The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-05-24


 gifted as a writer of plays than as a writer of stories. It probably is this that led him to introduce into his novels ab- rupt effects that belong directly to the stage and offend the canons of htera- ture-and please his readers.
 His other and still more powerful im- pulse was to fight wrong or what he thought was wrong and his feeling was very true so that he rarely attacked anything unjustly. Its Never Too Late To Mend' was written when the mass of the world still considered a prisoner not a subject for reformation but an ob- feet to be punished. People were willing to close their eyes to cruelty in prisons, even though they did not condone It. Reade's novel awakened the minds of the non-thinking public; and from that time the advanced students of penology had the support of the people without which no reform is possible since almost every mistake or wrong springs primarily from either the mistaken approbation or the voluntary neglect of the people them- selves.
 WY HEN John Meadows bought the A/ house in Farnborough in which W Isaac Levi had lived for 20 years, and ordered the venerable Jew to leave it, he exulted in his victory over rival who competed too successfully with him in his own business of money-lend- ing-especially as the Jew lent money at g. low rate while the Christian lent money at usury.
 In vain the old man offered not only increased rental, but even that John Meadows never should lose a penny thereafter through his competition.
 Hear me, sir said Levi, flor you are younger than I. When this hair WIS brown wandered through the world, east and west, north and south, and found no rest. I came to this town and here the God of my fathers gave me my wife. and here he took her to himself again. My Leah died in the house you have bought. Two children were born to me and died there; and there in the silent house I seem to hear their voices and their feet. In another house l shall never hear them. l shall be quite alone Have pity on me, sir, an aged man. Tear me not from the shadows of my dead"
 John Meadows, the zealous churchman, the upright citizen, listened as unmoVed as a rock At last, when Isaac quoted Scripture and bade him beware of the curse that had fallen on the enemies of Israel. he replied with coarse, brutal ref erence to the Jews dead.
 Black lightning poured from Isaac Lewis eyes '1rreverent curb cried he. ..The founder of your creed would abhor you, for he was pitiful! Be accursed! Whatever is the secret wish of your black heart, heaven look on my gray hairs that you have insulted and wither that wish. May you be near to it, close to it, pant for it. and lose it! May it play you till Gehenna burns your soul upon the earthl' White with passion, Meadows swung his stick furiously at the Jews head.
 Fortunately for Isaac, the stout cudgel encountered an obstacle in hand as powerful as Meadows own, for George Fielding, the owner of the farm in which the two had met, sprang between them in time to interpose whipstock and parry the blow.
 There probably was nobody on earth whose interpretation could have been more hateful to the rich Christian than this
 
 John Meadows, who had spent thirty years in one soul-engrossing passion, that of accommodating money, lately had faiien into the grasp of another and greater pas sion. He had fallen in love with all the zeal of an extraordinary strong nature with Susan Merton, who was engaged to F'ielding. Indeed, Meadows visit to the farm had been for the purpose of satisfy ing himself that it was time to strike a final blow to rid himself of his rival.
 Through a secret agent he had lent money on the place until it was certain that the exhausted soil could not produce enough to pay the debt. That morning he Lad put a distress on the land for the amount of the loan.
 George Fielding, unconscious of this, gazed at Meadows with open scorn and held his hand out to the old man, whom emotion and shock had affected He helped him into the house and stepped out again to meet his brother William, who had been to town to try for an addi- tional loan.
 Instead of succor, William brought the news of ruin. At the moment Susan ar rived. The Jew, sitting in the room, heard the news. Peering through the lat tice his keen, wise eyes studied the faces of the three men. When he withdrew he knew.
 Those two men love that woman.' D said he to himself. Triumph flashed from his dark face. He had read the passion that shook the heart of Joh n Meadows and he saw the instrument of revenge at his hand.
 So when George Fielding declared that he would go to Australia to try for fortune in sheep raising, Isaac stepped forth and cried:
 .'Noi I will lend you the money to keep the farml'
 If you want to show me a kindness ' said George, Tend the money to my brother William here. As for me, MT Merton has declared that I shall not marry his daughter till have a thous- and pounds I can never get that out of this used-up farm. Much as I love it I shall go."
 And so he did next day after MT Merton had promised solemnly that he should have his chance. A final humil iation hurried his departure. In his simple trustfulness he had taken in a stranger from London, Tom Robinson without inquiring into hbs antecedents