The San Francisco call., 1908-08-30
The magIRe


- itbss - tg.aailers- I'uliisaed b. D.
Agle,oa a Ca Pricr Si-5o
Z ODERN stylists have manufac-
tured the hero OF today 10 meet
the public taste. and as the
public taste is clean and we'll
behaved X follows tha; tas S-ro is usu-
ally Of tae type that VIII meet with the
co uniendatioa OF the novel reading
public This is as It ought 10 be. The
novel alone remains to keep alive Ideals
and pleasant fancies. The hurly burly
world ruihlCssIy topples over ali the
nttIe tin gods buildtd in the full flush
of youthful enthusiasm. These nagnih-
cent. great hearted men and women Of
campus dreams unfortunately seem TO
pass out with aIgebraic equations and
college songs and in their stead appear
hard. cold persoHages. prOsaie- un-
romantic. sordid. Tbe dazzle Of the
money mart blinds the eye to the
glanor OF dreams: but when the mar
ket is closed. the trsflcs roar hushed.
the world turns again in longing FOR
the men and women OF fancy's handi-
work Once the stage supplied them
once music brought them forth Now.
however. The stage gropes In the gloom
OF snawisrl. Ibsenism and The paltry
pifHe Of those eager for the analysis
OF souls" and music runs riot from the
5angle OF comic opera 10 the passionate
emotions Of a Saloms with Puccini ef-
fects. Therefore it is TO the novel that
one must turn for the plain gods OF a
main people. and therefore II is that
Chambers in The Firing Line has
produced a hero and heroine that the
people love.
They are eminel.tIy clean. They
think straight. talk straight and act
straight. They DO the things one wants
them to do and win according TO their
lust deserts Il Is pleasant TO NEE;
them. pleasant to see them win. The
two types are purely American. brave
Of heart and sturdy.
The great weakness OF a novel. and
this one in particular, in having an ac-
oeptable hero and heroine is that the
really strong character must play a
acter in The Firing Line" is neither
the hero nor the girl. but the tertium
ouid. Malcourt-
lie is the one who. loses. His is the
great misfortune 10 know that he is not
as other men are. Dog faneiers declare
that a finely bred dog and one that has
been over man handled is not happy IN
the company Of other dogs and seeks
the companionship Of men and. not pos
sessing certain necessary requisites.
must live a life OF sorrow. Such Is
. Malcourts trouble.
The worlds dice are loaded" says
he The world plays a
game TOO rotten for me. I'll drop my
hand and-take stroll"
And he plays his game according TO
his own ideas Of the rules. ~All TO the
bad-au 10 the bowwows-judging me
from your earthly standard and the
laws OF your local divinity" That Is
one instance Of his cheap cynicism. but
IN the next breath he shows himself
That's why 1 want 10 see the real
one and ask him how bad I really am
He cheats at cards to help friend and
blows out his brains TO aid another
Bad. Yes. according to Mother Grundy
but Chambers is TO be thanked fol
showing through MalcOurt in an ex-
ceptionaIly able way the good that lie.
IN the worst Of US
The book is rich with that sparkling
conversation of the Chambers brand
II the hero and heroine have 10 make
love they at least go about the task II
an enlightened way. There are nC
fnane lines and no twaddle. The Fir.
ing Line IS clean. clever, and. though
a trine overplayea, on the whole worl
OF merit
sqeoms of life"