Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1885-08-22
ASummer Story.

country, and accordingly new book Of
her creation is always welcome and al
ways worth reading. In the present
case exceptional interest is melted by
the fact that the work is peculiarly IN
like anything she has ever done before.
For some reason-perhsps just to show
that she can-she has chosen to forego
her charactistic preference for grave and
deep things, and to deal instead with
light, transient affairs in frank, cheer
full and amusing manner. The story is
of the simplest description, being rather
Q sketch than story, and it has no other
purpose, apparently, than to show what
rare skill and true sympathy can do with
literary material which in the hands OF
q less accomplished writer would be
trivial and Ineffective. Nothing is trivial
when Miss Phelps touches it. Hers is
the gift of penetration and analysis that
finds in the humblest hooks and cram
MES an artists opportunity. Unquestion-
ably, she is at her best in her books OF
more ambitious scope than this one; but
this one is none the less distinct huc-
cess for that reason, and her admirers
have good cause Disqualification that she
proved go clearly her power to construct
q choice story without giving it over to
q contsgion of pain and tears and resist
less pathos.
The central character of the story is
Miss Corona, q maiden lady of 36, who
wears slippers that have no heels, and
upon whose soul rests the burden of q
great desire to possess home of her
own. She has found it pleasant enough
living with her married brother Tom, but
something in her nature Graves house
in which che shall be absolute mistress,
free to indulge her "ways" to her full
content. "Get married." says Tom, when
she announces her longing for change.
II can't afford to support q husband"
Corona answers, till the panic is over"
She has $500 to invest in house, besides
trif1e for furnishing, and she boldly re-
solves to make the venture right away.
Tom offers her $500 more, which she de-
clines. Her friends at large discourage
her generously; and one neighbor, q
hopeless virgin past 60, asks her if. she
is sure it is quite proper to 60 off and live
by herself "It's go unusual, 80 outre,"
this careful adviser observes. "And
you're not literary. A literary person
can do anything" And Corona says,
shortly, $50 can q lady," It is useless,
they can zee, to try to dissuade her. She
has made up her mind, and that settles
it. $50 far as can see" she remarks to
Tom, after all objections have been heard
N dismissed, "the first thing I shall
's.d is Q man." "What did tell your"
On asks. But meant an architect, or
sor q carpenter, or plumber, or that
xInd of man." says Corona, with sober
ness. She is not in the mood for joking
ker enterprise is one that calls for pro-
found and laborious thought. It is like
going forth with banner to meet in.
definite and possibly desperate difficulty,
and her conscious warns her not to re-
gard it in any trifling way.
She bought book of architectural de
signs entitled "North American Homes
and in addition begged or borrowed
everything her friends had in their Ii
braries of similar bearing. Then she sat
down and sealously plunged into the
science out of which the plan of her
house must be evolved. The result of
her studies was q curiously mixed and
perplexing one, and she felt herself to be
laboring under Q chronic alteration of
mind on account of the many contradi
DRY method in which it seemed nece
eary to build the North American home,
or else fail forever of life, liberty and the
pursuit of happiness. No sooner had
she mastered one theory % to material.
or shape, or arrangement, than she was
confronted by another and radically diff
ferent one, in favor of which the argu-
ment WAS Just az strong. What particu-
larly struck her was that the books ap-
parently made no provision for the needs
Of persons of limited means. The houses
we're all too expensive. Her $500
would scarcely supply the wood shed in
most instances; and the architects fairly
reyeled in effects" that abe had no use
for ct any price. And then the detailed