The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-11-19

If only for the character of Jack
Baltour or j. Arthur Balfour" as he
styles himself on his business station
cry, Meredith Nicholson's new novel,
zelda Cameron" would be worth
reading. "Balfour" is one of those
volatile, versatile and vOluble chaps,
cIeNsr In a superficial way, who play
the bunoon in society and the get-rich-
quick sharper in business and never
amount to very much in either. He is
the sort who can make friends faster
than the government can make money,
but keeps few of them, is generally
spoken of as a "corker' by the men
and a perfect dear" by the women
and is forgiven many offenSeS against
good taste and good manners on ac-
count of his unfailing good spirits, and
in part, because of a general contempt
uous u-nwillingness to take him serious
" sometimes a man of this descrip-
ton Is also a gentleman but BaIfour,
while very amusing in a rather vulgar
way, is coarse grained. entirely self
seeking and almost INSCRIPTIONS.
Mr.. Nicholson is happier in his delin-
cations of masculine than of feminine
character. His women are not always
entirely convincing and this is true of
Zelda Cameron who remain to the
memory a creature of white paper and
black ink rather than of flesh and blood
when the book is finished and done. He
did better in The Main Chance in
which there were at least two girls of
vivid personality but in the present
book the women are weakly drawn.
InlS Is NOT however the OnlY respect
in which Zelda cameron is inferior to
The Main Chance, Mr.. Nicholson's for
mer novel. 1t is weaker in many par
ticulars but like it it shows a certain
grasp of life and especially of condi-
lions in the middle west. The Main
Chance was an Omaha story, although
the town in which the scene was laid
masqueraded under q different name,
and the "MariOna" in which the reader
is introduced to Zelda Cameron and
the other tract of the book is
easily recognized as Indianapolis.
There are many local illusions and
local characters which would doubtless
be readily recognized by Indianapolis
people. Mr.. Nicholson's idea of select
ing a half grown western American city
for the scene of his stories is not a bad
one. There. if anywhere, what used to
be considered the essentially American
still prevails and in the different social
strata all sorts and conditions of men
may be found. One sort and condition,
rather unlocked for. but by no means
impossible. in Indianapolis, is that
thoroughly delightful dilettante in art,
war and society, Rodney Merriam, who
although only two generations removed
from the soil, leads without ridiculous
ness and without incOngruity in that
crude, obscure western town the exist
ence of an English gentleman. But in
the same small social circle and indeed
1n the same family as Rodney Merriam
IS ayoung woman who earns her living
by teaching domestic science in the
dinner with the local smart set one
evening and gets breakfast for herself /
and her mother next morning. But the
person who reads the book will not re-
gret the time devoted to its perusal.
zelda Cameron" by Meredith Nichol-
son. Published by the BobbS Merrill Co., |
Indianapolis. Price $50.
Lucy and Their Majestics, a Comedy
in Wax" by B. L. Farjeon, is a late
production of the Century
There is that touch of the unusual
and ridiculously impossible in Lucy
and Their Majesties' which so delights
a child; and the pretty comedy in wax
happily remains a comedy to the end.
Lucy is a dear little English girl who
is much grieved over her fathers eff
Lydia, the charming elder sister and
daughter. Lydia is in love with Harry
Bower, who is all a lover should be;
but Lorimer Grimweed has obtained
control of the lease of Marybud Lodge,
the home-and there's a pretty kettle
of fish. Little Lucy conf1des her trou-
bles to Madame TuSsaud of London
fame, and Madame Tussaud
carries her wax notables down to Mary
bud Lodge and -straightens out the tan
gle. Just imagine the complications
and a score of wax queens, kings, and
other notable restored to life. The IL
Illustrations are by Fanny Y. Cory and
George Varian, and help to make an
altogether delightful book. (Through
the Zercher Book and Stationery Cos
Three Weeks in Europe" is the title
of an attractive little book by John U.
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