The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1902-12-28
LITERARY NOTES

Stories of the Orient are becoming the
vogue everywhere. The Kiss Of Glory"
by Grace Duffie Boylan. just issued by
the G. w Dillingham; Company of New
York, is having a phenomenal success.
It is historical romance, having for its
theme the wonderful and dramatic story
of Joseph, son of Jacob, the mystic
dreamer of the old Hebrews The Bibh-
cal narrative runs through the story only
in far felody not obtruding archae-
logical strains and studied facts too
harshly on living music and romance of
the love that is never old All through
the books are touches that speak the ar
fist sense; descriptive parts fragrant in
Oriental color; eloquent parts written
with power that strikes the heart, and
satisfies too, with that simplicity of style
that is so charming and so rare.
1t is the first novel Mrs. Boylan has
written, but for more than ten years she
has been serving her novitiate in the field
of magazine and newspaper work.
When I was little child,' she remark
ed the other day to a friend in New York,
II loved the story of Joseph more than
any other story in the Bible, and all my
life 1 have wanted to write it. At last
1t is DONE"
| No one who has read the opening pas
! odBe, l. ne OTeWaTQ puts the DOCK ASIDE
carelessly, for it is said in these words:
Among the scarabic in the metropolis
tan museum in New York Is one which
bears upon its back this ancient writing:
This scarab was placed in the mummy
of the kings scribe, Hish Ptah son of
Khonsu Mant. 1t contains the chapter OF
the heart from the book of the dead"
THE kings serbs Is a flake of dust
His records of defeats and victories, his
battle songs and verses to the queen, and
all the nice accounting of his clerkly
hand have passed away. Only the chap
ter of the heart remains. FOR love is
there; and love is the one thing that does
not die.
This story is the chapter Of the heart
of Joseph, the son of Jacob; the heart of
the boy filled with visions of the fields;
and the heart of the man, filled with
stormy dreams of one fair woman.
so, IL tell the tale but simply at the
start, and dwell on little joys and timid
loves awhile, 1t Is because this untan-
gled shepherd has a long ways to go be-
fore he reaches Egypt and his hour OF
understanding.
Few things have been written in all the
bright reign of literature, better thought
or@ better said than this. That one para
graph alone is little masterpiece.
ANfSAA hiO DOOh5 di6 all uT6SS6Q III
Christmas colors, but there is no book for
the little folks that wears a brighter coat
nor dances so little spirit of Santa Claus
as Denslow's Might Before Christmas"
The verses are known by heart, as
much as Home Sweet Home; for years II
has been little household god Of every
fireside. They were written by Clement
c. Moore long years ago, but never until
this year did an artist take hold of them
and put the spirit to the letter."
Santa Claus never before has been made
such jolly little fellow; never before
have toys, sugar plums pieces of furni-
ture, and houses and the moon and babies
and reindeer, been drawn with such eff
quisite humor and with such childhood
grace as William Wallace Denslow has
drawn them.
He is the artist who illustrated Faith
er Goose and His Book" and dozens of
other books for children. and is the one
man out of five hundred who understands
little folks and their point of view.
G. w. Dillingham; Company of New
York are the publishers and charming
introduction is written by Grace Duffie
| Boylan.