The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-05-24
LATRsT BooK FREAK.
''rhe Story of Mary AEacLane" is
Worse Than Anticipated.


It was hardly necessary for Miss Mary
MacLane. whose portrayal of herself un-
der the title of The Story of Mary Mac
Herbert S. stone & 60. Of Chicago. to
inform the reader that she is 10 years
old This she does in the opening SEN
tence of her analytical effusion, but be-
fore she had finished the first chapter the
reader would have discovered this Iaet
she is odd that she has in her quite
unusual intensity of life;' that she has
marvellous capacity for misery and
happiness; that she has reached a truly
wonderful state of miserable morbid I'M
happiness, and that she has attained an
egotism that is rare indeed
All these things are the attributes and
prerOgatives of IS.
There might be worse diversion for a
young girl than writing. 1t is a COM
paratiVely harmless and respectable pas
time and good outlet for her superflu-
shame for any publisher to accept her
books and thrust them upon long suffer-
ing world. The reading public should be
spared the aDortlVe efforts OF the literary
infant phenon and child wonder
THE Story of Mary MacLane" will
a truthful account of herself how sorry
doubtless find many readers and ready
sales, for it is original, with all its faults
and crudlties, and almost anything would
DC an agreeable change from the fiction
Of the historical-romantic school with
which the libraries nave been deluged for
the past few years But for all that ITS
puDllsnerS ought TO be ashamed OF them
selves for taking an unfair advantage of
Its author. The book purpOrtS TO be q
frank portrayal of the innermost self of
the Mary MacLane who is the upper case
1 OF the narrative And if We are to take
it seriously and believe that it is really
a truthful account of herself, how sorry
We must feel for this Mary MacLane when
she will have lived a few years longer and
outgrown some of the characteristics OF
Although she pays some little attention
to her eXOteric self and there is the
authors picture as a frontispiece to fur
ther enlighten the curious as to what
this extraordinary young woman is like
externally, the book is devoted for the
greater part to the inner life of Mary
ambitions, her stomach, her morals Cor
immorals, for she declares herself entirely
without cOnScience), her lodgings, her
gastric juices, her philosophy and her
liver. Above all, her liver. And if the
organ is all that she describes, then indeed
she has at least one claim to distinction
and one possession which the world should
stop and admire, even if ii laughs at her
misery, SCOTS at her genius, shrieks at
her lack OF moral sense, shifts at her cpl
cureanism and refuses to take seriously
her sophomore egotism.
The Story Of Mary MacLane" has been
nkened to The Journal of Marie Bash
kirtseff," and the author frequently COM
sian painter, the publication of whose
diary caused such sensation in the world
Of letters some dozen years ago. Miss
MacLane, to be sure, declares that the
that she has the Bashkirtseff backed clear
off the board It is true that in many
respects she -Bashkirtseffs Bashkirt-
self, but as q literary production her
portrayal is far inferior to the famous
journal. However we can not deny that
Miss MacLane is a genius, because she
says herself that she is one
But, alas, who is not a genius at IS?