The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1902-04-13
THE ALIENS


The Aliens" by Mary Tappan Wright
scribner's, is one of the latest appeals
through name to promote discussion on
the race question in the South. Mrs. Tap
pan Is the wife of a Harvard professor,
who doubtless spent much time In the
South in the days Immediately following
the period of reconstruction after the
Civil war. That she was close student
of events and people is evidenced by her
work. which may justly be called the
truest picture yet presented of Southern
life and character in those troublons
days that tried mems souls.
Whatever may be said of the effect of
novel of this character, which may
to an extent be negatived by its late
appearance it is nevertheless an admir-
able presentation Of an era that has
never been preserved IN permanent liter
airy form. 1t is truthful strong, power
full. No Southerner can cavil at its
straightforward incisiveness, and there Is
total lack of obtrusive criticism that
could offend the people about whom the
story is told. There is ample action to
make plot thick with interest and there
Is pathos and humor all through the
chapters with several love threads In
terwoven to brighten up the warp OF the
fabric.
Briefly. the story tells of how Helen
Thurston, a New Highlander, became the
wife of a Northerner, who had already
lived severay years in the little town of
TallaWara, where he was professor IN
a local college, The scenes were new to
her, and she began to wonder at and
criticise the institutions, the people, Gus
toms-and even the climate came under
her observation There was no open re-
volt and she doubtless would have grown
used to her surroundings had not the
workings of a colored mission" came
to her notice. This work was done by
Northerners also, and they were socially
under the ban by all the native whites.
For Mrs. Thurston to even associate with
Miriam Long whose father was at the
head of the mission, meant social estrac-
ism for her. and Punishment for her hus-
band She felt the need of giving support
to the negroes, and at the same time
saw her duty to Thurston's adopted peo-
pie. There is much food for thought in
this book The problem of elevating the
negro race was then in it's infancy, and
prejudice against the North was only
beginning to wane. federation was out
of the question, was proved when Mrs
Thurston took the place of Miriam Long
latter was ILL., Feeling was high and the
mission was burned. The excitement grew
intense, and a tragedy was introduced in
the killing of Gus johnson by mulatto.
Asia, a type of the negro woman well
known in those days. Johnson was viz
tually an outlaw, though high in society.
1t is this type that seems especially
to have appealed to the author, and she
has indvidualized her characters like
those in a book from Dickens, making
them the kind we all knew and rem en-
Der. To one who has lived in the South,
the lover in 1.-The Aliens" Trenholm, is
so typical as to be remarkable. There has
always lived the young man whose gall
lantry is household word who does not
hesitate to believe he is in love with ey-
cry interesting women he meets, but
whose perfect sincerity no one would
question. Trenholm has affairs all over
and yet he marries Miriam Long on her
deathbed. And this Miriam Long; no
novelist ever pictured a lovlier creature.
She made a sacrifice of herself on the
altar of love and duty.
And so all through the story, there are
no unnatural situations. She has drawn a
perfect pitcure-photographe a people
who were passing through an unhappy
ordeal and it is without prejudice or mall
ice. The negro dialect is especially fine
equal to any, and there is not enough of
1t to become In any sense burdensome
The novel has perfect equipoise and mer-
its warm praise because of it's natural
ness.
1t is this perfect fidelity in her work
that makes Mrs. Wright a most engage
Ing novelist. She paints nature as 1t ap-
pears, and there are no false colorings,
no high lights for the mere sake of fore
ing contrast Taken as a whole, the
book may be called not only charming
but really splendid, to use a womans
own adjective.