The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-02-15
..PARTNERs.

PARTNERS.
By Margaret Deland. Harper Borthers,.
Publishers. New York.
In Partners" Margaret Deland has en-
dowed an episode in a simple. quiet life
with a patl1os that almost approaches the
inadmissible In It's poignancy; yet the
tale is OF the heart warming. not at all
of the heart chilling sort intensifying
sympathy to the fullest without ever
touching tragedy or straining toward sem
timentality. Mrs. Delands art, which
overdoes nothing and always finds the
true note, was never better than In this
little tale. true to human nature and to
life. restrained in feeling yet portraying
homely goodness of heart in way that
makes us love humanity the better and
full of the spirit of good will.
Amanda Gedge and her mother kept the
postoffice In Purnham, and they were
filed with the innocent sense of impor-
tance conferred upon them by their con-
nection with the government. Old Mrs.
Gedge used TO carry scrupulosity so far
that she would refuse to talk politics with
visitors lest she might seem to criticise
the administration. But old Mrs Gerge
had become a semi-invald--too feeble
really to attend to the by no means oner-
Gus duties of the postoffice located in
what would naturally have been her front
most of the little work that was required.
The two women-one old and the other
elderly-are portrayed with wonderful
comprehension; we understand the signifi-
canoe they attach to little things and ac-
tually share in their interests, while their
emotions seem as great as those of the
mighty.
Amanda had a sweetheart once who en-
listed as soldier in the civil war and
died for his country, just as Amanda $
father had done. That was a long time
ago, but Amanda never forgot him, nor
would she talk about him, as her moth
er, garrulous with age. wished her to do.
But she attended to her humble duties
with something of the high seif-respect
that a sense of responsibility gives and
with something of the real dignity that
comes from sincere sorrow-rneanwhile
seeming to her neighbors, and to those
who came and went. merely a hard-work-
ing, somewhat faded woman. going on 40.
Purnham was half country village
and half summer resort, and II II
hadn't been for the .'fussiness'' of the
summer people all might have gone well
with Amanda and her mother. The
neighbors didn't mind If the mail bag
was held up for someone's convenience.
nor .dl dthey feel outraged if a letter
was overlooked and was a day late in
reaching the person to whom 1t was di-
rected. But with the summer residents it
was otherwise. One of them suffered Sc
rious inconvenience through an oversight
OF Amandas, and, happening to have
some influence in Washington, he took
advantage of a change of administration
tot secure the appointment of q new post
master. The new postmaster was William
Sprague, who had been his patrons sub
stitute in the army.
Williams coming at once concentrates
pathos and introduces an element OF
hearty human good cheer. No one could
put more feeling and truth than Mrs.
Deland into the account of the two poor
womens blank CONSERVATION, their help
less remonstrances, their piteous, futile
expedient Yet she Is thoroughly con-
vincing in showing how the manly, hui
name, If somewhat slow-witted Will
liam solved the difficulty in a way of his
own. and we are made to see that not
only love but good feeling may be
trusted to find a way.
THE LOVELY LADY"
BY Mary Austin. Frontispiece. Doubleday,