The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1914-11-18
What The Authors Are Doing
BY E. s. HITCHCOCK
.Ihs House Of Toys"

THE House Of Toys"
Henry Russell Miller seems to be
one OF the few American novelists
who Is showing us the higher and
better side OF lie without In any WAY
truth. The conflicts which
arise between his characters are due
10 the different spiritual evolution
ary stages (if one may so express III
10 which they have attained. In The
Ambitions of Mark Truitt." the hero
was able to rise within his own life
time TO great heights. but In "The
House OF Toys" the tragedy Is In the
everyday common experience of two
people. one selfish and sensual, the
other aspiring TO ideals<and spiritual,
trying to live together as husband
and wife. They DO live together and
the author feels that Il Is con-
quest over selfishness that the hero
wilk Il SO. One cannot be sure. Ac-
cofding to present-day social arrange
nients, perhaps. The character OF the
book which brings out all the love
and affection OF our hearts Is Jo-
nathan Radbourne, an ugly little man
but with a pure white.
soul. II the light which for
ever burns before Catholic affairs
any such purity and con.
we can have no quarrel with
IL. As for the wife and her House
OF Toys" with which she seeks to
while away her life, one sees her
too often to find her rare type. She
Is simply asleep to the beauty and
OF everything OF value and
seeks to escape from her own empti-
ness by SELLING upon what diversions
offer. The husband Is sacrificed, even
though the author holds him trium-
plant. Mr.. Miller Will no doubt pre-
sent US with new books from time
to time and may some day write the
great American novel for which every
one Is waiting.
"The House OF Toys" by Henry
Russell Miller; Bobbs-Merrill Co.. pub
fishers, Indianapolis: $1.25.
"6eth's Wonder Winter"
Nowhere il one more impressed by
the difference In suggestive training
imposed upon girls and boys than III
the books which are written for them
II you shut each sort up In an iron
safe OF It's own, they could not DC
more distinctly separate. Boys. pre-
sumably monopolize the outdoors, ad
ventures and pretty much everything
worth having, while girls are fed OF
sort OF pap made of sugary SWEEP
dutifulness, fidelity and q most IN
natural and precocious charity to
ward some other little girl. II. girls
are to grow up into the self-reliant
capable womanhood which Ii demand
ed of them. and not the soft, cling
ing type (which Is also demanded d
them) II Is time this sort OF thing
changed. Our little boys and girls
are just simple noisy little human be
ings, and should enjoy anything and
everything which Is natural, healthy
and good. why not cease this uncon
scious work Of segregating and EN-
phasizing sex so early In life.
"Beth's Wonder Winter" by Mar
vim Ames Taggart. is about every
thing a little girl Is supposed to like
w. A. wilde Co. Chicago; $1.25.
"cinders."
A series OF books for boys Is be
ing written by Hugh c. Weir, in whici
he proposes to not only tell an In
teresting story, but interest boys IL
some of the great enterprises OF the
day. BY taking boy as his hero
and making him a real worker II
these enterprises, Mr.. Weir accom-
plishes what he starts out for. "Cin
ders" is the third In the series ant
takes for It's subject the steel mills
OF Pennsylvania. The young hero
Eric, Is an apprentice. and goe
through the various phases OF thu
life of the mills. One chapter give
the early life of Andrew Carneg:,
written In way to fascinate you'll
and make II see great future ahead
There Is no doubt but on the who'll
these books are OF educational value
"Cinders." by Hugh c. Weir. w. A
Wilde Company. publishers, Boston
and Chicago; 81.
"Amazins Grace
Amazing Grace" might suggest
clerical tract and make many perfect
" good but unclerical people littl
shy. II they overcome their shynes
sufficiently TO dip into II they will fin
a young woman of the modern type
afraid OF nothing, who has been christ
ened by the worst possible name b,
which she could be described. Sh
Is a little too self-assured to be al
tractive. but We feel real sympath,
and love for her when she throw
over her young man--walking stick
gardenia and all, and marries the ricl
young lord with socialistic tendencies
This improbable tale Is by Kat
Trumble Sharber. Bobbs-Merril
publishers, Indianapolis, H.00.
"Honey Sweet"
Honey Sweet" by Edna II. l.. TUT
pin. Just another story for YER
little girls. Honey Sweet" Is a dol
very real to her small mother VIII
passes her over to a little sick CIR
with pangs OF heartache no little CIR
should be expected to endure. VIII
such tragedies among babies? Mac
MILAN Co., publishers. New York, 5