The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1906-12-07
He Has Written a New Book
Which is Receiving
Much Comment
TITLE WHEN LOVE SPEAKS"
Scenes Laid in Michigan. Deals
with Low Politics and High
Finance.

Will Payne, who achieved fame as an
author, and is classed among the writer's
of prominence has recently completed
book entitled "When Love Speaks" The
new book has received many favorable
comments from the press. Mr.. Payne
and his estimable family, spend part
of the time in Paw Paw, and have large
circle of friends here. The Northerner
joins in congratulations on the success
of the new book. We give herewith
copy of comments on the new book clip
ped from the Chicago Record Herald.
Will Payne has not only surpassed him
self in "When Love Speaks" but has
written one of the best novels that has
ever come out of the West. At last he
has proved that the menacing alliance
between low politics and high finance
can be touched into burning human in
terest by literary art He has been prac-
ticing on this type of commercial novel
for years, not always with success, but
with growing skill, and now he has pro-
duced really great story of its kind
one that combines the two themes of
idyllic love and business morals iu
drama so real and so intense that it sets
the readers heart to galloping.
The scenes are laid in small city over
in Michigan and the formation of whis-
key trust plays a large part in the action.
In this aspect it is the story of dead
ly struggle between honesty and dishon-
esty. Winthrop Holmes the prosecut-
ing attorney, and his sister Louise stand
for uncompromising enforcement of the
law, regardless of consequences. The
local political boss and the distillery
crowd are fighting for the prostitution of
the law, using bribery, arson, intimida-
ton, and any form of dishonesty that
suits their purposes. Between the two
stands David Donovan, an able, alert,
manly young fellow, whose weakness is
that be has been brought up in crook
ed political school, and whose strength
is that he loves and marries Louise.
! The love of these two admirable young
people is ground between the upper aud
neither milestone of INSCRIPTIONS wealth
and the girls uncomprmising ideas OF
right. A time comes when the prose-
cutting attorney in attempting to bring a
wealthy criminal to justice, has been de-
serted by every witness except David,
and David is a doubtful quantity. II be
appears ia court he will be ruined finan-
cially by the trust makers. who are his
business friends. IL he refuses to appear
he will break his young wife's heart.
This dramatic climax which l have
only family indicated, is intensified by
sundry complications and by the intim-
acy with which we know the many char
acters. The plot is quite intricate, deft-
ly woven, full of tense situations surpris-
ingly real. The ending is somewhat dis
appointing from the idealist's point of
view, for the bribing trust makers sue
ceed in stifiling the law. This is natural
enough | suppose, in the present state of
American business morality, and Mr..
Payne's attitude is distinctly that of
realist. His sympathies apparently are
lot altogether on the side of bIll-headed
honesty that can not compromise for
practical ends. He is on the side ofright
but be never loses the viewpoint of
man OF the world. AS realist | think
he has erred in making David act as he
di6 in leaving his wife, but the final tri-
umph of love is true and effective.
On the whole this is fine, clean, stir
ring novel, one to hold in its grip men
and women alike-a timely novel OF typ
ical American life.