Ezra Brudno's name appears
for the first time upon book which
has been one Of the notable ones OF the
spring season-"The Fugitive" Eliza
beth Miller, another new conner, has
written something promising in The
Yoke" Ellen Glasgow, heretofore
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