The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-07-24
'sThe Durket Sperret."


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'sThe Durket Sperret."
'The Durl1et Sperret' was not sort
Of family banshee, or other supernat-
ural apparition, but the unyielding
obstinacy Of the Durket race. illustrat-
ed IN three members Of the race. In
Mrs. Warren. the "sperret' took the
form Of an iron tyranny over her house
hold. In ST Durket, the husband cho-
sen for her grandchild, 1T was an I'M
reasoning violence, willing to go to any
end rather than suffer defeat; while in
Hannah Warren the family trait was
softened into a great patience.
Isl kin cuss an Granny kin blate,"
gays Hannah. "Pll tuck 1T, but I'll never
tuck ST." This may not be the meek
ness that inherits the earth, but it is
es the same ends.
A neVer-failing interest in American
fiction Is the contrast Of classes, which,
though 1T lacks sharpness, is thereby
the gamer in subtlety. In the course Of
Hannah's rebellion she goes out to serv-
ice in one Of the houses Of a little
colony Of college folk living in
mountain town. The Tennessee noun
taineer understands perfectly the dig
mites Of life, but is stranger to it's
amenities. Hannah had never knocked
at anybody's back door and was per-
fectly aware Of her local Importance,
but civilization which required four
changes Of plates for a single meal was
at once a revelation and an affront to
her
Sis revenge for Hannah's refusal and
for her blow against the family dignity
was a series of calunnies intended to
drive her into marrying him. These
stories involved some Of the people Of
the town, faint. shadowy, well behaved
characters, for whom the reader does
not particularly care. While they are
painfully unraveling the tar accord
ing to their various degrees of moral
strength and mental readiness, Hannah
settles the whole matter by decisive
action, demonstrating that in the case
Of Durket against Durket self-re-
straint is more powerful reinforce
nlent of the family characteristic than
craft or violence.
Isolated sentences Of the story are
clever or amusing.
There amt no shed big enough for
two families" says John Warren,
even II thar's only one apiece in them
families
Hits better to git mad on We by
prancin' than by crawlin'," says his
wife.
THE Durket Sperret," by Sarah Barnwell
s1.50 For sale by the st. Paul Book and
Stationery company.
Notes.
In the August number of tbs Pail Mall
Magazine, Mr. Archer the eminent English
critic, examines the work of a few of the
younger American verse makers. The poets
whose work he surveys are. in alphabetical
Mr.. Madison Cawein. Miss Caroline and Miss
Alice Duer. Mr. Richard Hovey, Mr. Henry
Johnson. Mr.. Charles G. D. Roberts and Mr..
John B. Tabb. We quote the conclusion Of
Mr.. Archers interesting and timely article:
| hope l have said and quoted enough to make
the reader feel with ME that the achievements
ard stu more the tendencies. of the younger
group OF American singers, are entirely en-
couraging to those Of US who hope for The
developement Of second great literature in
the English tongue. l am far from implying
that any Of the writer's have dealt with can,
as yet at any rate, rank as great" pet
What I mean is that they are paving the
way for greatness when 1t arises, by carrying
on the best tradition OF English verse Thcuyh
Enthusiastically and enthusiastically Ameri-
can, they are never provincial Ny quotations
are sufficient to prove. l hope. that whatever
distinction. They use the English language
with freedom, yet with reverence Trey are
untainted by servility. yet show no tendency
should be. No reasonable Englishman-ro
sane critic-would wish to American lit
erature In any way subserylent to ours
is not literature and a half, but two equal
and coordinate iiteratures, both sprung from
the great common stock, and both equally
accessible, for profit, solace, and delight,
all who are born to the ines Unable heritage Of
the English tongue.
The first monthly number of the Critic will
contain the eleventh in the new series of
- Home subject
Margaret Deland." An ideal authors home
is revealed In this article, and the photo
Boston, shows that the pen-picture has not
exaggerated the charms of the novelist's
house In town. An excellent likeness Of Mrs.
p D. and mo- re- Of one e Of the
with Walter Cranes decorative drawing for
1t, further illustrate Miss Purdy's paper. The
a,ithor of John Ward, Preacher" is not
of those who cultivate the paragraph per-
sonal, and it not without reluctance that
she consented to be included in series of
''at homes.'
TWO striking works of fiction are notable at
fractions Of the August number of Hagper's
Magazine-'EThe Monster" by Stephen Crane,
tributes an interesting paper of "reminiscences
and anecdotes Of Mr.. Gladstone. and val
ter Of the Prince e Wales is contained in
an article entitled IF the Queen Had Abdl-
Gated" The number also includes THE Con-
vict System in Siberia" by Stephen Bonsai !;
Under the Spell Of the Grand Canon" by
T. Mitchell Prudden. and the concluding chap
tiers of 'Roden's Corner" by Henry Seton
Merriman. Three short stories, in addition
to those already mentioned, the usual de-
partments and abundance of artistic Illus
trations complete q particularly attractive
number Of this famous magazine.
The Spanish language seems to be causing
great deal Of trouble to the educational
authorities OF New Mexico. The wild patriots
Of the Rio Grande region object to having any
Spanish used or taught in the schools, now
that we are at war with the mother country
Oastil1an speech should anywhere be made the
official one. But 1t occurs to us that now.
more than ever, there Is need for a knowledge
of the Language. Surely all of us realize that
Spanish Is the tongue OF Cuba Porto Rico and
the Philippines, as we'll OF the Iberlan PENN
sula, and we all imagine that the war viii
leave US in closer relations than ever with
these regions.-Chap-B Book
Mark Twain is keeping up with the times.
Some paper recently had a notice that the
eminent humorist Is engaged upon transa.
ton Of the German play. "Bartel Tnraser,"
by Philip Langrnann Anything less hunor
Gus and more truly modern than "Bartel
Turaser" it would be hard to hnd. 1t has
been given mainly at the various 'Theaters
libres," for few managers have had the cour-
age to present 1t. In Trieste, where 1t YVES
forbidden by the authorities, 1t was only freed
from the prohibition that the celearated
Italian actor e. Zaccond, might play the title
part. Mark Twain's translation will rsIra!n
q book drama, we fear. and source Of pleas
ure to limited few, for there are no sec. ety