The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-03-21
BV w. p. kirkwOod,

A STORY THAT WROTE ITSELF
There is something deeply significant In
the circumstances under which The Dawn
of a Tomorrow, by Frances Hodgson Bur-
nett. was written No one who has faith
in, a divinity and divine order can fail
to recognize in the story much needed
message Of vital significance to human
kind. and every reader who recognizes
that much must give the message added
weight when he. knows that the story
was one that would OUT almost. If not
quite. against the authors will. We have
it very directly that. tho the story shaped
itself in the authors mind. she was re-
luctant to put 1t on paper. and even
after she had done that. shrank from
submitting it to publisher; but again
the story Just would and there was no
gainsaying it. To those who still believe
in the poets and the preacher prophets
THE Dawn of Tomorrow coming under
such circumstances has the force Of re-
call to their ancient faith. the point al
most Of a parable from the master OF
| parallels.
The story is that Of wealthy London
er worn with care until his nerves are on
| edge and he decides to seek relief in
suicide in slum district. where, dis
guised and having assumed the name of
Dart. his identity may not be discovered.
There. by chain Of unusual circum-
| olahSCS, liz lISealS Jllily oIo
Glad. the one an aged and the other a
youthful waif Of the slums, and then
came this:
"Aw,' said Glad. 81 amt nothin'. likes
; to ear yer tell about it, She ses,' to Dart
! again. little slowly. she watched his face
with curiously questioning eyes. she ses Els
in the room-same Els everywhere-in this
ere room. Sometimes she talks out loud to
| I'm
What" cried Dart. startled again.
The strange. majestic awful idea-the deity
of the ages-to be spoken of a mere unfeared
reality. And even the vaguely formed thought
| sprang in his brain he started once more. sud
denly confronted by the meaning his OF
the centuries been preaching. but that 1t was
! reality? What had all the intdels Of every
l'age commended but that it unreal and the
folly of a dream? He had never thought of him
self as all infdel perhaps il would have shock ed
him to be called one. tho he was not quite sure
But that little superannuated: dancer at music
halls. battered and worn by an unlawful life
should sit and smile in absolute faith at snct
"a superstitution as this. stirred something
-
Suppose 1t were true }he uttered aloud. ii
response to of inward 1trenlOr; suppose
-it-were---true? - ~
"Gawd." said Glad. he- chin almost OH he
knees and her eyes staring fearsomely. "Spost
it was-an' sttin' ere an not KNOWN it
an no one KNOWN it-nor gettin the goot
of it,.
"Bimme. she said, ''ain't it queer. no
KNOWN if its true
Then when Drunken Bet. is crushed
under car and her soul is fast loosen
ing jimmy Montaubyn bends over he
and speaks:
''Tant true. Not this. 'Tain't true Their
is DEATH. slow and soft and passionatel
distinct ''There--s--no--death.' h.
1t is all a CLEAN of white faith in thu
black setting of slum life. faith sucl
as would put the lip-faith of hosts tt
shame. faith which is lived. not spoken
over which the grave can gain no perma
t nent victory and thru which death i
powerless to infiict lasting sting. To hin
! who has no glinmer Of such faith. i
will all seem foolshness; but for him VIII
has seen the light. even .dimly the stor.
carries a message of vital Importance
This it does also for the church.. whiel
r must live it's faith in the face Of all tn
vicisstUdes Of life. in the face of deaf
itself. and without shrinking. 'or else Sc
that faith sicken and die.
, Charles Scribner's Sons. New York. 81.