The Minneapolis journal., 1905-10-07
POT Ter NOVEL I IS
s57S}5
FAMILY PICTURE
'.TsIIEI; iBHALLINaToNs' TERMED
4 POWERFUL BY DIR. BURTON.
The Work of Mrs. Frances Squire Pot
y ter Of the State, University Faculty,
Published Today, Contains Wonderful
Study u rn al to Publish Incl
dents Of the alling Plot. Y

Mrs. Frances. Squire Potter of the
English department. Of the University
of Minnesota has written a.novel, pub
ished today by Little, Brown & Co., Of
Boston, which, because Of its portrayal
of family relations, is certain. to attract
wide attention; The novel, bears the
title 9sThe Ballingtons. ''; DR.. Richard
with Minneapolis readers; says of it:
relations, a picture Of married life that
sets one. thinking, while the story. is of
|. allfng Interest The book may be
best described as one ofsg'higher real
ims..;; it tells the truth with tragic direct J
ness, yet lis so noble In aim and teach
ing that, the effect on the reader is en-
nobHng.., The characterization Is clear
and profound, the human sympathy note
Eworthy, s. and the novel is written In "a
style that announces another western
| writer of genuine distinction. The work
Las a whole. As head and shoulders aboye
the usual run of fiction and-F should not
be- surprised If it was one Of the literary
sensations sof the year, s4.,s..
Two striking incidents from the
Ballingtons = will, thru the courtesy
of. the publishers, appear, in T h e
1sJofu nal g magazine supplement- to.
morrow. :, Isl 4. 5..s. s .s,:f 4.
Mrs. Potter spent seven years in prep.
aration Of the novel, not, Of course
j opportunity permitted. The story was
4 constantly IN her mind, however, tho
| It grew slowly. The characters, not
/ the ,sitpations, developed in her mind
/ frst.s Once; they took shape and were
4 brought stogether, their lives seemed te
/ develop naturally, revealing the rela
! ton Of the struggle for existence tc
the spiritual sides Of their natures,
Mrs. Potter, was born in Elmlra
/ Ny, canning from a: long line Of New
England ancestors ION both sides. iHel
her mother, a daughter of Dr.. Nathanie
| Smith > of = Bennington, Vt. On .hel
father Is side she, Isl .lineallys related tt
Roger Williams and collaterally to Jon
| athans. Edwards. Several members o7
her mother s family attained distinc
tion in political. life. Her father wa
aYsurgeon land was the first American
recognized by the French Academy to
Medicine, receiving the argenteuil; prlz
for the invention Of an instrument. il
wrote technical prose, for American am
French journals. :. 4.zE n; %g$1Es
3 Mrs &Potter's first literary work wa
done when she was in her teens. She aid
edAher father to translate from Frenc
4 rports Of the investigations which Pas
teur was thenjmaking. - DIR. Squire wa
also poet, tho his work in. that .diree
tion was never intended for publication
:: Mrs. Potter was graduated from 81
mira college with the bachelors degre,
and afterward: took a. master degree
She is also an honorary alumna of th
University of Minnesota. She taugh
| for d time III Elmira college, spent
year abroad, then came to Minneapoli
i wi q
$ HThe Ballingtons ~ is her first move
: tho she has written frequently tfor ma,
: azines, Isl She has a years leave Of al
T sence, and has gone to Cambridge, Eng
| to spend the time in study and writin
: s@ While Mrs. Potter is abroad she wi
y send occasional letters to the literal
{. department Of z h e. J ournal. &C.,