The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-05-14
HAMLIN CARL AND, NOVELIST

friends was B. o. Flower, at that time
editor of the Arena. Mr.. Flower was
somewhat of a spirits. and he induced
Mr.. Garland to serve on the executive
committee of the newly organized Amer
lean Pschical society This organization
was totally distinct from the well known
society for psychieal research The pres
ident of the executive committee was
Minot ]. Savage. It was the aim of the
society to investigate psychic phenomena
scientifically, and to this end they strove
to get men of science interested in their
work Among others, Prof. Dolbeare' OF
Tufts. was invited TO serve on the conf
mittee Mr.. Garland because of his scep-
teal attitude and keen common sense,
was chosen to investigate the actual ply
steal phenomena attributed to physlc
forces and to report the result of his
researches in the Physical Journal. In
time he became known in this capacity,
and was brought into close association
with all sorts of persons who had had
phvsie experiences. He himself was pres
emit and took charge. at many sittngs,
where inexplicabe occurrences took place.
1.-The Tyranny of the Dark is based in
part upon the impressions formed at this
time.
1t is always interesting to know how
oui notes for his novels though he seldom
refers to them again except for basic
facts. He finds that the mere effrt of writ
ing them down serves to organize them
IN his mind. Sometimes n whole para
graph takes form in his mind, and this
he sets down as keynote, or eolor-note,
which IS to govern some particular chap
ter. Sometimes. as in making his studies
for The Captain of the Gray-Horse Troop,
he plans a whole chapter or part of con-
versation. Mr.. Garland aims TO write
only when his material is colored by his
own emotional relations to it-that is. only
when he finds it worth while. But his
fundamental. principle, as regards his
story-ma<ing. is to base his work always
upon actual experience and observation
lie believes 1t the duty of every novelist
to get next to" the real conditions He
aims to share the life of the people whom
he portrays and his familiarity with the
west his command of the western accent
when needed. and his ready adaptability
in meeting all classes of people. enable
him 10 study character at first hand. It
is this habit of intimate association with
his literary subjects which gives his
stories their unmistakabe power and vir-
lity In The Tyranny of the Dark Mr..
Garland has by no means departed from
his former successful method since this
story is based upon the psychic expert
ences previously alluded to, which form
an integral part of Mr.. Garlands intellec-
ual life in Just as true sense as any
of the fundamental facts which went into
the making of Hesper or The Captain or
the Gray-Horse Troop.
The Tyranny of the Dark tells the story |
of a young woman who. while perfectly !
normal In all other respects mad mani |
Tested psychic powers from very early |
age. Through the influence of her mother,
and a fanatical preacher who wishes TO |
use her as a means of converting the !
world to an undoubting belief in immor-
tally, she becomes practically enslaved /
by her own singular powers. The girl Is |
revolted by the idea OF sacrificing her |
youth to this FETCH ana longs ineXpress- !
IDLY for freedom to live a happy, whole !
some life, like other girls of her age. |
She feels, she says, like a hotel plano,
on which any one may play. Her sanity |
and happiness are at stake, when |
young scientist Gomez ON the scene and |
interests himself in her case. lie resists |
his first impulse to fall in love with her |
more than half suspecting her of fraud, !
but at an impromptr sitting. under the |
most rigid conditions. her innocence of |
deception is proven. The scientist, now |
believing in her entirely set himself to I
the double task of resc-4ng her from her |
olsession and winning her for his wife.
The powers of light are opposed to the |
powers of darkness and are ultimately |
triumphant.
The story is replete with stirring incl |
dents. concerning both the characters "in |
the light and those in the dark and /
these episodes are all the more fascinating
because based upon, or at least resem-
bling, actual occurrences. The human, /
tragic. side of the story so well express |
ed In its title, Mr., Garland has handled
with power and perfect understanding. |
lie has also. in the young scientist, illus |
trated the typical development of the /
scientific man of today 10 studies psy |
chic phenomena. He shows the change |
from sheer disbelief to the realization /,
that matter itself Is so utterly unknown !
to us in its ultimate nature that 1t is i'm |
possible for us to declare anything i'm |
possible The ordinary facts of chemis- !
try and physics are. In the last analysis, !
as nexplicabe as the psychic phenomena |
which impress us as miraculous. In his |
Interpretation Mr.. Garland leans to the !
theory of Lombroso, that some persons |
are possessed of power which is per- |
fectly natural. but little understood by
which they are able to effect physical !
changes without the intervention of ordi- |
nary physical means If such a power |
exists 1t Is essentially no more to be /
maryelled at than electricity.
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