The farmer and mechanic., 1912-03-05
pRITISH VIEW OF.
AN 20. HENRY" BOOK
Yc,jawcr In the Spectator Gives
cordial Welcome 70 Belated
"Cablages and Kings
fI.ondon Spectc .or.)


.,.. ,,ar IN which this his first book
.,a9 published in Amortization 20.
,r.rrv'. TO be introduced to the cis- !
atlantic public. and, uEhappily, he |
K.a not lived to enjoy the welcome |
.phjrb british readers are certain to
.,,,,d to his work. That it should |
hsye taken SO long to make its way
tr,hrr il & matter for surprise in
,X IF the huge number of Ameri- |
i, novels, good. bad, and Indifferent,
,,r,t.t obtain an irnnle@'ate hearing in
rn.,land, for the quality, to judge by
.b.s specimen, is of 4 very high order.
,;orc, hOminum multOrum yidit ct
u,h.,, and he had not only an in
aiyidual point Of view. but q remark
all. gif, Of literary expression. Sgd
new tolter-fcr that was his real
r4Yn.-was born in North Carolina in
I>g7 ranched for q while in Texas,
Graduated early in the rough and
.4,rnrlc school Of Western Journalism.
tiIed his luck for spell in the fruit
.rade. which took him to Central
America. settled for a time in New
Orleans, found himself as writer Of
qho!I stories. and moved to New
YorE The last years Of his life were
spent in the vain search OF health,
ana he died at almost the same age
whom certain marked affinities may
nc noticed In his style and outlook.
From the biographical sketch issued
ry his American publishers we
laih-r that he was i'll "~cat request
.ltu magazine editors./ that he never
Failed 81 sell d story, and comma nued
lb- i,-st prices in the ma gaZine mar
Eet lie WAS also q frequent con-
tllh.t"r 10 what ne calls III this vol
-, ll.x- int
"a stuff upon which the readers Of
,.rtai. New York journals are sup
ooSal u take their Sabbath literary
utu. Lastly, it is pleasant to learn
iirnl the whimsical tribute of the
HooSier poet. James Whitcomb Riley.
THAI "o Henry's" ENGAGING talent
4,as fully appreciated by writer's Of
standing in the American world Of
brlleS- le;trcS
"Cahbagcs and Kings is a loosely
strung set Of episodes having for their
starting point the collapse OF the
Mirtt!oras regime in the republic Of
AQrhuria. President Mirat1ores, hav-
.uG been GSlOdged by revolution.
Na.s :4hont to levant TO Europe with
The cash balance in the eXchequer
Hhnn he was intercepted on the eve
III nmbarkation and made an end Of
hifre.if, his companion, q Hght-opera
diva. speedily consoling herself with
The hand of Mr.. Frank Goodwin. q
prominent American merchant resid-
ing III Coralio. and apparently retain
ing possession Of the stolen FUNDS
But ~ the story proceeds we find it
somewhat difficult to reconcile the ad-
uirablt conduct Of MS. Goodwin
will. her somewhat lurid antecedents
and it is not till the end Of the book
hat he mystery is soived in fash.
son which completely clears the char
uCter of the GOodwins. 90. Henrys'
&Hll in maintaining this atmosphere
of suspense would alone prove hin
to BIZ an artist. but he shows 1T iI
nIIt Il dozen other ways The Opers
oplffc element in the "olitics Of tn
latin American republics: tho happy
go-iuckY picturesque Incidence of th'
natives. and the influence Of oppor
fHnitE and environment on the Tn1xet
LsSo!tment OF cOnsuis exlleS, beach
r0mhers. and commercial adven
Hr"Cs-all these aspects OF Centra
America society are illustrated will
an n-sy felicity Of phrase. an unfail
tng s"n9a OF humoS. and q geni&lit
INST never degenerates into habb
Tolerance. Foremost III the last
aauod class is Billy Keogh, scout Q
fortune and progress and latter-da
rover Of the Spanish Main." who's
Tcarons in the assault of these help
1eas shores were chiefly tintvpes ar
photographs, but also extended I
boots and phOrosraphs-whe
nanlS some exhilaratins tales. v
may quote from the opening OF tn
chapter headed The Phonograph an
TRAIT because it Is typical Of &C
4i"nry II his most irresponsib!
mood.
What was this graft aske
Johnny. with the inpatiencc OF til
Great public to whom tales are tol'
rs contrary TO art and philosoph
20 give yOu the information sal
h""gh. calmly. The art Of narratiy
CONSISTS in concealng from 20,
audience everything it wants TO lino
"Hth after ycn expose your fa@ori
"piio"na on topics foreign to the sui
Jtct y good story is like a bitt.
bll. With the sugar coating inside