The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1912-12-20
An Ingenious
Critic
BY HARRY VAN AMBERC

lected to be read before the class. AM
was made editor of the universit,
magazine. This led me TO choose III
prature for my profession. ] natural!
looked to the author whose works werI
at that time considered the acme ol
literary method az my guide. and moth
Ing less than the field he occupied
would satisfy me. There must be nc
plot Plots were for dime novels
There must be nothing demonstrative
for and the school ! proposed to en-
ter considered that lin type, TO be
gush and fit only for those who cannot
appreciate what Is high bred. What
| aimed at was delineation of charac-
ter. proposing to take my heroes and
heroines apart. examine them through
microscope and put them together
again. stamping them with my own
imprint. Just as an eminent chemist
will give certificate for brand OF
soap.
| had written several novels in this
vein and had attracted the attention OF
| the critics and persons OF refined lit
/ erary taste. Unfortunately | had no
fortune. and found II Improbable to
write for the few But | would not
lower my standard. As to my charac-
tiers. they must needs he high bred
persons. for | met no others. Not one
of those | met in society would show
any feeling. and | found myself de-
plotting those who were moving about
on ife's stage. not ms human beings.
but as social automatons. Neverthe
less the critics and my clientele stood
by me. and was pleased, though imam
cially II didn't pay.
one day while travelling on a rail-
road train | noticed young girl In
the seat before me. She could not have
been more than seventeen years old.
was plainly dressed and appeared TO be
model of simplicity. What was my
establishment TO see her take from her
satcheI copy OF my last novel and
begin to read II. | wondered how
person 80 low In the human scale could
be interested In the philosophic deduc-
lions she would lind In my work.
leaned forward and asked
Can yon recommend the book you
are reading?"
II? Recommend It? It's everything
to me"
How is thnt?"
I'm in the story"
"You"'
ayes. | don't know how the author
got hold Of my case but he did some
how or other. He's given II perfectly. i
only he gives II great many reasons
for my doing things that ! never had
at ALL suppose he made them up.
skip them
"Oh. YOU do? What causes you TO
think that the author gives your own
story"
'Hvhy. it's as plain MS day. There's
Mrs. Jarvis. She's my stepmother.
Papa does what he can for me to make
her treat me nice Rut she won't. and
sometimes he looks so tired and worn ,
when she snaps at me-just like Mr..
Jarvis in the story that | put my
arms about him and kiss him and say.
Ike Mariory in the book Never mind
me- pnpa dear. So long as she don't
cold YOU
was Interested or all my stories
his one was the most human. | had
,een told by my admirers that In II |
iad not done myself justice.
Have yon read any OF the authors
ther noveIsy'' asked. Ii
1--WE tried to. After | read my own
tory IN this one J got the books out
{ the library. one after another. hut
hey were all Greek to me. suppose
Ike this one because 1t is my own {;
tory"
What else is there about you In the &
ook r II
well, for one thing know Edith 4
ffinghnm She's inst Hike Edith in Il
le book-a society girl-always going 81
bout with her nose in the air. She
lks just such unintelligible things as
Iiss Efiinghnm. She's never going 10
AIRY. she SAYS. but devote herself to, n
me high moral purpose-you know, y
Ie girl In the book IL going 10 do that L
but she cant find II purpose high Il
Tough for her so she only talks about -
with young men of superior type.
hats like Miss Dillingham; too"
Who is your fnvorte authorT |
ked the girl.
MIR. Dickens"
remembered that Mr.. Dickens had
i In all his books drawn the char
ter of more than two or three per.
nS In high life had reversed the 4.
der. ! had not drawn but one char 4
ter out of high life. the one this lit Il
girl had assumed 10 be herself.
,ndered what would have become of
: literary fame when my hundredth
'thday would come round
The train was approaching my sta.
n. and rs ! gathered my belongings
mid 10 the adinirer ~ my story:
Thank You very much for telling
all about the book. / know the au-
n intimately. shall tell him all "a
i've said about il. advise him in fu- y
q TO write about all kinds of per- g
r.. 10 leave out the parts you skip q
! and not 10 spend his time on the =
lirations of such high bred girls as <
s. Etingham HeroineS like you y
FAR more SatiSfa ry."
Godhy. sir she slid aS the train !.
5 slowing gn "Wonld ven mind <
iilg MIN how lee got hold Of Inv q