The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1909-05-23
1.-THE cilippendales"
By Robert Grant. autbcr Of "CnIeavensd
Bread, !" etc. Published By Charles scribner's
Sons, New York. Price $50.

=
Sons. New York. Price $50.
The casual reader may think he can
SKIM through this novel IN the usual
Two or three hours. but let him tryf
In the first place. though the book
looks about the same size as the aver
age mover 1t contains 602 pages, closely
printed, too. and so carefully written
Is IL and so important is every word Of
IL, that none can be skipped without
serious detriment to the whole. We
have had occasion during the last wear
or so 70 use the word leisurely about
TWO authors, Robert Herrick and Will
nam de Morgan, and now into that
same leisurely category must Robert
Grant be placed.
From a literary point of view. moth
ing SO scholarly has appeared in long
time, and il seems eminentIy fitting
that the theme OF the story should,
OF al the cities of America, be
around about and in Boston, the old
est, most conservative and leisureIy
and the seat of learning.
The conflict between the old and the
new order of things, between the con-
sentative Puritan and the too liberal
Pagan. is the theme of the story, and
while in this day and age just such
conflict can be found anywhere it is
bound to he more marked in its con
The story is of Hugh MeDoveu
Blaisdell. young man from Maine
who chose Boston for his world because
he had good letter of introduction.
de Is introduced at a private boarding
mouse IN Dartmouth street, where he
speedily becomes on very friendly
terms with all the household. His
landlady was a widow with a daugll-
ter. Lora Burroughs; they came from
Ohio, and shortly afterward the widow
married an inventor a Mr. Avery. who
also had a daughter. Priscilla. Lora
and Priscilla are as different in tenn
permanent and disposition as in face.
but are both attractive girls. and
Hugh can not decide which one he likes
the better.
Finally Lora is chosen. and then we
see Hugh climb gradually from
small position as brokers clerk to
a grand place in the financial world.
He is a real power, and as he rises he
constantly changes his domestic en-
vironment No matter what they do,
showever. they are unable to make the
conservative society of Boston receive
them Even Loras request that aer
little daughter be allowed In the
Thursday evening dancing class was
contemptuously refused. "Of course.
the real reason why they don't get on
faster socially is his wife She's pretty
and she has lots of pretty clothes, but
-er-she's different. man can be
different, but a woman can't"
Henry ChippendaIe Sumner, whose
mother was a ChippendaIe. is the tyne
OF Puritan who is yet progressive He
does nothing very startling beyond de-
clsring his love for Priscilla when he
is still too poor TO think OF marriage.
But he remains faithful for Is years.
and though by that time Lora is dead
and Blaisden is his rival for PriscilIa's
hand, he wins her in the end. Near
the close Of the book there are some
remarks by the author which show
how deeply he feels on the subject he
has chosen. A few lines may be quoted,
for they show the idea Of Mr.. Grants
book better than pages of reviewing:
Are there not Puritans enough still
IN BOSTON, There are people who
would rid the world OF them altogether.
claiming that they are forbidding and
awkward; have customs. but no man
ners.' But these wouIdbe extermi
majors must reckon with the baby car
riages on the sunny side OF Common
wealth. avenue Promi-
nent among them ride PriscilIa's bow
twins-one the living image of his
father-while their first child. a tauxh-
ter, with the eyes and dash OF her
mother, trips gayiy beside her broth
ers. But let the exterminators take
heart There are rumors that Henry's
sister. Mrs Patton. smokes an occs-
sional cigarette, not for audacity's
sake, but because she likes IL. and in
sists that most civilized women do
But the wouldbe extermi-
nAtor OF the Puritan is likely to have
his way. despite PrisciIla's twins Al
ready the social type for which Henry
sumner stands is waning fast before
the pressure Of foreign end visible
forces Let whoever doubts this face
Boston from the region OF the west,
where the setting sun traDsfigures the
landscape Of the Back bay fens. and
ponder. On what does the eve ltnxer7
On the commanding dome Of the Chris
tan Science temple. on the Saraeenic
top or the Hebrew synagogue. on the
Official roof OF the Roman Catholic see.
Beyond this vanguard or conflicting
old world doctrines. reincarnated on
New England soil, lies an already cos
mopolftan city, proud OF its traditions
and its glory. Richer than ever in the
fruits Of its Industry and thrift. seeth-
iBg-still seething-with ell the prob
lens OF the universe will ft hold ffs
distinction as a molder OF thought and
q quickeHer OF conscience when Henry
and his ike slumber with the masto-
don and the buffalo? That is for pos
terity TO answer. Or If You are fmpa-
tient to know. ask Blaisdeli. He can
tell you anything"
The story OF Blaisdell's career is the
most interesting from the standpoint of
the novel reader. There is much in IT
Of the dramatic. and while he is frankly
a climber, he is rarely offensive and is
decent, both in business way and So
ciaily. One is unconsciously very
sympathetic and would like TO give him
q friendly hand now and then.N
AS for the ChippendaIes and the
Summers, the author knows them all
well, for he could not improve on his
picture OF them. which is more than
Photographic in its faithfulness
The author has written a very long
story, but IL is all worth reading. It
could not be effectively told with fewer
words. and the only thing missing is
touch. OF humor One gathers that the
author hinVself feels so deeply on his
chosen subject that he has no eye for
the humorous situations and possible
ties in his tale This lack makes the
book drag in spots. but not so badly
that one becomes discouraged. It is