The Narrative Path of Theodore Marston: Decoding The Cave Man

Realizing the folly and superficiality of society, Madeline Mischief, in the spirit of a wager, claims she could choose at random any man from the streets and make of him in a very short time a leader of society. Her friends laugh at her, but she determines to prove her contention and places one-half of a $100 bill in an envelope with a note reading: "If the finder of this is a woman, give it to the nearest man; if a man, call at Room 1798, Clarion Hotel, at once, for the other half of enclosed bill." Hanlick Smagg, a burly coal-heaver, finds the envelope and, after some hesitation, goes into the fashionable apartment house, still carrying his shovel. Then follow many amusing Incidents of Hanlick's introduction to society as a sociologist, for, although Hanlick proves very tractable, he is like a bull in a china shop. However, a barber, haberdasher and the necessary accoutrements of a gentleman convert Smagg into a very passable type, but his temporary breaks are only put down as eccentricity, for is he not studying the life of the "submerged tenth"? When he passes upon a painting, all listen breathlessly, and under Madeline's coaching he soon becomes a social lion. But the inevitable follows. Hanlick falls in love with Madeline, and Dolly Van Dream, her friend, falls in love with him. But Hanlick breaks up threatened complications by reverting to the old type and going back to the "submerged tenth," and coal-heaving. Finally he gets a job at the steel works, turns out a valuable invention and gains a fortune. Now a genuine man of the world, he once more meets Madeline, who has never forgotten him, and the joyful outcome is that he elopes with her, without opposition in the old caveman fashion and romantic way.