The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-02-20

complete form, which fact led the bril- liant Mrs l.. H. Harris of Nashville and New York Independent, in effect to say that 1t was just as well.
 When a mans or woman's books go out "complete' we have a perfect right to conclude that that author has compiet- ed his work done the very best he could, was willing to stop, at least to rest.
 There were some of us down around this vicinity who did not agree entirely with Mrs. Harris eclipse, but 1t appears to be as If she was very close to hitting the nail on the head, as the saying Is. Some of MT. Pages admirers-legion in the south and elsewhere-have been convinced for years that since MT. Page s marriage to Mrs. Field of Chicago, sister In-law of Marshall Field, the dead mer- chant prince, MT. Page has not written anything worth the paper upon which 1t was placed, geographically or other wise.
 All the factions, the "clappers" and ''knockers' of MT. Page in the southern section, have been forced to the conclu- sion, rather to the question: Why in the dickens did he write John Marvel, As sistant," for it is awful. no excuse for 1t at all If he won't or can't improve, can't he be stopped for his old times sake?
 It is recalled that years ago in "Red Rock" MT. Page showed up the ini- quity of Reconstruction" It is guessed, possibly assumed, that in John Marvel, Assistant" he takes up the sorrows. etc., of the city's poor which he evidently studied from Mrs. Fields-Page's door step.
 It has been stated that MT, Page had become sufficiently familiar of late years with the problems of city life to discuss them inteigently, and he brings whole some, moral sympathies together with fine indignation to bear upon their treatment His city is not named, but his descriptions point with some closeness to Chicago and the conditions he de- scribes are chiefly related to the labor question in connection with the traction companies and to the corrupt alliance of politics with vice. His types are fairly familiar, including the good magnate an-i the bad one the walking delegate. the corporation lawyer, the political boss. the sycophantic churchman, the worldly wo- man of society whose luxury comes from grinding the faces of the poor. the settle- ment worker, and the idealist Ca Jew), who becomes the martyr of the peoples cause. There is also presented to us, or course, the magnate's daughter for heroine and the earnest young reformer for the hero, both of which figures were more lunldniy Hdluidl tidA loaoSooHy ShO case Mir Page however does not out rage all the probabilities by resorting to pathos at the close and make the wicked suffer a change of heart
 With all the pictures shown us by MT. Page in "John Marvel, Assistant" his hero is a rather commonplace sort or chap, whom we like all the better for not indulging in heroics; while John Mar vel, the Christian preacher, Is hardly annu0h fn iuStifV the use of his name for title to the book.
 As novel only. the beck is too long As a picture of the life of our times 1t impresses us as superficial.
 The San Francisco Chronicle says: Books as serious as this one attempts to be should be cast ina rough, heroic mould. John Marvel Is not"
 One great serious objection to this story is that in his latest book ''of the people, Mir Page is so sorry, he would give them strong meat. but he thinks a daintily prepared bouillion would be far better for them. With all the facts be- fore him he would offer no remedy whatsoever
 Whats the use or need of ''novel" of that kind? None at all.
 .sThe Countersign," by Claude P. Jones'
 (Rich G. Badger. Esq)
 This story is like chain of thrills which dashes from one exciting episode to another and the scene aids in making still another attraction.
 Never before, well, hardly ever, before has Thibet been used as the setting for a novel: consequently in a new field the author has full sway in describing the country and the people. with their meth ods of barbarous warfare.
 Tho crude and blood imple- ments of torture still in use. make a prisoners term of confinement, one of horror, and his death frightful, are min utely described giving the reader the "proper creeps."
 The country is facing warfare, and by means of an American girl, whom they mistake for goddess and by the cour- apeous efforts of three of her country