The Washington herald., 1910-07-14
a EAELK
Book E4TEM
"A MOTLEY

The short story has long been looked
upon as the real test of an authors
ability. It is not so difficult for person
to SIT down and write a novel OF the
usual length. provided. of course, that
he has the ability to think up plot TO
start WITH for it is the start that is
difficult in all books. But to write
story OF five or six pages which will hold
the attention and viii remain in the
memory as elear-eut piece OF work IS
something infinitely more difficult
But that is exactly what John Gals
worthy. the English authoT. has done In
his collection OF short stories. just issued
under the title "A Motley title which
suits them admirably, for they concern
nearly everything one can think Of. the
element of humor being alone missing in
them.
Mr.. Galsworthy has been well known
for some time across the water, but, I'M
fortunately. hts fame has not travelled
as 1t should. True. the New Theater
Company realized his worth last fall,
when they produced MS play OF labor
troubles In England. under the title
Strife but aside from this his name
IS nearly unknown on this side. But bne
has only TO read one or two OF the
stories. or rather ineidents-for they are
too short 10 be classified ss stories--In
this volume 70 wish TO know more OF
his work.
Perhaps the incidents as related here
would. not appeal 70 all readers Ger
tainly they would not to those who de-
sire large amount of action and a
liberal allowance OF plot For the first
thing that strikes one on reading the
twenty-eight tales in the work Is the
fact that many of them have no begin
ming and few of them an ending. But
the author has caught the knack Of see
ing behind the seemingly commonplace
things OF life an appeal or a warning.
! promise or a threat
Take. for example. the flve-page rela-
| ton OF an incident told under the cap
ton a Meeting" There is probably no
other place in the book where the author
has shown to such a marked degree his
word-painting. The incident IS most
commonplace. He is sitting in a tea
garden IN Kensington, and sees what he
takes to be elandestine meeting be
/ tween young man and a girl From
/ this simple fact he deduces and specu-
l0tes upon the future and the meetings
/ to come. In one OF the best werded and
truest paragraphs In the book he PIC
lures the next meeting. the countless
procession Of meetings. the fierce de-
lights. the utter lsssitudes. and always.
life the ground bass OF an aecompant-
ment. the endless. subterfuge" From
this he goes on TO the "slow, gradual
! process OF sooiing," and finally 'the day
when she does not come or he does not
| come. And then-the letters, the sudden
rapproehement' and the still more sud
defend But, then, after he has
brought Cd this prophetic vision Of the
Things TO come. he finishes; But beneath
the table saw their hands steal together
/ and solemn. prophetic visions vanished.
Wisdom. and knowledge. and the rest.
what were they sll 10 that caressT
Thus II is In ali OF the other bits ne
has gathered in this book. They are all
! elea--cut and delightful Some remind
one OF Poe-such, for instance. as The
Prisoner Others. again. OF MaeterIinek:
and others seem 10 bear the massage that
here IS the master OF short stories. who
needs to copy the style OF no one in his
work, but who can afford TO rest on the
laurels which he himself has merited
Let us hope that We will have mora o.
bis works in the future. particularly more
Of these stories. so wonderfully written
and so full OF the life he seems to know
so well (New York; Charles Scribner's
Sons.)