Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1911-07-15
BY WILLIAn HAMILTON OSBORNE

health" (He had tried to injure 1t
before in one of the Shad's smoking
contests, into which the Shad intro
duced a professional ringer-but that's
another story. At any rate the critic,
who is fearful of the future of Law
renceville, is all wrong. The man who
reads about the Shad will send his boy
there; the boy who reads about him
can't be kept away. Gruger's pictures
are just the kind to 60 with the story
60
JOHN SHERWOOD, IRoNMASA
ter" fby DR.. s.. Weir Mitchell. author
of Hugh Wynne," ETC., ETC., The Cen
fury Company, opensasplendidly with
a wonderfully effective character sketch
of a quaint youngster who is inter-
ested in inventions and machinery. He
is brought up without feeling that he
is loved by any of the relatives who
care for him in their incomplete, cold
niggardly way. This has it's effect on
him-he ncentrat his energies,
takes his pleasure. wholly in his work.
He becomes the head of a big iron in
dustry. He is not a captain of indus
try,.as we think of i'm. He is industry
itself-a, mere machine. He, who has
criticised his two male relatives for al
most starving his female rclative-finds,
much to his surprise, that he himself
had failed in providing her with the
comforts that we're her due. His oil
sin, DR.. Harry Heath, reminded him of
it, and he thanked the doctor and hand
ed her a check. AS a matter of fact,
however. he was more than Inherently
iuSf-ha WINS oarorn,1s TN "a paoa 40
nevertheless. he is stifl the machine.
Being such, he breaks down with tuher-
culosis. 1t is not at all incurable, but
he must go away and he goes-to
Maine. In depicting the change that
now steals over this MANTLE change
that turns him from a machine into a
predetermined, big-hearted person-Dr.
Mitchell has done a remarkab bly, subtle
thing. 1t is SO gently done that John
Sherwood hardly knows it, and the
reader feels it almost as %insensibly. DR..
Heath, following on after awhile, is
astounded by the change.
Unfortunately the story drifts INTO
q narrative which deals almost entirely
with a murderous maniac and his wife
las to whose conduct the maniac has
had an insane delusion. He even sland-
ers her In his will. and attempts to
kill both her and Or, Harry Heath.
Instead. he is killed himself. John
Sherwood nlarries the widow.
The whole story. however, is done
with careful fidelity to truth. These
people all live, they. all talk and act
like real people-so much so at times
that illusion is lacking.
There is much philosophy in the book
there are many side reflections. On
page As the specialist crops out: "Vyhen
later l asked my cousin doctor il men
or women were naturally the more
modest animal he said usually men,
but that neither man nor any other
animal had by nature what we know
as personal modesty." (
Again on page 1s5 he asks the doctor:
How far, Harry are a man. morals
and his relations to religious beliefs
affected by his physical state?"
What q ~bewildering question:" re.
plies the doctor. IT recall old Mr.. Win
sted's remarking casually that when
he was well he was inclined to be free
handed, and give largely to charities
but he never would give or wanted to
give If he was equity" and again the
test of sel1shness is that it is willing
to deprive others for personal ends"
Dodo, the muscular, barbarous. faith
full negro, is interesting. He and the
dog Mike are linked together by animal
traits. He saves the lives Of several
people and is accidentally instrumental