The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-12-12
TIE BETH BOOK. By Sarah Grand.

.ha. IA. one shall escape detained Know
edge Of all unpIeasantness- Indeed very
ussny Of our cleveresf writers nave nesh
wandering far aSeId Of late. exposing fno'-
nj ,snsarftztion. teaching psycho-physioi-
oxy. and trying 10 2djudicase upon the
eternal differences between the sexes. Ore
OF the flrss 70 depart from the weli-beaten
path OF simple chronicling OF work and
love and life was Nine. Sarah Grand
That nondescrfpt uane. THE Heavenly
Twins" contained bits Of genuinely good
wrfting-few -and-far-between pearls In
lot Of rubbish. After several years Fest
and reflection she has wratten-we were
about 70 say an autobiography. but Fecoi-
iected in time that Ii In entitled Tie
Beth Book" being a study from the Life
OF Elizabeth Caldwell Aaclure. Woman
OF Genius" Mime. Grand's last book Is
an interesting one. but alas' the tran OF
the sex problem Is over 1t all.
Beth was a child OF genius. but her
parents were quite ordinary people. Her
father. Capt. Caldwell, had an appoint
ment in the coastgusrd service in Ireland
Beth never got on with her mother. who
was utterly unable to understand her, but
after few years became her fathers
close friend and companion. At FIRST.
however. Beth had no friends. This is
the description Of her fr!endiess child
hood:
"Among Beih's many recollections or
these days there was not one or caress
gwen or received, or of any expression
OF tenderness; and so she never became
familiar with the exquisite language Of
love. and was long IN learning that IL Is
not thing 70 be ashamed OF and con-
cealed
Later that day. with a mighty effort,
she summoned up courage to 70 down to
her father She was determined 10 send
the message TO mamma: but when 1t
came 10 the point she was again unable
10 utter q word on the subject. Her
mother had gone to stay with her rela-
lions In England Beth found her father
In the dining room. and several other peo-
PIE were present. He was standing by
the sideboard. mixing whisky and water.
so instead of sending her love 20 mamma
Beth exclaimed confidently and pleasant
~; III you drink whisky you'll be drunk
again
"A smart slap rewarded this sally. Beth
turned pale and reeoled. II was her first
taste OF human Injustice. To drink and
10 be drunk was TO her merely the nat
ural sequence Of cause and effect; she
could not conceive why she should be
slapped and turned out Of the room: SO
promptly for uttering such simple
truth.
Beth was present at many discussions
between her father and mother. and took
much interest In them. all the more, per-
haps. because most OF what was said was
a mystery to her. She wondered why any
mention OF the 'moon-faced Bessie dis
turbed her mothers countenance. Jane
Netfles. too--when her mother was out
her father used to come and talk to Jane,
and, they laughed good deal. He adj
mired James white teeth. and the chill
dren used TO make Jane show them her
teeth after that. Papa says James got
nice white teeth Beth said 10 her moth
er one day and she never forgot the
glance which Mrs. Caldwell threw at her
husband. His eyes fell before IL.
"'What! even the servants, HENRY
Mrs. Caldwell exclaimed. and then she
left the room. Beth learned what II all
meant In after years. the career of one Of
her brothers furnishing the clue. Like
father. like son."
From the above II viii be seen that Beth
was an infant terrible OF the deepest dye.
Reih had bright mind. but she did not
Ike study. and therefore she was called
stupid. At Z or she began to make
verses. She did not write them down. bu.
recited them to herself. One day when
Besh and her father were IN the garden
he said: 1.-THE scent is the soul Of the
flowers"
The scent is the soul OF the flowers"
Beth repeated several times. then heavcd
81 deep sigh OF satisfaction. II want 10
sing IT." she said Il always want 10
sing things ike that"
what other things like that do you
know. Rethr'
Beth burst out Instantly:
."The song OF the sea In the she'll.
The swish Of the grass IN the breeze,
The sound Of a far~awav hell.
The Whispering inavss on the trees"
who taught you shat, Beth?'' her faith
or asked.
oh no one taught me. para &, Just
came TO ne--like this. YOU know. I uSnf
20 listen 70 the sea IN that she'll In The att
ting room, and I tried and tried ard tried
10 find name far the sound. sna al IS
once the song came into my head the
out here on the grass when K vas long
srfore you cut IL 20 make hay. sGA yog
came cut and salt There's = stiff hTeeze
blowing ard I. blew hard ana then stop
ped. aud then il came Rg4iu; and every
time e came the grass Went s"{sh-h-ht-
The swish of the grass iu ire breeze Then
YOU knew the bell that rings long way
oT~yoG ran cnlv flss hear q ct hero
the sound ~ f1r-away heC. Then the
leaves u was Z long .lne before any
thing came that l could sing about them
l used "a Try ana tank g bu, ven can't
sing \ thing Won think. It's when a thing
comes you sing IT,
Afsor $50 pages written with coHsifera-
ble huuor and viyscity have heer i+vot-
ed to ar adequate description Of her child
hood Beth who IS Row e n18 rvfeS IT
Daniel Naclnre. "A soon as Ne learn ira.
Beth signs herself Elizabeth Caldwell
Mcclure We know we are going 20 be
Diungea into NouRn's rights rropaFan-
Ia Dr Naelure was the "I.ockstcy HAIR
stamp 81 man. minus wealth. Ne rrenea
her letters. took her money and spent T.
on pres nss 20 other woncn. he found
fsnit with her dress and house keepiag: ne
voIiafet Ner nini WIN coarse stories ard
revealed hs professional secrets 70 her:
NJ was on che staS Of hospital which
seems 70 have hecn very unSavory In sons
mysterious way. Certainly mr., Mcclure
was no. r.re sort ~ a rerson Baths
eNresicuce should make marrying ana
gtvIrE in marriage unrcnU,ar reft neth
rur up With all this unsu cne day she
fegaf shat Pc had vivisectea deg. then
she shyieked that she would ueyrr have
married h'rs had she known r. WIS a Wv.
sseesor. She Saes 20 tendon ~hera she
haS friends snS tas airee ~ made herself
knewu IS 2 platform spsa ser Al wforrser'a
meetings. Here she meets ~ old aSrsllre~
ara SstS III ell Might IN serssi- sa1t i9as~t 4,
communion wjtA him fIer husband &C.
r. HeS - receive hS~ bach a~s are returns
be fscrGon and attempts rather un<a--e~S-
sufy - we 81 hev 60 vvAg = s. 1ul.e
noteworthy 1hs; Nine Grand wa~ tscA.
b'e r. ftri a iever tar Heth IN EarlanS.
~, had to lnspos: enc (rons America