The Topeka state journal., 1905-03-11


appeared. 1t IS THE Master Word" by
l.. H Hammond, just published by the
Macmillan company of New York
The book is receiving favorable notice
and is considered an excellent presenta-
ton of the case from a. southern stand
point, though ii is more moderate than
some of the recent contributions to this
field Of literature.
There is no phase of the race prob
lem in the south today harder of solu-
tiOn than that concerned with the negro
half castes or mulattoes, says one Of the
reviewers. Through an infusion OF
white blood these people have a super
for mental capacity, which Influenced
by other racial strains tends to make
them either more useful members Of
society than the full-blOOded negro or
more dangerous. as the case may be.
AT their worst they seem the embOdi-
ment of all that is vicious in both peo-
pies, and upon the negroes with whom
their lot is cast they act like the evil
genius of the race. At their best they
are the strongest power on earth to
upIift and regenerate their ignorant and
brutal fellows and to help on the dark
race in its slow upward struggle.
In THE Master Word" the subject of
EniscegenatiOn is treated in story form
by a southern woman, who feels deeply
on the question and writes huently. Her
point of view is essentially a woman
point Of view. making UP in emotional
interest what it lacks in breadth and
outlook During the serious illness OF
her husband Margaret LaWton dis
covers that he is the father of a negro
Woman's child. She cannot and does
not forgive his unfaithfulness until af-
ter his death. Then IN remOrSe she
tries to do what she can to right the
wrong which he had committed, and
90 that end has the child brought to
her own house. where, as the niece OF
an old favorite servant, she cares for
her and educates her
So Viry, the child, grows up with
Adargaret's own daughter Bess, and
with Dick, Bess' brother, and Bruce.
Margaret's protege. Viry is educated
60 become a teacher in a negro school,
but she loathes and detests negroes,
and her life as a teacher is unbearable-
She belongs to that unfortunate class
of mulatto that, almost white in blood
and entirely white in feeling, yet is
doomed ever to be cut off from assOci-
alton with what is really its own kind
viry met at school she found they diff
fered from her in this "They had white
blood, but it merely served to quicken
the black nature; while for her the
black blood had poisoned a white wom-
This is the tragedy Of life for viry
for which her unknown father was re-
sponsible, and this was part of her
husbands guilt that Margaret had ov-
erlooked. The situation is pathetic in
the extreme. but the author seeks to
show that 1t need not be hopeless; that
such a. life IN spite OF its SunerlnS ana
shame has q golden opportunity for
noble and unselfish work.
For the rest the story is laid in the
phosphate regions near Nashville,
Tenn. and Bess, with her pretty face
and her lovers, dances through the
pages attractively, and Dick and Bruce
in their work with the phosphate de-
posits have their hands full developing
the new industry and holding in check
the turbulent elements of humanity,
black and white, which swarm about
the mines
One of the delightful additions to
the love stories of today is Alice Win
ter's '"The Prize to the Hard" just
published by the Bobbs-Merrin COM
pany. The scene of events is St.
Etienne. a quickly grOwn-up city of
the American northwest COnspicu-
Gus among the characters is a sturdy
old millionaire magnate, who remem-
bers when the city's site was wild land,
and who married in his pioneer days, !
the beautiful young Indian girl he
saved from drowning almost in sight
of the wigwams of her people. He has
retained tender memories of that
bride. long dead. has this pioneer.
They make him very loving to his
half-breed daughter, Vera-grown to
charming young wOmanhOod and
showing the least trace of her Indian