The San Francisco call., 1909-01-31

walked Ignorant in an immensity. and
II was clear that among my fellow
students from the midlands and the
north I was il equipped and under
trained. And finally. in the
third place. I was distracted by volu-
minous new interests.
London Itself interested him and
distracted him from his own large
ideas.
He hunts up his uncle and things are
booming Ills uncle is just starting
tho Tono- Bungay advertisements and
the money is pouring ia George can
not make up his mind for q week TO go
with his uncle. The business is all
very carefully explained 10 him. even
the ingredients of the y-little-harm
ful patent medicine are told TO him
and II all seems so dishonorabe that
the boy can not make I'D his mind. lie
gives in ana his n.ethodicsl training
and scientific studies are OF material
benefit TO III uncle.
Love comes next. George falls in
love with a cold. rather mercenary per-
son named Marion. She seems TO have
so little TO do wi h the story with the
uncle and the development of his
character. which is the avowed object
of the book. that one can't but wonder
at all the dreary words written TO tell
OF that episode. George marries Marion
and shortly grows tired OF her The
little bit OF description Of the days
when they were drifting apart is worth
quoting:
II do still recall as the worst and
most disastrous aspect of all that time
her absolute disregard OF her own
beauty. 1t is. the pettiest thing to
record, I know, but she could wear
curl papers in my presence IT was
her idea. too. TO wear out her old
..
no one was likely TO sec her'-'no
one being myself She allowed me
to accumulate a store OF ungracious
and slovenly memories.
They separate and the episode is
practically ended None of the people
connected with it has much to do with
the story and nothing at all toward
''Tono- -Bungay" man.
Ponderevo rises steadily from house
keeping rooms 10 an apartment, then
a fine country place. lie has motors
and all the appurtenances of wealth
and luxury. George says at the height
Of his glory:
IF l were painting him. I should
certainly give him for a background
that distressed, uneasy sky. that was
popular in the eighteenth century.
and at convenient distance a throb-
bing motor car, very big and con-
temporary. secretary nufINlnB with
papers. and an alert chauffeur.
Such was the figure mat created and
directed the great property Of Tono-
Bungay. and from the successful re-
construction of that company passed
on TO a slow crescendo OF magnificent
creations and promotions until the
whole world of investors marveled."
Uncle Edward Ponderevos wife.
Aunt Susan. is particularly well
drawn character. She is good tenn
pered, rather witty in an obvious sort
OF way, common, very middle class.
but has a big heart and the kindest
nature in the world.
AS her husband gets richer and
richer she adjusts herself to the con-
stantly changing conditions and
polles a little sly fun at themselves
when she is alone with nephew George.
When they are on the top wave of
prosperity she tries to acquire a lit
tie culture. She studies French, joins
the London library and goes to all
comes in late with notebook in her
hand
where ye been. susan?" said my
uncle.
~Birkbeck-physiology I'm getting
She sat down and took off her
You're just glass to me" she
sighed. and then in a note of grave
reproach:
You old package! I had no idea!
The things you've kept from mer
She keeps up the spirits of all who
come in contact with her and does not
fail even when the company goes bank
rupt and her husband is in danger
from forgery.
All through the book George hints
that his spare time is given to strange
flying machine experiments. When his
uncle makes the biggest coup and buys
his country place, George fits UP ssme
works in a corner or the estate and
with an assistant dabbles TO his
hearts content. Nobody pays much at
tention TO him, but suddenly he flies
one day. His first sensations are
vivid enough to almost feel.
The conditions of the night almost
necessitated alert attention; it wasn't
E thing to be done by jumping off and
shutting ones eyes or getting angry
or drunk to do it. One had to use
ones weight to balance And when at
last I did II IL was horrible--for 10
seconds. For 10 seconds or so, as I
swept down the air flattened on my
internal framework and with the wind
IN my eyes. the rush of the ground
beneath me filed me with sick and
helpless terror; / felt as though some