The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1909-06-27
"The Winning Chance"

By Elisabeth DejsanG Published By J. p.
Nppincott company, Philadelphia and Lon
con Price Sl-50.
r HE publishers write q short note to
the reviewer with their presenta-
ton copy Of this novel by Elizabeth
Dejeans- They say that the author lives
near Los Angeles. so Californians viii
take E special interest IN the work OF
8 native author. Also this is the nrst
long novel BY her. and they ask for
critical attention Nothing in the note.
however. prepared the reader for what
wss discovered-one OF the strongest
most powerful and interesting books
that has been published this year.
The theme OF thia story IL a danger
Gus one for even the most experienced
subject with delicacy which positively
amounts to gsnius- The novel tells the
stery OF Janet Carew and Leo Varek
and how she sacrifices herself and lives
with him with no impulse OF passion or
romance, solely for the sake Of her
blind mother and her crippled brother.
The task the author has set herself IL
90 show the moral effect OF this life
upon these two people, and she has
done It with an astonishing skill As
tonikntng. because she has drawn a
more perfect picture OF Varick the man
than OF Janet her heroine.
Janet Carew Is a girl Of &ristocratio
southern family Her father has died
after drinking and gambling his entire
property away. Before the story opens,
away back IN Janets girlhood days.
there has been a runaway accident.
which has resulted in her mothers
blindness and her brothers injured
spine. Janet had begged TO be allowed
20 drive. and the horses bolted, so all
her life she considered that she was
the cause OF the fearful misfortune to
her mother and brother. After her
fathers death she went TO an old friend
Of her father and asked for work She
learned typewriting and stenography In
his Office, but she was not an expert, II
she was very pretty. This man told her
she need never want while she had that
pretty face, and sent her to q business
mar he knew. Leo varek.
VErek fell IN love at once. He was
q aelfmade man and very successful.
Janet felt nothing for her employer
except gratitude. for he was very kind.
but soon she saw what his kindness
meant and she was frightened. He had
married g woman for social position,
and they cared nothing for each other,
AND DIS LGeA0E TOT Janet was the most
possessing sort OF a passion he had ever
experienced
Finally Janet yields to him for the
sake Of her mother and brother, who
are, OF course, kept in ignorance. Every
act OF Varek's life is to try to make
Janet love him, and the struggle be-
tween them IS long one. II would not
be fair 70 tell how the author reaches
her convincing climax, but II is man
aged with real art II is hardly a book
70 leave c&relessly about for the youn g
person, but IL IS q story which viii
make much talk and many arguments.
From the first page TO the last IT holds
the interest with q powerful grip.
After praising the book it is only fair
% allow the reviewer TO ask one ques-
don Of the author: Why did she call
IL the winning Chance and what was
the winning Chance"2 and further
why does she allow "a fascinating, dra-
xnatfo novel OF action, picturing as
never before the big problem OF the
American girl" TO appear upon the pa
per Jacket OF the book It is not fair
20 her nor TO the book; II cheapens one
Of the biggest and strongest psychology
cal studies OF the year