Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1910-07-26
RY Inheritance

One Of the books that l have recently read Is
the new novel Of octave Thanet by Inheri'
lance" The book deals with the negro prop
lem, and one has said that II Is the
next best book to Uncle Toms Cabin, out 10
me, a southerner, 1t is a much better oook
than Uncle Toms Cabin, for 1t deals so mucn
more truthfully with the south.
Miss Agatha Danforth is a rich lady OF so
or 90. living in Massachusetts Naturally she
possesses all the sympathy for the negro race
that most New Englanders have, and In adol-
tion to that she reels especlaly Kihuy III
black race because one Of them showed mucn
kindness TO her sweetheart after he had re-
ceived his death wounds in the Federal army.
So Miss Agatha, who has no family ties
nearer than some nieces and nephews who are
very we'll TO do, expects to devote the most OF
her wealth to uplifting the eolored orother
She has already paid Sidney DantonB way
through Harvard Danton is Massachusetts,
negro who Is three fourths white, and Miss
Agatha is going TO give him the money to es-
ncation for the negro somewhere In the south.
she has not done It, however, and she hardly
knows why she is hesitating about II, Tor sne
fully intends TO do II, when she receives let
ter saving that her favorite nephew, Giles
Dauforth. who is operating big sawmlil IN
Arkansas, has typhoid fever. She packs her
trunk that afternoon and starts or TO heip
nurse hin back 60 health. There she studies
the negro az elosp range and meets With a fine
old southern family.
guest In the home of her nephew as he had been
guest in her home in the north he ooaros
with Lily Pearl Rutherford, Giles Dan1orth
mulatto cook. Lily Pearl is a happy hearteo
cere-free woman and a wonderful cook. She
was at one time married to negro named LaIe
Meadows. hut got a divorce from MN wnen ne
with a French chef and he taught her his art:
At last he went hack TO France and LILY Pearl
decided for the sake Of her little girl that she
When Danton went down there the negro
church was without pastor ana ne amused
himself by acting as pastor. ne got mteres, u,l
thnt II also his
first experience with the genuine negro, and he
tried In every way to raise them 10 a hlsner
standard Miss Agatha also occasionally at
tended the negro church and she begins to get
drendfully dsillusioned as to his character. so
she writes her dearest friend In the north. MISS
Agatha Is a woman OF fine common sense. anu
when she sees that she Is In the wrong she Is
honest enough TO say so. She is sometimes sur
prised OF the patience and understanding with
which the southerner deals with the negro ana
she writes to her friend that she IL not now
SO sure that her plan to lift the negro by
higher education is practicaole In iact, sne
Is NOT sure that he be educated. he IL
nothing but a child and never grows ont OF H.
In fact. she is getting perfectly bewiidered.
But she must come to some sort OF accession ~. sIu
for she wants to DO her duty, whatever II may
he and she knows that Danton Is expecting an
answer in regard to the university, though he
Is not saying much about 1t.
So one dey, after she had been IN Arkansas
four or five months. she notified Danton TO
come to her the next day for her decision
and II Is almost more than she feels equal to-
70 hurt and dsappoint him So but she has
firmly decided that higher education VIII never
solve the negro prohlen1--if ne could ne tram
cd to be good servant coachman; outler' co1S
or farmer the negro as a rule Is not worth
ANYTHING anywhere unless he is directed by the
intelligence OF the white man.
Rut Danton. the handsome. polished, mulatto
graduate NJ Harvard is on the porch. He steps
into the cool. dainty room and greets Miss
Agatha gracefully. He has something to say
10 her VIII she let him speak first? 1t Is
this HIs few months residence in the south
has taught him the utter futility Of his plans
and revealed to him all the hopelessness OF his
race and II has made him the most miserahel
man on earth. He Is, himself three-fourths
white and possesses most, II not all of the
lonEings and aspirations the ambition; the
man Hithout nationality, without ances-
try. without traditions. without country. BE
has no hope. He understands now the attitude
Of the southern people and he does not think
les. Of the southerner because OF II. He un-
derstands now that as long as one drop OF ne
gro blood flows in mans veins he Is , not q
recognize him as such His dream OF greatness
for his race, OF social equality, is shattered
as he will never love another woman. live
among his lowly people and try by patience
and Kindness to train them to be truthful and
honest and clearly and useful He does not
want the university now. he would like to be
able to give them industrial training.
Now. don't believe that there were ever
any such negro or ''near-negro'' characters as
Danton and LILY Pearl. They. are decidedly
overdrawn hut with that exception the book
Is splendid. even though little gruesome in
some places. and you will find II we'll worth
the reading.
There IL little love story running through
II that is delightful. and. without the love
story, BY the way, such books would he hard
10 read. Alice French is the authoress. real
name. She Is New Englandr by birth and
education. but for many years she has lived
in the south. part Of the time in New Orleans
and part Of the time a big plantation:
she IS qualified 10 write Of the race problem
as one who knows something about II from
moro than one standpoint.
The price Of the hook is 81 so and II f.
OF the books you schould plan to add to your
library sALLIE TRUEHART PARRISH.