The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-12-17
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MA EVER has any year, seen as
 W many books by Alabama writ
 " CTS from the press. Novels " ~ essays, poems, we have them ell, a most cfeditable array.
 Alabama may well be proud of her sons and daughters and the works they have this year accomplished in the literary world.
 The novel that is just now the talk of the day in New York: The North. erner" is by young woman well known in Alabama, Miss Norah Davis
 Anything tending on the color line Is sure of the attention of large DOT tion of the reading North. The people of this section are rapidly learning that the negro question is that of the Nation. not of one section only. Ear nest witnesses are alert for any al- formative word on the matter. They seek in fiction, in romance, in socio- logical stories, anywhere. everywhere, so that a solution mayhaps be found.
 whether the South accepts Miss Davis pictures of its phases as the true one remains to be seen. But very sure it is that Miss Davis has written the book of the day and everybody who keeps abreast of the times must go reading The North erner."
 This is Miss Norah Daviss first pub Iished book. but, though she has writ ten stories, sketches. political arti- cles, book reviews since she could hold pen, 1t was to teaching in the public school that she turned when thrown on her own resources at sixteen.
 But after the first year." she says, 'T had solved little theory of living. and I saw that it is not the work it. self that makes the life of working woman that dull tread-mill that it usually Is, but the deadly monotony the narrowness, and determined forthwith to have at least vanity. Pur- suing this theory, worked my way from Key West in Florida to the Ozark mountains, living in every State along the way and having good time too It was rather a strenuous life for a girl; full, too. of hard work. for with my inherited tastes tor good liv- ing. I naturally wanted to live at the best hotels and wear good clothes and go with my own social class, and teachers salary would not do it. So supplemented 1t by work for the news papers and stenoKraphic work in the courts. and this finally won me.
 80 I gave up my work in the schools and took a position as clerk in the De- partment of Justice. being attached tc the Federal Court for the Northern District of Alabama, and stationed al Birmingham.
 T worked in the United States Attorneys office mainly, and learned the intricate ramifications of the pros ecuting branch of governmental work
 Later I was promoted to be deput! clerk of this district and came bacl to HuntsvilIe (my birthplace) to live It was in the courts, of course, tha I met my book"
 An earlier novel from the pen of ar Alabamian that won national hear ing was Breath of the Gods" by Sid ney Mccall. author of that most popu lar of novels Truth Dexter" It l. an open secret that the pen nam Sidney Mccall is that of one of ou states brainest women, one of rar' culture, charm and genius Her event full life under different skies and de vious chimes gives her ample mater ial from which to draw the romance that she successfully spins.
 Over her own name the author pub fishes some very fine verse and ex cellent short. stories
 Mise Katherine Hopkins Chapman has. out this season volume of shor stortes. Loves Way in Dixie" whici akAygs Der 10 be in close sympathy witl