The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-05-05
NEWS OF TEE BOOK WORLD
a Study in Character Bulding-From
Woodchopping to Fine Art and PhiIos-
ophy-An Omar Writes RubaIyat of
Lake Minnetonka.

A. group of men and women and a child,
adults of which have been thru one or an
other Of the bitter trying out processes Of
life or have at least found and taken
themselves masterfully in hand-of such
does M. E. Waller write in The Wood
Carver Of 'Lympus.
Lympus is the Vermontese for Olym-
pus, one Of the states mountains, and
the Woodcarver of the tale dwelt thereon.
He had been a woodchopper, but a tree
fell on him, and after that he was a
paralytic without the use of his lower
limbs. At first he accepted the situation
with cursings and bitterness But a
stranger came to his home one day, and,
seeing his need to be something to occupy
his mind and time, later sent him set
Of carving tools with a book of instruc-
tons. The stranger became a friend and
brought into his life other friends, both
human and such as are to be found in
books. The center of interest in the book
is in the development Of Hugh Arm
strong's character under the burden of his
disability, his woodcarving and the in
fuences of his newly found friends. The
Woodchopper became a woodcarver Of
rare skill and a philosopher. Aunt Lie,
Uncle Shin and ''Twiddie' are the other
members of the household. All three are
characters worth the reading Of the book
W DSCOIIle Will. Ole COulO
| stand much more of Aunt Lie, especial
ly. 1t was she who could not endure a
certain "Methody travelin' agent who
called on her one day.
"'Is your soul saved, my sister?' he
asked
"'Oh, yes, it's said Aunt Lie with
cheerful assurance, but don't like to
brag much on't.tain't my way
Trl,a
bleak and gray, ground frozen hard, a
splitting Of snow, with a rising wind"
1t has been question whether they
should celebrate in the old-style way.
Aunt Lie decides in favor of the celebra-
| ton, announcing her purpose thus:
| ''Ther' amt no use er folks thinkin'
they can norgige their futur, n caIlatin
| ter pay interest ont afterwards; Their
amt nothin' but jest now thet's ourn, m
| I, fer one, be er-goin' ter make the most
ont We can afford to make Thanks
givin' this year, m I'm goin' ter make it. >
! So Thanksgiving is made, and wher
| they all sit down Uncle Shin said grace
| ooh, Lord, we thank thee fer life and
victuals, n fer thy mercies everlastin'
Amen
Twiddie, late in the story, goes to the
| city, and it does not please Uncle Shin
to have her there. 81 dunno, Hughie, e.
| i nina neT SO1H So IlOCu
faint that; but it's the idee er her bein
in tibet great hogs wash er city life," HI
said one day.
The letters exchanged by the friends IL
| the group to which the woodcarver be
! longs discuss things on high levels-ethi
| cal and philosophical problems. "Y GU sa,
you are convinced a man has nothing blu
his will with which to meet life; tina
deliberate valor' is the only safeguar
against temptations that beset a man
weakness . writes one of the feminin
i members Of the group to the carver, ii
opening up a discussion. Another,
geologist, writes: you'll think by thi
time that I have a talent for waiting
so I have-that belongs to my trade
Mother Earth writes large with aeons Q
patience, and a man may well learn
| lesson or two from her."
How varying forces move and sway an
81 dispose Of the members of this group G
which the carver is the center makes
story which takes hold of thoughtfr
] mind with a stronger grip than usua
The story lacks something in artistic An
ish. But it deals with serious matter
in a serious way, tho hunnor and love
making of a quiet kind are not lacking.