The Arkansaw traveler., 1884-03-29
A REAL AMERICAN NOVEL

The Nev York HoyM prints this ch harnlng review of 4 $ ory of Coun- try Town -a .e.k performed by F. N Howe
 In preseu.in rthis book 10 the readers of the l,r.f the reviewer takes especial pleasure to.. Il. things considered. we are TO, su:e hs. we have a, las; actually trapped and caught that wiii-o -the-wlsp, the .AmerIc1C noYcl. The book IS no, one of the wotdy, wi;ery, ar;lnciaI per tormaEees Sc much the fashion now Those writers who ;uTn iheir backs on the genus of .helr ova country. whose li:e-straggle + Is 10 un-Americanize them selves arG De one as colorless as poss'- ble IT the fond deluson tha, they there by become Esg,.sh. and that Q be Eng fish IS io De everything that Is admirable these ;oned-do@n gentlemen will un- doubted.v find li;,le to admire in the simple Story of Country Town" 50 much the oe,te..
 This story Is TO less analytical than these wr.;.eu or the presen, favori.e dis sect. oE-.abie pan. Bat 1t $ a strong, free and ns;&sa! analysis, not tha; artif- clal turning !us:de out of the novelist 1ho SIS down ard ccdgels his brains 10 say startling things 10 the public, true or untrue. In biie; he book IS perfect picture 0. Lie h a western American country town. The author has in a meas ure done fer Lat sphere of existence what George Flo; did for English coun- try iiie among me middle classes. Where for instance. was ever q tuer picture o. the crue. ITS: settling up and civilization of the wes: nan this:
 l became early impressed with the fac, that our people seemed 10 be miserable and discor:en,eG. and frequently won dsred iaa,-he, did no; load ;he:I effects on wagon. again ard move away from d place whi IT r1 ade all ,he men surly and rough ar3 al inc women pale and fret ful
 Ali inc alen surly and rough, all the women pale and freiful." These are in very truth the victims who do the pioneer work ln ,he prairie states to-day. The hero father was preacher. His mos. reoeeming human Irai, seems 70 have been that he fixed a good horse He was ;he ,yp i. old-fashioned country la ther that Is unfortunately too familiar Of Eis reiigion the author says;
 He had taken God into partnership ? and bull. Falrview. and people who worship ped there would be expe-,e1 10 throw aside all io-.y.na. nonsense
 The hero Q; the tale ..es his o.n story. He vas baptized 4 -aIn AeGrow Westlook f7. man whom a,s father greatly adm because he had preached all day !, oampuce;.ny and then spent mos, of the followiny .ghi IT prayer. When inc boy vas aorn his mother cred hys,erically for halfan hour because he .as 10. girl. and h.s father stormed for AT hour because re had been born al al.
 They beth wanted a g.rl, when the even, was inevitable, to help about ihe house, and in the earlier days ai my ,fe l remember feeling that l was ou: of place because did 10; wear dresses and wash dishes. thus saving the p.,iance paid farmers daughter during the busy season.
 His mother never kissed him after he was baby because his father dlsiiked 1t. He and his mother were always tiuaId and frightened in presence of his father. This and the strange. shrinking, thinking childhood he describes will also. alas . be only too familiar to many. He seems not to be able to get over The nightmare impression that the religion of these peo- pie made on him. He alludes to t again and again Every batch of children had to be labored with and converted as they