The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-06-08
THE GIRL FROM MARSH CROFT.

The first book by Selma Lageriof since
she won the Nobel Literary prize OF 1903
is sure to be worthy Of consideration
for here is a young woman, an interpre-
ter of Swedish life. who. by tbs critics
first and afterward by the authorities
who awarded the Nobel prize, has been
adjudged a genius. Her present book,
THE Girl from March Croft," is the
more interesting because It contains
most appealing photographed story OF
how she came 10 write The story of
Costa Berling." the book that won her
fame. Translated by Pauline Bancroft
Flach and published in this country in
1899, the book attracted widespread at
tention and allotted the highest praise.
Nine editions have already been sold FOR
The Story of Costa Berling" has lived
long beyond the life of the average novel,
and now that its author has won, by
reason Of 1t. the Nobel prize Of $4,000
rare honor for woman to receiye-there
is an increased demand for It,
And so it is that the average reader will
probably turn from this latest collection
of tales to the last chapter in the book,
1.-The story OF a story" in which Miss
Lagerlof tells how "Once there was d
story that wanted 20 he told and sent
out into the world The author tells
how the story came to her as a young
girl, and how II fingered on, refusing TO
be written until after many years. Chap
ter BIZ chapter she tells US how II was
written how It came TO her while she
was teaching school. and while she lived
in Vermland. where she thinks the story
must have fingered a long while. waiting
TO be told But finally after many years
1t was finished, and IL was sent 10 the
"Idun," which was Offering prizes Tor
good stories. and word came back that
this story was the one accepted and so
she gained her freedom from teaching:
freedom TO write from morning until
night. and as Selma Lagerlof says: 1T
never became what It should have been.
It's misfortune was that it had been COM
PEELED 10 wait so long TO be told II &
was not properly disciplined and restrain
ed. il was mostly because the author was
so overjoyed in the thought that at last
she had been privileged TO write It," And
that was the story that won the Nobel
prize
In her new book Selma Lagerlof has in
corporated some of her very best work
Here for the first time she has aban-
doned the world Of Romanticism, which
she has conquered and shows herself
equally in command Of the worlds OF
naturaiism and realism. In the story thai
gives the title to the volume: The Cir
from Marsh Croft" the author chooses q
girl who has gone astray. Her sin has
been found out and she is in the midst
OF a lawsuit 10 compel the father OF hel
/ child TO support IT, But when the tes
comes and at a certain point OF the evi
dence the man IN the case takes the Bible
! In his hand to swear TO a lie, she wrest;
the book from his hand. She gives up hel
case. rather than he should commit per
/ jury. She cries.
I wish TO withdraw the suit. He {;
the father of the child. / am still fonC
/ OF him. I don't wish him to sweal
falsely"
The case. therefore. is stricken from
/ the calendar. and by that act the CIR
has re-established herself I'm the society
10 which she belongs. The story OF hei
! life thereafter Is a fine example OF self
ahnegation, of high ideals Of truth ant
| honesty; Of earnest striving and unset
fshness, out OF which she coins for her
self the true metal of happiness. Fo
even with such an introduction the stor.
of this girls life is a love story; a stor,
without sham or pretense or make-be
lieve II is one OF the most honest storie
that has appeared for years.
i There are half a dozen more stories Il
| this volume. but. although each is goo'
/ in it's particular way, none reaches quit
so high a mark as the first But all o
the stories are beautiful word pictures
full Of vigor and truth; the sort OF storie
that give one. after reading them,
| better opinion OF erring human nature
| Boston: Little, Brown & Coz