The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-10-23


"so YOU think that dino novel fiction
- unhealthy for tho juvenile mind
.oueried Flnney Valentine. You are
r;obt OF course; scarcely q woek passes
tbai VIC do not read In the papers OF
tome youngster, or youngsters who fall
~, the ha nds OF the law while endeov-
'oring 10 duplicate the fears of panc,t
hero. as portrayed by the hlood-and J.
fbundcr writer's. But you might go a step
FIrtIlpr and assert that there are ADULTS
1ho are promo 10 fall under the same
'Inf1uence and not be making an error.
sWhy?' asked the listener, scenting a
5Because the readers OF that class OF
tcfion are not by any means confined 10
(he rising generation" replied the eX-
sm personally acquainted with promi-
<r1t member of the New York bar who
sceks relaxation from his legal problems
~ dcvouring all ,he cheap deteciivs 1--WE
0n the same principle. ! suppose that a
(ired business man takes in light musi-
ral comedy after he has completed his
Iabors. Of the day. But the lawyer s
4 man with a we'll balanced mind and
/rafned intellect would only see the nb-
surd side OF the melodramatic hero'S ey-
1lnIfs But there arc plenty OF men who
<ead such stun and are not only enter
|aIned thereby but take II pretty serl-
6rsiy Also. here and there a reader OF
lime novels may find a fairly ingenious
n1of which, divested of its fireworks and
{rimming. might contain hint of how
% accomplish certain crime that could
BE- successfully worked out The nero
1ugges;ion would be enough provided
/baf Ii suited the readers desire or aim"
"F'or instance9" queried the listener In
d half knocking. halfskeptical tone which
VAS purposely intended TO goad the for
rner chief into unlocking some particular
<pisode In his vast experience. Doubtless
Al <i1 -av vr6 a
new Valentine was not fooled for minute
by such transparent ruse, since he
<mIled inscrutably and knowingly.
."There was once a criminal event in
uy Experience which illustrates my point
% hair he explained. Pressing but
lon on his desk, after consulting his In
5exed ca Sc book, Bring me file No. So"
he said TO the attendant who answered
he buzzer Meanwhile he smoked medi-
|atively as though mentally going back
10 Romc thrilling happening In his varied
cayeer In three minutes the required
lle was. placed at his elbow. Taking out
sheaf OF papers, newspaper cuttings,
Ind Photographs. he rif1ed them mo-
nentsrlly between his supple fingers,
noddcd satisfactorily. replaced them IN
heir place. lighted fresh long and
biack psnctela.. and began the following
tory. which shall be given here in his
DHn words;
. Within hundred miles OF the Bowery.
III Connecticut and Massachusetts, you
may run across little villages and rural
5ettlenlents that are almost as primi-
I've and old-fashioned as they We're in
days, There's where you
Ind the abandoned farms" that one
1enr5 so much about nowadays: they
have been abandoned" mostly by the
vounger generation; the old folks held
1n till death and the grave claimed them,
hen The cleared fields ran TO weeds.
'rchards died for lack Of tending. aud
he farmhouses and barns gradually fell
ID pieces.
But here and there enough young
Hood remains 10 keep UP the village
n town life. and the soil instead OF be-
ng worn out. as we've been led 10 sup
'ose, yields Just as good a living as ever.
vhlle the hardy people go or, living
b marriage, as though trolleylnes and
|utomobiles had never been invented.
Just such Il place was the Connecticut
'iilage OF Pissah. about twenty miles
ordering the Housatonic valley, Every
boy in Pisgah was prosperous In a plain
[od-fcaring way; tho town had no poor:
kere was q Congregational church, a
Fpion school, the usual stores. and one
3 two canning factories.
Two thriving farms OF perhaps cou-
ie OF hundred acres each adjolued each
fber owned respectively by men named
ogngster of about IS. an orphan, worked
nc Of these farms. the sole heiress to
be other was q charming girl Of "a,
aimed Ruth Merrill. II was the most
|Rtural thing in tho world for the young
|copic 10 fan in love. marry, and thus
|nIte the twin properties into one-and
lat's exactly what happened. Ruth
Ierril had possessed several suitors.
ut Tom Valley eventually proved to be
BE LUCKY man. Local gossip said that
lark Herniker, another landowner, had
tecn his hottest rival.
Well. Tom and Ruth were married
ii was a primitive little COM
unity. After tho ceremony at the min
stcr's house the young couple drove
ONE 10 the Valley homstead--such a
ming as a wedding tour would have boon