The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-01-06

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 If Mrs. HcKinney were an experi- enced and seasoned writer of fiction ner friendly critics might pronounce Ine Silent witness" an unique story pe- cause of the original treatment or an old, theme. An originality which con sists of departure from constructive methods when displayed by new story writers Is invariably charged to iack
 of literary technique.
 .sThe Silent Witness is a tragedy. a story In which murder Is committed Tn the first chapter. The reader Is invited to witness the terrible death of Dan Thurston. a high spirited Kentucky gentleman, few minutes after peins Introduced to him. He shot to deatn by Dunstan Clark. who Is also intro knows, who killed Dan rhurston be- fore he has read ten pages but the characters In the book do not. Ana here is the story--the clearing up, TOT
 the benefit. not of the readers. but or the characters in the book. Of the mystery surrounding the tragic takins off of the central figure
 The denouenfent, the fastening of the crime upon Dunstan Clark, just as the reader knew it would be, Is the chiei aim of the story. The climax. even n 1t is based op fact. Is so improbable as to make it doubtful dramatic mate rial Sympathy Is grasped by an er- I fort to put the crime upon Hugh Mar. 1 lowe who. by just right, is the hero oi ! inc story. but this feature Is subordi- mated to extraneous incident. and com monplace routine in the daily living o' | the persons who move through the | story.
 Now we do not mean by these stric- l lures upon the structure of the story | to be unkind to Mrs. Mckinney. noi would we have book-buyers believe | that "The silent witness Is without merit Indeed. there Is pervasivt charm in the book that will make I, | popular, Then there Is literary meril | in it. In It's descriptive passages there IS a realism that holds interest. No where in the book Is Mrs. McktnneS on such sure ground as when she IS describing the meadows. the hills anc the homes of her own native Kentucky | in which State the action takes place Mrs. Mckinney has not claimed to bt a descriptive writer and yet In this 1 book she has mirrored Kentucky scene: with touch so sure that her readers l descend from her verbal heights ol real genius with sigh for a few day' | os life in that beautiful country sht pictures To transport the reader tc the place depicted Is the highest par' | pose of a writer and one easily con cludes after a careful examination oi | '"rhe Silent Witness" that It's descrtpt' | i've passages reflect the greatest credit | upon the author.
 Mrs. Mckinney has a pronounced DO etic temperament. This poetic temper ament Is reflected from nearly every page of "The Silent Witness" She | has written many clever verses. some of which are so redoient of delicate ol
 noble thought as to be classed as req poetry. The poetic thoughts so ire quently expressed in the story rather story of strength, and here and there raises the suspicion that the author Is striving to impress the reader witf i her literary skill. This Is, of course
 not fair to Mrs. Mckinney. because hel literary reputation does not need such bolstering. The fact remains that the story cannot bt
 unfolded smoothly and consistently when the actors are required to stoT
 in the way and recite verses having
 slight bearing on the subject. Most oi
 these verses are the fine thoughts oi
 Mrs. Mckinney. Some of them arc
 gems, but nearly all of them are out
 of tune with the story.
 Using the poetry within her soul tc describe her old Kentucky home Mrs
 Mckinney frequently drops into-oi IaScehus-lo passdSeS so cApiessi'e aS to be eloquent. Instance this descrip' | tion of a Kentucky sunset:
 The West was a panorama of bril- liancy. A golden wall, on which the
 sun balanced, blazed along the sky | above the trees. One narrow, dark
 cloud wave, rolling into what was now
 a sea of melted brass, was flecked witf Igolden foam. To the left spectra
 rain was falling from a lilac cloud An instant later Raphaers flight oi
 women in robes of lavender flanket the space there The sun went dowr under three glowing logs, whicf lburned, leave live strips of embers On a collection of yellow-gra cloud. in the zenith, spirit artist brusf ld,pped in carmine paint moved rest llessly. A shelving cliff reached sun
 W ard. and before 1t vivid pink rais