The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-01-26
The DeIivernnce.

A genuinely good piece OF American fie-
tion-a notable contribution 70 that irnpor-
tant branch Of our literature-is a thing
20 be hailed with delight and thankfulness.
What America needs, what she should
have produced more of than she has. is the
real American novel. 1t should be racy OF
the soil. true to the particular life and era
IL presents; the motives. characters and
passions should be universal. but the peo-
pie. the surroundings. the influences that
mold the lives and shape the destinies OF
the dramatis personae must be always and
distinctively American. Miss Ellen Glasgow
has satisfied these requirements in 1.-THE
Deiiverance." 1t smells Of the Virginia
tobacco fields; it Is alive with the lights
and shadows. the pathos and humor Of the
reconstruction period in the South; its char
acters could have lived in no other place
but the story throbs with the elemental
passions, the fierce hatred and sturdy love,
the generous sacrifice and the grasplnS
greed that have made the comedy-dramas
OF human life since ire world began The
conflicting motives or love and caste preJu-
dice are brought out in vivid contrast The
reader learns, perhaps Tor the hrst time
10 feel the misery that Reconstruction
wrought on the old patrician families OF the
South
The hero OF this remarkable book, Chris
family, whose fortunes suffered a reverse
at the close OF the war Blake Hail, with
its immense tobacco plantation. falls into
the hands OF its vulgar former oVerseer.
The family-ChristOphe his blind mother
and two sisters, together with an uncle
who has been disabled in the warts
obliged TO live In the house formerly occu-
pied by the overseer. So Christopher grows
TO manhood with only one thought and
passion-a blind, bitter hatred for the man
who has wrOngfully taken his birthr1ght
nd a dppu-rOOrpn or
F'letcher's heart and hopes are centered on
his grandson, whom he wishes 10 make
the gentleman he himself could never De-
and the heir to his wealth and estates. 50
Christopher deliberately sets about to lead
this boy TO ruin. Then he falls in love with
the bGy's sister. How he gets his revenge
is unexpected and dramatic-too much so
to spoil for the possible reader by repe-
tftion here One of the pathetic incidents
OF the book is the picture OF the latter years
OF Mrs. Blake, the blind widow. Her chill
dren never let her know that the family
has lost its fortune and home, DuI IOr
twenty years they undergo the utmost Ia
Dor and privatiOn TO keep her In luxury
and IN ignorance OF the change. she Is
made to believe that she is still the grande
dame; that the Confederacy still hourishes
and that, she is the owner OF 800 negroes
The author has made this delightrul, patrl-
clan lady a figure Of pathetic, appealing
dignity which is hard TO match In present.
day fiction. THE Deliverance' should nave
many readers 1t Is a powerful and heroic
story. The characters are sk1llrully drawn
christopher Blake, the physical giant, lg-
uorant mistaken but a great soul that
suffers; the old Confederate veteran, whose
rare humor and optimism Tighten the whole
story; Maria Fletcher, the heroine, tenn
pestuOus soul, in whom love and sorrow
develop a wonderful nobility; and many
others as well portrayed The book IS a
marked advance from Mss Glasgow war
story. 1.-THE Battle Ground, for II pos
sesses broader interest and appeal. Dou-
bleday, Page & Co, New Hork