The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1898-12-18
MACLAREN's NEW STORIES.
out of Mulberry Street" and THE Little
Lady,

Ian Maclaren's reputation as man
of letters will not be increased by
Afterwards his latest volume. The
book takes its title from the first story,
a pathetic tale of clever husband who
only appreciates his dull loving wife
after her death. This gives the note
for most of the remaining stories, the
greater number of which are devoted to
showing the Imrecognized virtues and
possibilities that lie hidden beneath the
tiresome. or silly, or repellant eXteriors
of men and women. The Drumtochty
names and dialect are reserved for two
stories and sketch and these are the
only spots in the book to remind the
reader of The Bonuy Brierbush."
1t cannot be fairly said that After
wards as u whole, is other than dis
appointing A certain insincerity and
artificiality are perceptible, while the
straining after effect and the passion
for pathetic climaxes seem TO have
grown into a mental habit with the au
thor-an emotional attitude.
Yet these stories are sweet and rev.
erent and tender; they cannot do any
harm, and to many they will do good.
(Dodd, Mead " Coz
Why is it that out of Mulberry
Street. dealing as it does with the
poorest tenement life of New York
with low women and tramps and
sweaters. with Syrian and Polish Jew
emigrants, and fighting negresses, and
all the misery and sin that go to make
up the sum of their lives, vet leaves the
reader in a more optimistic frame Of
mind than Afterwards, with its at
mosphere of genteel responsibility?
Why does reading one give you SEN
sible brace and increase your faith and
4 hope in God and this republic nightly
While the other makes you want to
SWIVEL and give it up?
The writer's own theory in the mat
ter is that, in the first place, Jacob
I Riis is a better story-teller than DR.
4 Watson second that he has written
! far more seriously and earnestly than
! Dr. Watson has; third that Mr. Riis
has of the two the larger humanity;
and last. that being poOr,in New York S
Sums is not the tragedy some people
| think it.
/ Readers of Mr.. Riiss famous first
! book, How Other Half Lives" need
fear no disappointment in coming to
! Mulberry street" The touch is as
! firm and as tender, the observation as
| penetrating and sympathetic, the whole
attitude toward life and the life of the
slums as brave and large, as loving as
! Wnen 'Ihe other Hair startled
thoughtful people. No side of tenement
life is alien to Mr. Ris-he knows the
greed. jealousy and hate, the pity and
reverence and gayety, the unselhsh
| devotion. the indomitable courage that
fill the hearts of those peoples who,
| gathered from every race on the globe,
swarm on the east side of the great
city, speaking all tongues and observ-
ing all customs, yet stirred by motives
the selfsame in Mulberry street as on
Murray hill.
1t ought not to be necessary after
this to say that "Out of Mulberry
Street is a little classic, or that the
effect of it will be to enlarge Mr. Riis's
audience and strengthen his reputation
both as a practical sociologist and a
story teller (The Century Company)
4 collection of humorous sketches
and short stories by Tom Hall the
popular contributor to Truth, has APP
peared in holiday attire from the press
Of Herrick & Co. entitled "The Little
Lady. The little lady is the au-
thor's wife; the book is dedicated to
his children. A decidedly domestic
flavor haunts these humorous nonsen-
steal pages which, with their numerous
Illustrations offer diversion for blue
or a leisure hour. (The Century Com
pany.)