The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-02-01
"Home.r


While the purpose of this striking
novel, which ran for several months
I'm the Century Magazine and is now
published In book form, may he said
10 be. more or less didactic. In that II
obviously presents the appeal of home
to the wanderer and exile, il is not as
an argument or as n book with q pur-
pose that It Is destined to be widely
read and talked about. II is the rare
quality OF Its fiction, its story. its mar
rative. and its unusual and picturesque
setting thnt will. or should. make it, If
not a best seller, 4 highly regarded
novel.
The story begins at Red Hill an old
community in New England, which has
been the home OF the Waynes, the
Lansings. and other families FOR gener-
ations. Since he appears oftenest in
The pages of the book. II may be said
that Gerry Lansing is the hero OF the
story. Big, strong and a little heavy.
lie marries vivid and fragile AliN. He
devotcs more time TO golf and whiskcy
than is good for him or for his WIFE
and she feels neglected Then she is
thrown into close companionship with
Alan Wayne. a man OF many successes
and many failures and constant
lover OF women. constant to all and in
constant TO each. Alan brings 10 bear
upon her all his charm and Skill and.
al
She agrees TO elope with him.
She actually boards the train that is
10 bear them TO Canada, but at the
moment that Alan takes her in his
arms revulsion comes; she tears away
from him and leaps from the moving
train. But Gerry has seen the two on
the train together. ana. believing that
she has deserted him. he draws a sum
of money from his bank and departs
aimlessly for South America leaving
behind no word of his going. He goes
ND the san Francisco River into the
interior. and there he remains for
three years. while his wife and his
mother are left ignorant as to whether
lac is alive or dead but fearing. because
of certain bits OF evidence discovered.
that he is dead.
Through an accident very wildly
described. Gerry meets a young girl
and after struggle with himself,
makes his home with her on her plan
;ation There follows the one incident
in the book that seems altogether i'm
probable If not Impossible. \ Roman
Catholic priest. to whom Gerry has told
his story. urges him TO make the girl
his wife, and actually performs the
ceremony. Later comes a little boy.
whom the mother calls The Man"
and Derry is contented, even happy.
He works ndomitably in the effort to
4,
digs bitches: builds sluice gates and
finally makes the waste lands and the
dried fields to blossom as the rose.
Practical success rewards him. and he
is enabled TO feed and water the stock
Of another eXpatriated American. Lie
Der, who has long been established
higher UP the river Lieber by the
way. is fugitive from justice. who
hears always the poignant call of home
Nrh A. q
officials OF the institution which he had
robbed IL they would give up their
relentless determination TO punish him
Meanwhile Alan Wayne has done
mig things i'm bridge building in Africa
BY mercilessly driving himself and tn"
men under him. ne has managed so to
reduce the estimated cost of various
constructions that he has become
known Is Ten Per can't Wayne" a
man hated hv so!ne almost a slavc
driver. hII admired hy more as a man
who does things. There gradually fades
from his heart ali thought OF AliN and
in it's stead comes the image of Glenn,
p girl -chiid back home al Red Hill.
who has always loved him. And with
her memory comes also the desire 10
lie clean. so that he may bc worthy To
go home. .He is sent 10 South Amer
lea, TO the country in which Gerry
lives; ne is laid low 10y fever and is
carried in a hammock over many miles
Of country 10 Licber's ranch, where he
is nursed back 10 life by the exile
And from him Gerry learns the
truth-that his wife had only stood ON
The verge OF unfaithfulncss 1t is with
out the slightest jerk OF mechanism
that the author has solved this ironi-
cal tragedy, though he has employed
further tragedy. With careful prep
:,ration begun at the moment Gerry
began his ditch digging, he has led
=, tr t.., Ia. -.
terrible food that; rushes down upon
The valley and QIlit@Eatts the planta-
lion seems an Inevitable and foreor-
dained thing. Gerry rides madly from
i.iebcr's place only 10 see the mother
and the Man swept away
The rest Of the story in so far as its
plot is concerned may easily he i'm
agined, but not the effectiveness with
which II IS developed
Possibly because the life is less pic
turesQuc that is not uncommon, the
New England cnd OF the story is far
less interesting than the pulsing de-
scriptions Of Africa ana South Amer
ica those OF the latter in particular
And while Gerry and ANx. Alan ana
lem are the principal actors IN the
dramatic story, there are other figures
tnat are made 10 live for the keen en-
joyment OF the reader Most Of these
appear In person in the novel: - "
tho Captain Nance ana tho children
40 Sew England; Culliupeford. the Eng
lishman, IA the life ia town. and il
south America the girl wife Licbel
and Kemp. the cowboy with Il poet:
soul searching for ''pnrple cities" hu
one neve5 comes into View ne is onl,
mentioned. quoted ana then infre
0u"ptly yet he flames through tn
STORY. burning "u iudcljble Impress o
iis personality upon the readers Nom
ory Prince Hodsky he ls