The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-05-25

writing quite obviously OF Rich
mond' Mr Harrison has faithfully pic
tureu MS background: the old Ballard
House Is instantly recognized under
the name OF THE Dabney House" con-
verted to the uses OF the Associated
Charities: many OF the streets and To-
| cations are easily Identified under other
names. and several of the Characters
IN yucca reappear In 'v. VS. Eyes"
out only these features are OF purely
.ocai interest: his unfortunate. his suf-
ierlng. whether they endure only pow
cry or the added misery OF factory con-
ui'lons' are not localized. and the de-
sire to help, to lift a,. is universal In
its application.
1t Is quite likely that one thought
advanced In the book. at least by impli-
cation--or possibly 1t is only a suEges-
lion shot. like the poets arrow. into the
air-wiii cause something more than
comment. This is to be found in the
chapter headed. Concerning Women
VINO won't remember their Place
/ :. and the Issue raised lies in
ITS hrst two pages. from which 1t may
clearly be inferred that the author is
of the opinion that the Votes for
Women movement Is responsible for
the activities of the thinking women
| In their efforts to better civic condi-
lions and the moral and physical well
rare OIL the community.
Inc unique style aGopted nv Mr.
Harrison In his first book obtains
throughout his second: quaint phrases
turns OF speech, odd conventions of
familiar things seen with new and
keen eyes, and related with delicatelv
satirical humor abound in its pages
scenes OF everyday life in the com
munity in which he has laid his story
are described with certainty that
could be displayed only by one who
had been part of that life
No one who has been so fortunate
ms TO know family like that of the
"Cooneys' could fail TO delight in tho
authors kindly sketch of sentlefolk
impoverished, but grave and gay At
some of his characters Mr. Harrison
laughs. with good deal OF cynicism.
because he knows them: but he smiles
with the "Cooneys'-because he knows
them too.
Bits of dialect arc employed with
such hdelity that they read-sound. in
deed to the minds ear-to those ac-
customed. not as interpolated quota
lions. but rs the manner or speech
that would naturally follow in the
course or ordinary conversation in tile
locality chosen for the scene. And so
iree, so unartifcial. is this use of dia-
lect that frequently In passages of re-
iaiion. not of dialogue, the author has
omitted quotation marks entirely
Following the plan of the older Eng
lish writer's. used by him also in
"Queed," the author has made much
are interesting. and many of them are
extremely amusing in their quaint and
frequently pompous solcmnity. their
unexpected system of capitalization,
ana their old-fashioned grouping to-
Eether of unrelated subjects
OF character with his departure
from other more or less recognized
conventions. is his unusual scheme Of
ending paragraphs with a series of
periods. Not confning this to I'm
stances of uncompleted speech or
thought. ne employs it very frequently
with the effect upon the reader. un-
conscious of it though he may he
OF Fastening him to the next indented
sentence, without breaking even for
an instant the continuity of his inn
mediate interest
Also remarkable is Mr.. Harrison's
deNterous use OF distinct themes or
motifs, as employed in music. TO in
dicate or rather. to accentuate or
Intensity the temperance OF char
acier or thought Nor is this dis
coverable only by followers OF music.
close readers and reviewers over and
over again the recurrence OF a phrase.
even AN adjective, brings vlvidly TO
mind scene. an incident, elaborated
earlier In the book.
For example: in Chapter II. the au-
thor whimsically tells how the fe-
male OF our species goes her innocent
ways fun Of artlcss fancies and sweet
Sirlish imasinings, all unaware that
an opposite and uproarious sex is in |
hcadlons pursuit. And how she
springs up startled from her other
worldly dreams to hear thu thunder
the book nearly 10 the end. he quotes
his 'uproarious SEX or LAUNDERING
feet for without the rasp OF George
Bernard Shaw. he smilingly implies
that he too adopts tho Shavian theory
as To the pursuing sex. And this is
only one OF many instances in which
he uses again word or group of
already expressed.
an exceedingly large vocabulary
often fails to content him. that he
does not hesitate to coin words in
the mint OF his humor AS. for in
stance. 10 describe the habit OF families
that occasionally extend 'she one to
the othe, an invitation to dinner or
supper hc uses the simple and express
sly" word "intermealinR."
And although his writing Is not
rich in classical aliusion'-for which
many OF Va devoutly ehank hint is
enriched by words and phrases that
now from the pen of tho well-rounded
man rs tho natural means OF his ex-
preston. the man who knows the
MS omar and the lesser men and he
uses them. not always quoting liter
ally hm' often with only a word OF, two
10 suggest their source.
Without pedantry or pose, he never
INDUCES in fine writing" but does
much very fine writing. in that he
clothes his thoughts in clear and beau
tiui English. with a rare and happv
@plHty 10 find the one desired word
lie has laid his story in life that
he knows intimately; he has peopled
II with characters whom nc has imbued
with life. and he has related with great
arr beautiful dream-if it be dream
in short. he has written a book
"1hc Human Slaughter House"
~ Wilhelm Lamszus. Frederick A.
STOKES Company. 80 cents net
Inc fact that the author of this very
snort hook--lt contains only ninety
eight raees-was thanked by the Uni
NcISai ieace Congress for "having fur
I G1a