The San Francisco call., 1910-03-20
BOOK PAGE OF THE SUNDAY CALL S% Gsspya7RP 74 cog sx
% | he Dav of Souls"

the Bobbs- Merrill company, Indianapolis. Price
a man who has been sent over" for
some crookedness in politics. They have
been people of wealth and social posi-
tion before the disgrace comes to them,
but the wealth disappears and John Ar
mold drops lower and lower in the social
scale until he is a thorough paced
crook. When this tale opens he has
succeeded in some sort of a crooked
deal about ballot stufing. lie has
full of money. the results OF bribery
and various forms of corruption in
which he is always the central figure.
John Arnold's first awakening shock
comes when sweet little innocent Sylvia
comes from the country to marry him.
He has idly fiirted a few weeks away
in the mountains and is amazed when
she comes to the city 10 be his bride.
Her innocence is so sweet and trusting
that he hasn't the heart 10 deceive her,
and in order to save her tells her to go
back-that he does not love her. While
this is really the first step toward his
own regeneration, it is a hard road he
derful experience, but much of the
strength of character was there or he
would have fallen by the wayside many
a time.
The book is full of quotable passages
good advice-not the sort one sneers
at, either:
- Certainly, If all the cool
faced young men in America, like this
one sitting across from him, ever re-
ha ha
of him and his kind. the foundations OF
the republic would move, the grip of
money of tradition, of conservatism
on the life of the people, even to the
hold Of the fathers and the constitution,
would loosen.
Yes, the future was with the young
men, society was with the young men,
the genius and ideals of the race were
with the young men-it was a great
thought-he was dwelling on it now,
and he would tell the young men of it
at the associations and colleges"
The title of the book is explained in
bits through the text. The Day of
Souls" is 2 solemn festival universally
kept by all loyal Japanese. A Japanese
in San Francisco will cross the 5000
miles of ocean that lie between him and
his native land in order to take part
in Its observance. In Japanese IL is the
festival of the samurai or knights. In
preparation for il the devout one must
clean himself and make great
thoughts" Then when the time of
the festival arrives he watches all
night beside the armor of his warrior
ancestors. He believes that these old
lighting men on that night come back
to Judge him. All dead and sleeping
souls awaken. The old warriors ask
II the watcher has been brave and.
honorable, and no man dare stand in
their presence unclean and cowardly.
This title typifies the cleansing of John
Arnold, who has gone downhill to the
very bottom and fights his way UP
again.
The woman character. Nella Free,
who has walked the path of the
easiest way" will furnish food for
much discussion. She has had every
luxury money can buy. but is not
happy. Only in work, happy, honest
work, does she find strength and salts
faction and at last the man she loves
The story is strong and vigorous and
is by far the best picture of one side
of the life Of the old San Francisco
that has ever been written Much of
1t could be applied TO any big city. but
much is purely local The constant
references to people and places we all
knew and loved brings the story close
to all Of US and it is done with SYM
pa thetiC hand