The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-11-20

caused the negroes to have faith in
a John Brown rediViVus. Here Is
what Hough gives as the Southerners'
protest against the attitude of the
North:
But we denounce and always will
denounce that false decree which says
that black is white; that inequality is
equality; that lack of manhood is
manhood itself: that the absence of
a heartstone can mean home; that
the absence Of a home can mean
permanent society.
This particular paragraph is not so
bad. Hough is evidently sincere in
these sentiments and there can be de-
tected nothing of the poseur in his
attitude But nj the working out of
the clash between white and black
in the story he introduces situations
which certainly would we'll adapt
themselves to the 10, 20 and 80 cent
'home of refined melodrama."
A score of murdered negroes sit
stark along the benches of their
flooded meeting house, with alligators
rasping their grisly way across the
Shiny floor. (Green calcium and shiv-
cry music.) Or again, the booming
of an African war drum in cane
brake and the chanting of barbaric
tribal incantations by citizens of the
United States, black albeit. This bor-
ders on the sensational to say the
least. Bobbs- Merrill, of Cincinnati
are the publishers of this story of
the law of black against white.
Gods Good Man.
| approach the task of criticising
Marie Corelli's new book, Gods Good
man." in a manner which / believe
| is the most practical, yet not the most
orthodox. ] intend to handle the book
| in terms of bulk just as one would
| figure upon a carload of potatoes or
| invoice a shipment of sheep. The
story comprises 523 pages of fine
| print, closely set in type, about $50
| words to the page being the average
arrangement; in somU of the dialogues
I each of the interlocutors delivers him
! self of from 800 to 500 words with
! out pause for BREATH many of the
authors reflections upon life and
! things occupy space of 1000 words
| or more Gigantic is the word to be
properly used in describing this lit
! erary effort.
Though I have had this book on
| my desk for three weeks, recent
night of strenuous reading barely suf-
! feed to close the six days effort at
! completing it--and that with several
| jumps over Miss Corellis assertions
! not related to the thread of the story,
/
| the book.
In a liturgical preface of some
| length Miss Corelli prays sarcastically
! to be delivered from the hands of the
critics. From willful misquotations,
| from sentences garbled and randomly
set forth to the public without con-
| text, continuation or conclusion, in
| attempt to do injury to both the story
and the writer from the novel-skim-
| mer's epitome, abridgement synopsis
or running commentary may an hon
est press deliver me-
This is comprehensive enough, bit
ter enough. bearing enough of Corellis
! egotistfc stamp, and of course the dis
honest critic shrivels before it and
draws in his horns. In all contri-
tion then, and with due humility,
venture topropound several questions
which [ think the author owes it to
| the ever critical book and news
paper fraternity to answer as their
small intellect has been sadly dis
turbed by reading of her book:
Is the Good Man in her story the
only 'Churchman" Miss Corelli
could ever tolerate, and if so. was it
because he read Epictetus?
Did the Rev. John Walden's good
ness lie in finding utter abomination