The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-10-17

The story has a dual interest in the az
fairs of Dick Percival and Lena Quincy
on the one hand, and of Ellery Norris
and Madeline Elton on the other, tho in
terest. centers in the less happy Of the
two romances that of Dick and Lena.
which results, in fact in a mesalliance.
Dick is young man Of quick intelli-
gence, fine character and happy dispo.
sition, from highly respectable and
worthy family, with the best Of tradi-
tons. He marries.<a girl his inferior in
every respect. Tho of rare beauty, she
is lacking in almost every good quality
OF mind and heart save that of the will
to keep her character unsullied.
There Is lack Of CONTINGENCIES, how
ever, in the portrayal iof Lena Quincys
character Beautiful tho she is, one is
disposed to quarrel with the idea that
a girl so sterile mentally, so lacking in
intelligence, and so utterly selfish, with
out even a veneer. Of cleverness could
after long acquaintance, deludeS into
marrying her, young man Of alert mind
who has gained a considerable experience
OF the world and nearly all his life been
associated with women at once beautiful
refined clever and generous. OF course,
such things do happen but it seems to
us that Is just the weakness in tfe$story
of&Lena and D1ck-one is not convinced
that this is such case. Did Lena show
more ,quick-wittedness, more vivacity;
were she not so patiently a mean spirit,
or were Dick less sophisticated, the case
might be different; one; would be 5more
ready to accept the Situation pfiilosoph-
tcally, as SUCH a ccasssas7 life now; and
then presents. The explanation offered
In a conversation between Dicks mother
and Madeline about Lena is not Sisuffi-
cient, tho it is an evidence that the au-
thor saw the weakness Of the situation.
Madeline says: .T'
5"You and I do not know her, but we
can trust Dick He's. too fine himself to
be attracted by anything but fireness.
She must have character to have made
the fight she has with fate.'' r
To this the mother replies: b
Attracted by character! Pins and
figs! My son IS just like all the others,
am finding. He's attracted by pink
flesh. And as for heart and soul-all
the women that Dick has known we'll
have been. women of refinement He
takes their. purity and nobility for
granted, as a part of womanhood. He
thinks he's marrying you and me- His
reason has nothing to do with it,
Madeline tells the truth; Dick is too
nne himself, as portrayed to be attracted
10y anything but fineness, and Mrs. Per-
800. .A AA1oooso lIle ruin, Wnen she says:
MY son IS just like all the rest, I am
hnd1ng. He's attracted by pink flesh"
DICK, as the author draws him, seems to
US just one of the kind who would not be
attracted by pink flesh alone.
| In the end, however. Dick meets hero
lcally the situation into which his mar
rage throws him and saves his n1atri-
monlal venture from utter ruin in a way
that should point q moral for others in
like position NJ, I: +: }Eb$. gt5 4. E.
From the study Of Dicks rather. pain
ful matrimonial venture one turns with
relief and pleasure to- that Of Ellery and
Madeline. Ellery is IA young man lust
beginning to climb in the newspaper
world, an intimate friend Of Dicks and
hne type, and Madeline is all that
Lena is not. In the affair between these
Two the author has done her best work
I especially In the love scene near the
close. Here she loses a certain self-con-
seriousness and apparent effort, and be-
comes absorbed in the fate of her char
! acters. AS a. result the progress OF
events is more natural and convincine
than IN some other parts Of, the book. and
the. telling is more fluent and easv.1
mrs; Winter has. told a story, which
despite the tmperfection noted, is OF
more than ordinary Interest. 1t deals
with that which IS OF vital and ENDURING
concern: 1t touches the deeper things Of
me with touch that is sure and sane
ana 1t leaves the reader with a fresl
convict1on that life:is good to those whf
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