21
MODERN BREACH OF PROMISE
Miss Mack's Case Against Millionaire Law Taken as an Example.
Will the Wounded Heart Bleed the Less for Money Compensation?
Law, Love, Business-The Thing Considered Psychologically-What Is Miss Mack's Motive?
New York has been somewhat entertained recently by the details of a breach of promise suit, in which the complainant is Miss Josephine Mack, who asks $150,000 damages of Mr. George Law. Mr. Law is a millionaire-not one of those men whom the excitable think may be a millionaire, but one who is in fact the possessor of more than $1,000,000 worth of property. Miss Mack is also very rich and she is beautiful. Mr. Law is 50 years of age, a man who has risen from poverty to affluence, who knows how to spend thousands in a night in the gambling rooms of Long Branch or Saratoga, who enjoys the society of pugilists, and who is fond of high and fashionable living. Miss Mack is barely 20. She expected to marry Mr. Law, but was prevented from doing so by his unexpected marriage to another young woman, to whom Miss Mack had introduced Mr. Law. The attorneys are Colonel Robert G. Ingersoll and Mr. Francis L. Well-man.
Litigation involving persons so fashionable, an amount of money so large, and attorneys so distinguished cannot but arrest attention.
The case as set forth for Miss Mack contains some elements which are, or are meant to be, pathetic. It is alleged that Miss Mack's affections have suffered severely, that she has been chagrined before society, which was aware of the fact that she took excursions on Mr. Law's yacht, was entertained as the guest of honor at certain splendid dinners given by him, and, with her mother's assistance, was the hostess at box parties at the opera to which Mr. Law sent the invitations.
When Miss Mack heard that Mr. Law was married she was prostrated, and confined to her bed for several days. These facts Mr. Ingersoll and his assistant will set forth in their effort to procure $150,000 from Mr. Law for Miss Mack.
This is one of the best illustrations which could be wished of a modern breach of promise case.
It may be interesting to examine the case from a psychological point of view. Indeed, even the law, which is cold, and often coarse, regards breach of promise cases from this point of view. The laws regulating such cases are purely sentimental, are framed to deal with sentiment, and are created to avenge the sorrows of the heart.
First, then, will Miss Mack's wounded heart bleed any less when she has procured her money - if she does procure it?
If so, did the heart ever bleed at all? Wus any sorrow of the soul ever assuaged by material possessions?
Will Miss Mack's mortification be allayed by a victory over the man who did not want her-a victory which the court has to assist her to win?
Will anyone respect her more, sympathize with her more, or will her position in society be improved?
What, in short, can be a motive of Miss Mack?
One is compelled to answer that it can be only a mercenary one.
From first to last the breach of promise case must be vulgar, venal, opposed to all the instincts of the refined feminine heart, and purely the outgrowth of a commercial society, in which standards of honor have sunk to the standards of the tradesman.
Barter and sale have entered into questions which involved life and death. Money, that variable exchange medium, has got mixed up with the sacred sentiments of the soul, the heart and the head have become confused, and it is impossible for the commercial daughter of a commercial age to cram in her pocket that which is a balm to her injured heart.
Could anything be more foreign to the spirit of love than all this? Why, love conceals its wounds as well as its raptures, love hides from public gaze, love laughs under happiness, weeps under neglect, knows no vengeance, is exquisite in its suffering, delicate in its timidity. What has it to do with the courts of law, with payments of money, with distressing publicity, with common revenges?
One may affirm without hesitation that the woman who will prosecute a breach of promise case is one who has not suffered in her affections, but who merely has been chagrined, injured in her vanity, and filled with a desire for cheap revenge.
To be sure, one has heard cases related of women who have been for years under the expectation of marriage, and whose opportunities for marriage have been practically ruined, and who therefore have been left unprovided for, perhaps in a condition of poverty, while the men they trusted have married others, prospered, and gone unrebuked. When these women have sued for breach of promise the public has vouchsafed some sympathy to them. This public has been made of industrious persons, who think much of material success. They confound it with respectability. They feel that the business chances, so to speak, of such women have been injured, perhaps ruined, and that the injured person is entitled to some reimbursement. That such standards are quite common shows that the code in America is largely the tradesman's code. Instead of the code of the gentleman.
(The word gentleman is used in its superficial sense, as meaning a man with pride, higher cultivation of manners and with the feudal code of honor. It is not to be supposed that the idea is conveyed that tradesmen are not gentlemen, in the sense of being kind, true, polite, unselfish and noble. Please accept the words in their superficial sense. In the sense meant a tradesman is one who looks at life largely from a business point of view. A gentleman is one who disregards business, and views matters from a point of his own. One stands for the middle class; the other for the aristocracy.)
Now, the code of the gentleman confines all questions of sentiment to the heart. If a man injures his honor or the honor or affection of any woman associated with him he wipes out the hurt to the heart with the blood of the wrong-doer. This is consistent. It is not Christian, for "Vengeance is mine, saith the Lord." But it is consistent with the nature of the offense. If there is to be any vengeance at all it must be, in those questions of the happiness or misery of life, a vengeance which hits at the source of life. To avenge a misery one must create a deeper misery. To punish one who has wrecked another's life the wrong-doer must be deprived of life. The duel is the legitimate thing. It is the only way, too, in which a gentleman can avenge the wrongs of his sister or his friend, the only way in which a deliberate deceiver can be appropriately punished, the only way in which a woman can be righted.
But the duel, with the march of civilization, has been outgrown. It has been made unlawful. Much importance has come to be attached to the right of every man to use his life, for good or ill, until its natural end. This is well and good. Man has ceased, in a large measure, to interfere with the prerogatives of God. He has grown to have greater respect for the mystery of life. That is as it should be.
But is it not unfortunate that in setting aside as obsolete this code of vengeance, that another one, and a vulgar and cheap one, should have been substituted? Were not ideals higher, love regarded with more reverence, when dealt was the penalty for love betrayed, than now, in these decadent days when case and reprisal of money is the revenge taken by a deserted woman?
Is not, in fact, any sort of revenge out of the question? What does a woman want who loves? Why nothing but love. If she loses that, can sword thrust or filed papers, or decisions of judges do anything to comfort her? It cannot give her love. Only one thing in the world can do that--the power of God moving in the heart of a man. Once that is lost changed or dissipated, it is gone forever. It is as dead as the tree which lies with roots torn from the ground and denuded limbs beating against the bluff. It is as impossible to resuscitate as would be the life of that tree. There is nothing to do but to bear with bravery the disappointment, meet the pity of society with dignity and live for other things than the love of that particular man. If no other love ever comes-why, the gods he praised, therefore things in the world besides love, which are worth the living for!
It is safe to affirm that in ninety-nine cases out of 100, where there is a breach of promise case, there never has been any affection.
The woman whose heart has been actually wounded weeps in the night, but not in the day, hides her love, laughs works, plays-does anything rather than let the world discover and pass its course comments upon that sorrow, which with all its pain is still dear.
It is an unnecessary strain to spend sympathy upon the woman who sues a man for breach of promise. A woman who can be consoled with money can be consoled with another love. She is a woman to whom marriage has meant convenience. It is her business prospects, not her heart, which has been injured. ELIA. W. PEATTIE.
MRS. WYNFORD PHILLIPS. Mrs. Wynford Phillips, society woman, orator and leader of the woman's suffrage cause in London, is widely known and much loved in England. The suffrage movement is gaining ground daily in England, and the best women in the land are its supporters. Mrs. Phillips is a slight woman, very beautiful, with earnest eyes and strong features. As a girl bride, just after her husband, John Wynford Phillips, had been elected to the house of commons, Mrs. Phillips made her advent in politics, and scarcely a week passes that she does not address some society. She is an ideal wife and mother. Her two children are handsome, dark-eyed boys. Her London home is very beautiful, but she prefers their wild, picturesque mountain chalet in Switzerland, where the family usually passes the summer.
DEMOCRATIC STATE PLATFORM. The Nebraska democratic state platform for 1895 is as follows:
We, the democrats of Nebraska, in convention assembled, reaffirm our faith in those principles written in the declaration of American independence, and emphasized by Jefferson and Jackson, namely, that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, among which are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness; that governments are instituted among men to secure these rights, and that governments derive their just powers from the consent of the governed; and we demand that all of the departments of the government legislative, executive and judicial, shall be administrated in accordance with these principles.
We reaffirm the declarations made by the last democratic state convention held in Nebraska on September 26, 1894.
We believe that the restoration of the money of the constitution is now the paramount issue before the country, and insist that all parties shall plainly state their respective positions upon this question, in order that the voters may intelligently express their preference; we, therefore, declare ourselves in favor of the immediate restoration of the free and unlimited coinage of gold and silver at the present legal ratio of 16 to 1, as such coinage existed prior to 1873, without waiting for the aid or consent of any other nation, such gold and silver coin to be a full legal tender for all debts, public and private.
We send greeting to our democratic brethren throughout the union, who are making such a gallant fight for the restoration of bimetallism and congratulate them upon the progress made.
We deprecate and denounce as un-American and subversive of the principles of free government any attempt to control the action or policy of the political parties of this country by secret cabals or organizations of any character, and warn the people against the danger to our institutions which lurks under any such secret organization, whether based on religious, political or other differences of opinion.
Recognizing that the stability of our institutions must rest on the virtue and intelligence of the people, we stand as in the past, in favor of the free common school system of the state, and declare that the same must be perpetuated and receive liberal financial support, and that the management and control of said school system should be non-sectarian and non-partisan.
The democracy of Nebraska approves and commends the declarations of President Cleveland in the past in condemning the pernicious activity of incumbents of federal offices under the government, in attempting to control the policy of his first administration in that regard.
We affirm the uncompromising opposition of the democratic party to the fostering aid by the government, either national or state of chartered monopolies, and declare it as the recognized policy of the party from the days of Jefferson and Jackson to watch with the utmost jealousy the encroachments of corporate power, and we are in favor of such legislation as will insure a reasonable control by the state of corporations deriving their powers and privileges from the state, and especially the regulation of rates for transportation by the railroads of the state.
ABOUT WOMEN. The Countess Cacilia Plater-Zybeck, one of the wealthiest women in Russia, has been enrolled in the guild of master tailors of Warsaw. She is at the head of a cutter's school in that city, and does much to help the poor.
Patti has found a method of entertaining while sparing her voice. At her Craig-y-Nos castle last week she played the title role in a new dumb show piece called. "Nouke, the Enchantress," being generous enough, however, to close with a song.
Mrs. Flora Ann Steel, the author of "Tales of the Punjaub," is the wife of a retired Indian civilian. She has spent more than twenty years of her married life in India, and, in order to pursue her studies in folk-lore, mastered five of the native dialects.
In the possession of the Baroness Burdett-Coutts in a guinea which she treasures above all her minor belongings. Her grandfather, who was a gentleman of slovenly outward appearances, was given it by a benevolent old party, who chanced to mistake him for a pauper.
Belle Boyd, known as the "rebel," Is making a tour of the south. She is described as being dramatic in her style, with eyes expressing a daring disposition and with an abundance of light auburn hair, which hangs over her brow. She is as piquant and vivacious at 51 as she was at sweet 16, when she entered the "service."
22
Omaha Writers in Story Tellers' Program Woman's Club Plans to Study Art
Omaha Story Tellers' League.
Omaha Story Tellers' league program has been completed and the booklets for the year have been sent out. Miss Emma Rosicky is president; Mrs. Stephen Davies, vice president; Miss Sarah Sanborne, secretary and Miss Eleanor Nevin, treasurer. The governing board includes the above officers, besides Mrs. J.W. Metcalfe, Mrs. C.W. Pollard and Miss Kate Swartzlander. Mrs. Philip Welch, Mrs. G.H. Payne and Miss Ruth Thompson are members of the membership committee.
The first meeting will be a luncheon held at the Commercial club on Saturday, October 9, with one-minute stories by members.
American writers will be included in this club's studies this winter. Washington Irving is the first one selected, and the program will be given October 21, with Miss Emma Rosicky as leader. Numbers will be given by Miss Rosicky, Mrs. S.A. Davies, Miss Eleanor Nevin and Miss Edith Haight.
Indian stories will be the topic of the program given on November 4 by Miss Isabel McMillan, leader, assisted by Miss Emma Roberts, Mrs. Philip Welch and Mrs. G.D. Rice. On November 18, Miss Josephine Grant will be the leader of the program on Nathaniel Hawthorne. Numbers will be given by Miss Grant, Mrs. P.M. Pritchard, Mrs. C.R. Hrdlicke and Miss Eloise Hillis.
Christmas stories will be told at the meeting on December 2, when Miss Jeannette Newlean will be the leader. She will be assisted by Miss Jennie Redfield, Miss Kate Swartzlander and Mrs. J.W. Metcalfe.
Miss Emma Rosicky will be the leader of the meeting on January 6, when she will be assisted by Miss Eloise Hillis and Miss Ruth Thompson in telling some stories from the work of Louisa M. Alcott. Miss Sarah Sanborne will also give a report of the canvass regarding the succeeding year's work.
On January 20, Hale and Poe will be studies, and Mrs. C.W. Axtell will be the leader. Stories will be told by Mrs. Axtell. Mrs. M.T. Lawrence, Mrs. G.H. Payne and Miss Margaret Hamilton.
Bible stories will be told on February 3. Mrs. E.L. Potter will be the leader, and she will be assisted by Mrs. E.G. Hampton, Mrs. C.S. Chittenden and Miss Ethel Holmquist. Miss Grace Hungerford will be the leader of the program on fairy stories which will be given on February 17. Miss Hungerford will be assisted by Mrs. C.W. Axtell, Miss Hermini Blessing and Miss Eleanor Nevin.
Miss Ruth Thompson will be the leader of the March 2 program on Henry Van Dyke, and will be assisted by Mrs. J.W Metcalfe, Mrs. G.D. Rice and C.W. Pollard.
The program on March 16 and April 6 will include humorous stories. Mrs. William Dox will be the leader of the first program, and she will be assisted by Mrs. M.T. Hamilton, Mrs. P.M. Pritchard and Miss Josephine Grant. Miss Margaret Hamilton will be the leader of the April 6 meeting, and she will be assisted by Miss Grace Hungerford, Miss Sarah Sanborne and Mrs. Philip Welch.
Southern stories will be told on April 20, when Mrs. C.R. Hrdlicka will be the leader, assisted by Miss Emma Roberts, Miss Ethel Holmquist and Miss Jennie Redfield.
Omaha writers will be taken up on May 4. Mrs. E.G. Hampton, the leader of the program, will give the story of "Tarts." by Ella W. Peattie; Miss Isabel McMillian will give "Madam Mosquito," by Julia A. Swartz; Mrs. C.W. Pollard will tell of "Little Story of the Epiphany," by Thomas J. Kelly, and Miss Jeannette Newlean will give the story "In the Switchyard," by Keene Abbott.
The last meeting will be held Saturday, May 20, at the Fontenelle hotel. It will be a luncheon, followed by a business meeting, and Mrs. George II Payne will tell the story of the Fontenelles.
New Superintendents.
The new Douglas county superintendents for the Woman's Christian Temperance union recently selected, include: Mrs. W.T. Graham, scientific temperance; Mrs. John Blakre, evengelical; Mrs. F.S. King, franchise; Mrs. Harry Tavender, flower mission and mercy and relief; Mrs. C.W. Alhquist, jail and prisons; Mrs. Frances Fallausbee, juvenile court and child labor; Mrs. Alice Minnick, legislature; Mrs. F.W. Butts, mothers' meetings; Mrs. Edith Shimrock, medal contest; Mrs. Edward Johnson, parliamentary usage; Mrs. H.E. Longsteeth, peace and arbitration; Miss Blanche Van Kuran, press; Mrs. Frank Kocaine, social meeting; Mrs. E. Noyes of Waterloo, Sabbath observance; Mrs. Oswald, Sunday schoolwork; Mrs. C. Nichols of Valley, union signal and crusaders and Mrs. E.H. Sullivan purity.
Needlework Guild.
The Needlework Guild of America will hold a Pacific coast conference at San Francisco on Monday, September 13, at the Civic auditorium. It is the desire of the national officers that all Omahans or other members of this organization who might happen to be in San Francisco on that date, to attend the conference. Mrs. J.J. Stubbs, president of the Omaha branch, will give any information about this conference that Omahans wish to know.
U.S. Grant Woman's Relief Corps.
The U.S. Grant Woman's Relief Corp will hold a meeting Tuesday afternoon at 2 o'clock at the Memorial ball.
Board Meeting.
There will be a meeting of the board of trustees of the Old People's Home on Tuesday morning at 10 o'clock at the Young Woman's Christian association.
Washington County Convention.
Mrs. Fanny Manning and Mrs. J.M. McKitrick of this city attended the Washington County Woman's Christian Temperance, union convention on Thursday at Blair, Neb. Thirty-five delegates were present. The time was occupied in a discussion of soft drinks. It also arranged at this meeting to have a temperance mass meeting every Sunday afternoon at Blair during the temperance campaign.
Omaha Union.
The regular business meeting of the Omaha Woman's Christian Temperance union will be held Wednesday morning from 9 to 10:30 o'clock at the Young Men's Christian association. Reports from the recent convention at Elk City, Neb, will be given. Delegates to the state convention, which will be held September 21 at Grand Island will be selected.
Scottish Rite Woman's Club.
The first meeting of the Scottish Rite Woman's club will be a kensington and this affair will be held at the Scottish Rite cathedral Friday afternoon. The hostess will be Mrs. William Berry, Mrs. Z.D. Clarke and Mrs. Frank Patton.
Club Luncheon.
The annual luncheon of the Omaha Woman's club will be held Thursday at the Happy Hollow club. Mrs. James Liddell, chairman of the house and home committee, has charge of the arrangements, and reservations should be made to her for this party.
Omaha Suffrage Association.
There were present thirty-five members of the Omaha Suffrage association at the picnic party given by that association at Hanscom park on Wednesday afternoon. Following the picnic the first regular business meeting since spring was held, and plans for the winter were discussed. The rug committee was appointed and Mrs. C.S. Hartwick is the chairman with Mrs. I. Conner, Mrs. Kenny, Mrs. Holly and Mrs. E.H. Sullivan, her assistants. It will be remembered that the members of this association are going to sell rag rugs this winter to hold their funds.
Mrs. E.H. Sullivan was appointed chairman of the finance committee and she was given the power to select her own members. It was also decided at this meeting to resume the afternoon teas this winter, and in addition to have a course of lectures, one to accompany each tea party. The next meeting will be September 15 at a place to be selected later.
Child's Conversation League.
The members of the City Federation of the Child's Conservation league will hold the first meeting of the year the first Monday in October or October 4, at a place to be announced later. This September meeting has been omitted owing to the fact that the meeting falls on Labor day.
Daughters of 1812.
The Nebraska society of the United States Daughters of 1812 will meet Friday afternoon, September 10, at the home of Mrs. O.A. Scott, 1922 Binney street.
Jewish Ladies' Relief Society.
The meeting of the Jewish Ladies' society planned for September 7, has been omitted on account of the holidays. The next meeting will be held October 5 at the Continental hall.
Art Department.
The members of the art department of the Omaha Woman's club will study Russian art this winter. The meetings will be held on Thursday mornings at 10 o'clock at the club rooms. Mrs. C.J. Roberts is the leader of this department, and her assistants are Mrs. J.C. Hammond, Mrs. G.C. Bonner and Mrs. A. O. Perterson. Mrs. W. S. Heller is the secretary-treasurer. At the first meeting which will be held on October 14, the discussion will include physical feature, climate, principal rivers, cities, origin of the race and the language of Russia, with a biography of Peter, the Great.
Mrs. J.B. Adams will be the leader of the meeting on October 28, which will be devoted to the subject of Tumuli, Kertch, Great Tomb of Koul-Oba, Nikopal Vase, antiquities of Perm, and silver antiquities. Mrs. J.W. Gill will give a paper on "Siberia" and "Siberian Antiquities."
On November 11 Mrs; G.B. Darr will be the leader and Mrs. C.H. Mullin will give a talk on "Home Life" in Russia." The discussion will include the introduction of Christianity and religious art, the earliest churches and the first stone church.
Miss Adelaide Stebbins will be leader of the December 9 meeting on Russian architecture, and a paper on St. Petersburg: Churches, Monastries and Cathedrals." Will be given by Mrs. C.L. Hempel. The topic of the meeting on January 13 when Mrs. J. G. Hammon will be the leader, are the cathedrals and monasteries of Kief and the monastery of Lavra at Troitsa.
The Moscow churches and monasteries and the great bell of Moscow and the gates, towers, great palace and treasury of Kremlin will be the topics of the meeting on January 27, when Mrs. A. O. Peterson will be the leader.
Mrs. W. E. Bingham will be the leader of the meeting on February 10 when the study will include frescoes and architectural sculptures and iconography and iconostoas. Mrs. G. C. Bonner will be the leader of the meeting on February 24, and the topics will include works of Russian artists in paintings and sculpture, and "The Hermitage." Mrs; W. O. Perry will give a paper on "Museums."
The March 8 meeting will be under the leadership of Mrs. Avery Lancaster and the discussion will include Tretlakoff Gallery with Repine, Jacoby, Ivanhoff and Flavitski. The Tretiakoff Gallery will also be studied at the meeting on the March 23 when Mrs. A.L. Fernald will be the leader, and the additional topics will include Avazovski, Bogoluboff, Verestebagin and Munkasky.
Mrs. S.W. Heller will be the leader of the meeting on April 6, the study of illuminated manuscripts, embroideries, metal work and industrial art. Mrs. Robert Cowell will be the leader of the last meeting on April 20, and the topic will include Russian art in the United States and a discussion of the Russia of Today."
His Turn Coming
"Why do you go out rowing man? He thinks it's funny to boat."
"I've heard so," replied the [?] girl. "I took a dislike to him the first time I saw him, and I'm just dying an excuse to hit him over the head with an oar." --Washington Star.
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23
R.B. Peattie's Daughter Dies of Blood Poisoning
Mrs. Ralph Erskine, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Peattie, former Omahans and members of the World Herald Staff, died recently in Stamford Conn., of blood poisoning. She leaves two little boys, 3 and 8 years old, and her mother, now a widely known newspaper writer, may stay in the east to care for them. Mrs. Peattie has been living in Chicago.
24
March 16, 1924 SUNDAY WORLD HERALD_MAGAZINE SECTION Thirteen AMONG the NEW BOOKS By Margaret H. Doorly
OF ESPECIAL interest to Nebraska readers is a volume of one-act plays by Elia W. Peattie, published by the Charles H. Sergel & Co., Chicago. The collection is entitled, "The Wander Weed and Seven Other Little Theater Plays," and each one of the sketches is excellent reading, as well as being of fine dramatic quality. Mrs. Peattie's work is well known to most of us, who still feel that she belongs at least in part to Nebraska, but the fineness and delicacy of her feeling has never been more apparent than in this, her latest, publication.
While a very delightful imagination colors her plays, and they are relieved by occasional touches of comedy or satire, tragedy is the under current of most of them. Even the most tragic theme, however, has an uplift in the ending the author showing in every case that sorrow
{Image} Elia W. Peattie.
may have a kind of beauty. "The Wander Weed" is the most imaginative and poetic of the present collection; "The Great Delusion," and "Pity" are particularly impressive; "Sunrise" and "The Silver Bell Tree" have each a pretty sentiment; "Family Reunion" and Spring Cleaning" are written in a delightful mood of satire. Mrs. Peattie never sacrifices her sense of the dramatic, and the necessary elements of conflict are always present in her plays. Her people, no matter how whimsical her theme, are vitally real, many of the characters being drawn from the southern mountain folk whom the author knows so well. The dialogue is natural and well suited to stage production, the stage settings simple, with a particularly effective plan for the dramatic "Pity."
NOWHERE ELSE IN THE WORLD- By Jay William Hudson (D. Appleton Co.) Mr. Hudson takes both sides in a debate on the merits of Chicago in his latest novel, its unpleasant features being emphasized by the hero in the first part of the book, its brighter in the latter portion. Stephen Kent, the central figure of the tale, is shown passing through a difficult period of adjustment. His great desire, to become a writer, is not encouraged by his father, who leaves him the unpleasant alternative of supporting himself in his chosen career in Paris, the city of his fancy, or coming home to settle down like a good boy and go into the family business. Kent finds a middle path, however, but to tell where it leads him would be to steal some of the author's ammunition. The story holds the interest although it never attains any great amount of distinction. The theme is well worn, but the study of Kent's psychology is sound. The romance is sufficiently satisfying, and almost too logical and inevitable. On the whole the story does very well as a contribution to light fiction.
SIEGE- By Samuel Hopkins Adams (Boni & Liveright.)
By far the best novel of Mr. Adams that has as yet appeared, in our opinion, this story, although the scene is laid in a factory town, is vastly different from the traditional tales of its kind. The conflict is between different generations as represented in the persons of two women, one old and accustomed to dominate, the other young, but already insistent upon power. In Fredericka the author has drawn a fairer picture of modern youth than is usually found in fiction, and the sympathies of the reader follow her eagerly in her clashes with the great-aunt, Augusta, the head of the Ruyland clan. The questions of capital and labor which arise in the tale are only supplementary to the conflict between the women. The characterizations of the numerous members of the Ruyland family are excellent and distinct, and that of Norval the "Grampian" is an artistic and tragic triumph. It is a pity that Kenneth Ruyland could not have appeared to better advantage, as we were rather led at the beginning to suspect him of possessing more backbone than finally proves to be the case, but at least the climax of the tale is saved- partly through his defection- from any lack of originality. It may not please the strict moralists, but this all depends upon what is considered morality- Aunt Augusta's brand, or Fredericka's, that of the old generation or of the new. One thing at least is certain, there is not a dull moment in the story.
MINCE COLLOP CLOSE- By George Blake (Robert McBride Co.) There is a great individual charm in these tales of the slum section of Glasgow, and of the "queen" of a criminal band. Bella MacFayden is a character full of interest and appeal, her faults by no means glossed over by the author, but appearing somewhat glorious in spite of them. Each story is complete in itself, yet all hang together, giving the whole the appearance of a novel. Each one is in itself an artistic achievement, and the book is absorbing in interest and thoroughly delightful from the point of view of style. There is not enough of the Scotch dialect to make the reading of the tales difficult, but sufficient to give them a decided charm. Atmosphere, action and characterization, as well as plot, help to make the stories of Bella MacFayden's career of absorbing interest. In spite of the sympathy created for this central figure the ending is eminently satisfactory from every point of view and leaves a hope that some day we may hear of Bella's further exploits, unless they are no longer of the old picturesque variety.
THE SAFETY PIN- By J. S. Fletcher (G. P. Putnam's Sons.) It is very hard indeed to know heroes from villains in Mr. Fletcher's latest mystery story, and the reader is very successfully kept in the dark as to the outcome until the proper moment for the denouement. Yet he is given a fair opportunity to do his own detective work, and has a chance offered him, of which he is unlikely to avail himself, to guess at the solution. Certainly "The Safety Pin" is one of Fletcher's best. There is a romance woven in the story, but one which comes as a decided surprise to the reader. It impresses us as a romance decidedly more like fact than fiction. The style of writing of the story is what we have learned to look for from this author, delightfully smooth and easy, showing at times a whimsical humor, holding the interest tense through the varied and exciting action, and painting the way very satisfactory word pictures in rural England. Altogether a tale no lover of mysteries will wish to miss.
BROOD OF THE WITCH QUEEN-By Sax Rohmer (Doubleday, Page & Co.) The theme for this tale of horror has been suggested by the idea of the curse of the Pharaohs. Its tragedy is brought about by dealing with the black arts, yet fantastic though the idea is, the story is presented in a fairly plausible manner which will win for its characters both sympathy and interest. A modern physician and psychologist who has studied ancient lore extensively, is one of the central figures, and the story is written around the struggle he and his son make against a practitioner of ancient evil magic.
THY NEIGHBOR'S WIFE-By Liam O'Flaherty (Boni & Liveright.)
The theme upon which this story is built is an unpleasant one, nor is it redeemed by the manner of its telling. No matter how true may be the psychology of the young priest who is the central figure in the tale it cannot help but be offensive to many people from a religious point of view, and this kind of gratuitous offense is better left undone, particularly as its mission would have deprived the world of no great art.
FOUR BELLS--By Ralph D. Paine (Houghton Mifflin Co.)
A story of the sea, adventure in Southern waters, and the lure buried treasure, "Four Bells," will make a strong appeal to romantic minds. It abounds in action, and is full of contrasts, highly picturesque, and with decided possibilities for screening. The hero is of a favorite fiction type, the "strong, quiet man," who always finds sympathy among readers of this type of tale.
The heroine also has popular qualities, although she is less stereotyped. Her dar
{Image} Ralph D. Paine (right), author.
ing search for her lost lover is one of the romantic features of the story. The scenes are laid variously in a quiet old New England village, in colorful Carthageua, in a Panama port and upon the high seas and on a treasure island, and the author seems equally at home no matter which he is describing. The account of the Carthagena is particularly striking, and could only have been made through an actual acquaintance with the place. The ancient galleon bell about whose tolling there cling shreds of old superstition, furnishes one of the most picturesque elements of the story, and plays also an important part in the plot.
CHATS ON SCIENCE-By Edwin E. Slosson (Century Co.)
The new book from Dr. Edwin Slosson's pen, "Chats on Science," is another that will be welcomed by the scientific as well as the quasi-scientific and layman. It is a work that gives a better idea of the new discoveries in science, and a better idea of the new theories of science. The author gives a more illuminating explanation of Professor Einstein's theory of relativity than anything that has yet come our way and even at that the idea of time and space seems to be almost impossible of comprehension by the present mind schooled in the old system of only three dimensions. The bending of a ray of light by the effect of attraction seems to be plausible and possible and one wonders that such a discovery had not been made before by some astronomer, but the time and space idea of fourth dimension is only capable of being grasped by the young and plastic mind. Our children and future generations will no doubt be taught to think in terms of the fourth dimension.
There are many interesting chapters in Dr. Slosson's book, such as Professor Harkin's' theory of atoms-that all elements are made from the elementary substance of hydrogen, and the atomic weights of the elements are all even numbers, which Dr. Slosson says has been verified; the Popover stars, which prove to be hydrogen and helium by the spectroscopy, the manufacture of furfal, which as yet has not come into its own, and the manufacture of commercial alcohol for use as a power to replace gasoline, and many more.
It is gratifying to have scientific subjects handled in such an attractive way as Dr. Slosson handles them, and no doubt the general reading public will agree with his suggestion of using short words instead of long scientific terms for scientific subjects in general. There is no doubt Dr. Slosson's new book will enjoy the popularity of his "Creative Chemistry." GEORGE C. M'INTYRE.
JESUS OF THE EMERALD-By Gene Stratton-Porter (Doubleday Page & Co.) The earnestness and sincerity which have inspired this little book must win for it a certain amount of sympathy, and certainly it is deserving of respectful attention. It tells the story, first in verse and then in prose, of the making of a picture of Christ upon an emerald, the work being done, supposedly, that order of Caesar, by one who had himself seen Christ. The author presents the reasons for believing this story true,
Notes of Authors and Books
"THE ISLE OF THORNS" is the title of novel by Sheila Kaye-Smith, which the Duttons announce for early publication. It is said to be about the experiences of a young woman writer who goes tramping through the country with a sort of gypsy fair or circus and to be especially concerned with the effect upon her of the contacts this gives her with human nature in the raw and with poverty and physical discomfort and the way her spirit reacts to all this new knowledge of life.
The Christ of Today. That there is a renewed interest in religion few booksellers will deny. Not only has a "Life of Christ" become a best seller, but there has been a steady demand fora number of other books of a religious nature, such as Bishop Larence's "Fifty Years" or Dr. Ballantine's "Riverside New Testament", both published by Houghton Mifflin Company. It is to books, perhaps, rather than to church that those who want to study religion for themselves turn. In Dr. Ballantine's new translation Christ is not the 16th century Englishman of the King James version. He speaks the language of today and is easily understood by any high school boy. The directness and simplicity of the book is in accord with the general new spirit in biblical affairs.
Prize for a Dahlia Poem. Mrs. Charles H. Stout, the author of "The Amateur's Book of the Dahlia" and one of the most successful of amateur growers and exhibitors, has offered through the Garden Magazine, a prize of $50.00 for the best new and original poem on the Dahlia, submitted to that magazine. Contestants may submit any number of entries. The contest closes October 1, 1924. Mrs. Stout's only stipulation is that the award be made to a composition of intrinsic merit. The names of the judges will be announced later.
Russian Court Book. Madame Viroubova's "Memories of the Russian Court" has gone into a third edition. The New York Times says of the book: "As far as the everyday chronicle of the imperial family is concerned, no better and more authoritative account can be found than that drawn by Mme. Viroubova's devoted hand. And from her narrative, slightly naive and abundant with minute details, arises a vivid painting not of Romanoffs the rulers, but of Romanoffs, human beings."
New War Book Announced. Margaret Prescott Montague's "The Man from God's Country," announced for early publication by E. P. Dutton & Co., is said to be a book that ought to be read by those who talk about "the next war" and insist we ought to be prepared for it. The story tells a deeply moving tale of some of the things that come home to the mind and heart of one who touches intimately what the world war meant to those who had some share in it.
Stopping at St. Helier. Freeman Tilden, the author of "Mr. Podd," is spending the winter at St. Helier, in the island of Jersey. Mrs. Tilden and their four children are with him. The Tildens expect to return to Brattleboro, Vt., in the spring.
Affair at Othman's Continued From Page Ten
Feeling the trap close more tightly on him whichever way he turned, Kendall gave up and answered helplessly, "No. As it's gone so far, I may as well tell you."
But telling was difficult enough. He must do all he could for Stamford Marsden, and, on the other hand, he was strongly bound by honor to his employer---all the more strongly since that employer, without knowing it, was his rival, whom he hated. He got the story out in jerks.
"It began at the newspaper office. This woman, Mrs. Smith. I don't know what she really is or means. She seems to be one of those women who want to take the tablet of the ten commandments in both hands and knock your brains out with it. She wrote a letter. It was turned over to Othman. He owns the paper. He wanted a reporter. The editor picked me out. Othman set me to work on it.
"This Mrs. Smith has it in her head that Mr. Mardsen, when a young man, went to Nero, Me., and fell in love with a pretty French Canadian girl there named Marie Letour. She even pretends he married her. I don't believe it. I don't believe this girl here is his daughter. But apparently he did pay some attentions to Marie Letour. There are some dates--some circumstantial evidence and so on.
"While I was working up the case Mrs. Smith brought the girl down here. She proposed to make a row. It appears that Mr. Mardsen and Mr. Othman are working together in business. Othman didn't want any row--didn't want any embarrassment on Mr. Mardsen's hands. Mrs. Smith demanded 5 thousand dollars a year for the girl. Othman said 5 thousand dollars a year meant nothing particular to him; easiest way out of it was to give her the money on condition that she went away, kept her mouth shut, made no trouble. She agreed to it. The money part was arranged through the Manifold Trust company. The woman said she was satisfied; but she didn't keep her promise. That's the long and short of it. A business man's solution--easiest way out--pay over the money and have done with it."
"I see," said Nelson Barlow thoughtfully. "Probably it was a good business man's solution; just pay over the money and have no more bother. A lot of time and trouble to look it all up--cheaper to just plank down the cash and have it off your hands."
"Yes," Kendall assented.
"Of course," Barlow commented, "there ought to be a screw put on her now--make her keep still. Othman ought to look after that."
"Yes," said Kendall, dully.
(Continued Next Sunday."
25
NEBRASKA NEWSPAPER WOMAN FOR FIFTY YEARS
Harriet S. MacMurphy Possesses Knowledge of Indian Ways and Mysteries Unsurpassed by any Living White Woman.
HARRIET SHERRILL MACMURPHY may not be the oldest retired newspaper woman in the country, but she has been a newspaper woman more than 50 years
Mrs. MacMurphy was born at Waukesha, Wis., De, 12, 1848, and her father was Charles Rufus Dakin, who ran the general store, She was one of 12 children.
Reading from the oldest on down they include Julia, John Charles, Clara, Harriet, Helen, Mary Ward, Anna, Robert, Charles, Mary Phebe and Talbot. Five are still living.
"Strike Dakin, the devil's in the hemp!" declared the king to the lord who came before Harriet, a lot of years. To be exact it was on October 14, 1066, in merry Old England that the king made this declaration.
This all took place in a hemp field, and the enemy was hiding behind the stacks. The lord, no sooner heard the king cry out that he drew his sword and singing "It's a Long Way to Tipperary," took after the enemy, and drove them pell mell out of the hemp, up the broad highway, and well past the white Hart, This battle was called the battle of Hastings.
Charles Rufus Dakin, just a few hundred years later, hitched up the old covered wagon and with his family started for the great open spaces that lay over yonder toward the setting sun.
THEY SETTLE AT DECATUR.
Now you must understand that 13 children are a lot of children, and even a covered wagon has its limit, So Harriet drove the buggy, that brought up the rear along with the fine prize stock. She was 11 years old, and pretty.
They spent the winter at Floyd, Ia., and in the spring again took up the journey in the same direction. As father was hailing a ferry on which to cross the turgid Missouri, Harriet sat on the bank and conversed with Mrs. Jules. They named Julesburg, Colo., after Mr. Jules, who met a horrible death. Later Mrs. MacMurphy heard the particulars from his wife and wrote graphically about them. It seemed that Jules had some trouble with a man named Slade and had shot him but had taken him to Denver and put him in a hospital and paid to have him cared for. Years passed and Jules thought it had all been forgotten.
Then one day Slade and his gang got him, carried him to Slade's ranch where they tied him to a great box. Then Slade took his position with a rifle. He shot at Hiles just missing his neck, or his ear or his hand. Then he started hitting him just enough to draw blood. He kept this up the rest of the day, and then toward night he fired a shot that killed him.
GOVERNESS FOR FURNAS CHILDREN.
The Dakins settled at Decatur, Burt county, on the sound side of Wood Creek. The Omaha Indian reservation was on the north side. Here Harriet learned to know the Indians and their ways. They called her "Little Sister." In the years to come her friendship with this tribe gave her a knowledge in Indian ways and mysteries, unsurpassed by any white woman now living in these United States. She was an intimate friend of the half-breed wife of Henry Fontenelle, brother of Logan Fontenelle, "last chief of the Omahas."
Mr. Dakin engaged in the land business. This was before railroad days. The very next year after their arrival, Harriet became a governess for the children of Major Furnas, Indian agent on the Omaha reservation and later governor of Nebraska. This was at Macy. In order to keep the records straight let it be said that Harriet was the youngest governess ever holding the title, one of her pupils being older than his little teacher.
After being a teacher Harriet became a pupil, having entered Brownell Hall, where she remained two years. She would have been the first girl to be graduated from this school but finances were pressing and she was compelled to leave school before she received her diploma.
In 1867 she married John A. MacMurphy, a union soldier, member of the first mounted cavalry squad organized under General Kilpatrick. Mr. MacMurphy had a splendid record for bravery as a scout. He was seriously injured when his horse stampeded and fell upon him during a night raid. As a result of this injury he was eventually discharged from active service.
For a while after their marriage Mr. and Mrs. MacMurphy lived near Decatur where Mr. MacMurphy ran a stock farm. Then he engaged in mercantile business which he sold out to become the legislative reporter at Lincoln for the Omaha Republican, the first man to hold such an assignment in Nebraska. He wrote as "Tip Top."
Before his death in 1808 he had been proprietor and editor of papers in a score of Nebraska towns. Harriet helped him set type for the edition of a state paper which told of the Chicago fire.
HER FIRST SMELL OF PRINTERS' INK.
Later he was editor of the Blair Times and it was at this time That Mr. MacMurphy got her first smell of printers' ink. After her husband bought the Nebraska Herald at Plattsmouth, Mrs. Mac Murphy entered the newspaper office regularly and as she, herself, confesses, became the "devil" of the office, doing everything from setting type to addressing the weekly mailing list by hand. To this say Mrs. MacMurphy couldn't if she tried, forget the exact initials of every well known family in Cass county, so many times did she write them in those early days.
Mrs. MacMurphy as a girl wrote her first newspaper article when she was attending Brownell Hall. It was published, she says, in the old Herald.
Her career continued to be tied up in newspaper work while her husband ran the Schuyler Sun, The Wahoo Wasp, and later the Hoof and Horn in South Omaha, later the Drovers' Journal.
During the lifetime of Hoof and Horn, Mrs. MacMurphy was a potent factor in its success. She kept the books, read proof and did a little of everything until she used to become so tired she would fall asleep in the tall high-backed chair that had been especially provided fro her. She and her husband had living rooms adjoining the newspaper office. Mrs. MacMurphy declares she did her real Nebraska "pioneering" at that time in South Omaha.
CHARTER MEMBER OF WOMAN'S CLUB
One day she had occasion to go out on some errand and while crossing a South Omaha street she became so firmly imbedded in mud that a man had to come to her rescue and pull her forcibly from the oozy Nebraska clay that threatened to completely engulf the former editor of The World-Herald Food Talks.
For a time Mrs. MacMurphy was associate editor of the Excelsior with Clement Chase, and it was during that period she agitated the formation of the Omaha Woman's club, of which she became of charter member, she was the first head of the domestic science department of the club.
After this she and her husband moved to Beatrice where they remained for two years and where Mr. MacMurphy was part owner of the Beatrice Times.
Then the MacMurphys returned to Omaha, Mr. MacMurphy to engage in journalism here and Mrs. MacMurphy to take up the work that was to win her fame, the study and teaching of scientific food production and preparation.
She and Mrs. Mary Moody Pugh, another club woman, gave the natives something to talk about when they started on a tour of food lectures at county fairs, the first time in Nebraska that women's voices were raised in these august gatherings.
During the Trans-Mississippi exposition Mrs. MacMurphy established the first "model kitchen" in these parts, She also demonstrated the use of corn in one hundred differtion, hundreds of people hereabouts would have tried it for supper.
She has engaged in a number of projects relating to the scientific production and preparation of food. At one time she was hostessing the Alamito dairy and she took a very acting part in The World-Herald food shows.
At the time the United States entered the war, Mrs. MacMurphy sensed the need
Harriet MacMurphy with and without her cottage.