The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-12-03
THE UNDERcURRENT. by robrt
Grant. $50 pp, sLbo. Charles scrib--

The DNDEHCJRREN1 L. by Itoois
Grant $50 pp., sL6o. Charles scrib-
rer's Sons, New York. Bell Book and
Stationery Company, Richmond.
The strongest feeling that one has II,
reading "The UiidercuIrent" is that 1t Is
altogether and essentially modern. Every
thing in and about it--its characters, It's
expressions, It's problems--are those which
are occupying humanity at the present
time.
Another feeling that the book e!igen-
/. ders IL that II musts,b written by q
,lortllwestcrncr, who has had his 1nspira-
ton from tho people OF his own environ
1nnnt, for tho types which lio presents
and tho phases or life TO which he calls
attention. are thoroughly sectional and for
that reason are un-Amcrican.
III Tho problem or tho book is the divorce
problem which tho author strives to-
clucidatc by examples drawn from differs
cnt social classes. lie shows the htti-
tudc with which different men and WOO
men, OF various religious beliefs, Or Of
no religious beliefs Mt oil, approach and
cross tho threshold OF mntrlmony and
The indifferent ease With which they put
by hs burdens and Its obligations when
ever 1t I1leascs them 80 to do.
I1s begins Ills story with the marriage
OF a young couple. Constance y orbcs and
fslIlllt stuart, wiz iutY0 met sOIle IlOutus
previous III railroad accident and
whose subsequent acauaintnnceship has
led to courtahp und union. After we'd
lock. the true character Of the husband
becomes apparent. In a few years he
makes q failure III bnsincss, mortgages
the home purchased out or his wifc's
earnings and then, aeserting her and his
two children, goes out OF her life for
good and all. The wife finds comfort
N-.. 1870
s patty or friends She secures work and
supports her children Eventually she.
lr,arries again, 4 a young lawyer named
Gordon. in whose love she liz restored TO
happiness. In this Instance, vigorous,
middle class life supplies Mr. Grant with
his models.
TWO other couples cited by hinl--a1r.
and Mrs. Clarence Waldo and Mr.. and
Mrs. Paul Id Howard-a chosen from
northwestern mutl-mitlonaircs who, ac-
cordrg to their author, take Inatrimony5
along in the list OF their other pursuits
and diversions, and put 1t aside as read
ify-indeed. far more so-than they do any
other thing that nnnoys them or binders
the attainment Of the object Which they
x hava n1omontarily in view.
rho wealthy woman nhilan thropist who
c1emplffIes. elegance. beauty and good
ness In life and person. IL introduced un-
4 der tho appellation Of Mrs. Randolph
Wilson. Her antithcsis, n sharp, callous
degenerate, hoping and believing In Moth
Ing outside OF and beyond materialistc
wants. is contracted with her under the
& lame OF Loretta Davis.
5SS5 Mr.. Grants point of view IN estimating
81 the appearance and norl-cultilre Of Il
wealthy and INDUCED young girl in the
& United States OF tho twentieth century.
may, be found In the following paragraph
devoted by hin, TO Lucille Wilson. who
afterward becomes Mrs Clarence Waldo.
lIn says OF her: t5
She was an example of tho so-callcd
Gibson girl, with tall and sprlngy. yet
slight figure and a race-borsc air. which,
suggested both mettls and disdain. She
\ had been brought up on the theory OF
nee Developments theory for which not
her mother. but the tendency OF the day
Was responsible Parents, when 1t comes
to q choice In educational methods, arc
apt at heart to recognize their own per-
4 sonal Ignorance and those With the high.
est aims for their offspring arc most
likely to adopt tho newest fashionable
graft on human experience. We arc per-
petually on the lookout for discoveries.
< which will enable our children TO be-
come the bright particular stars which
we are not. So what more natural than
IdI Mr. W llsOIi,s W MI IeI situeut LElll
for Improving social conditions should
I swallow-hook bait and sinker-the
theory that the budding intelligence
y should be cajoled and hundred. not
1hwartcd and coerced? The idea thus
pursued at kindergarten, that everything
should be made easy and agreeable for
the Infant mind, had been steadily ad-
hered to. and Lucilla could fairly be said
to have had her own way all her life.
This way had been at tines bewildering,
not to say disheartening 70 her mother.
Mrs Wilson had expected and yearped
for soulful. aspiring, poetic daughter.
with an ambition for culture--hersclf.
hut reincarnnted and much Improved. In
stead. Lucille had shown herself to be
utterly Indifferent TO poetry, lukewaril1
in regard to culture, almost matter Of
fact In her mental attitude, apd sedulous-
~ enamored OF athletic pursuits. She had
fancy FOR. dogs. From fifteen to eigh-