Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-11-25
NEW ENGLAND MELTING
POT FOR QUAINT ALIENS
Edith Miniter, in "0ur Natupski
Neighbors," Tells of Fusion
Into Americanism
OTHER FICTION OF WEEK
Seumas 0'Brien Proves to Be a New
Literary Planet; Shoe
Selling Hero

OUR NATuPsKI NEIoHBoRs. ny Edith Mini
The ut WatIpsFs I created i cTFios1y ifyS and then
CONSERVATION In West Holly, a typical small
town OF New England. which resented tho
Intrusion Of "Polackera" They we're
difficult lot, with their outlandish ways and
their Interesting but not Puritan morals,
Edith Miniter, in her novel. "our Ma
tupsh Neighbors," which tells all about the
reaction of the Natupsltis on hldebound
New EnRlandlsh traits and conventions, has
broken fresh ground Tho flctlonal soil OF
New England one might have thought
pretty well exhausted after the tillInE OF
Hawthorne. Miss wilkins, Howells Miss
Jewett, Alice Browne and many another
novelist and short story writer. with an
equal keenness for character, n searching
psychological sonse n faculty for sharply
observed inner workings of mind and out
ward doing of deeds. Mrs Mniter has In
this first book taken her place we'll up In
tho New England school of writer's
The abandoned farms which Kate San
born wrote of so charmingly and which the
Government agriculture statistlcians have
analysed so dryly have drawn many for
eigners to those parts" Their intensive
farming, their penury, their lack Of knowl-
edge of the solacing comforts of New Eng.
land domestic economy, which provided
many pages OF recipes for the classic works
OF tho Boston Cooking Schools culinary
treatises, all these things supplemented by
be regarded askance. But they have come
to stay. In what was the most American
part of this great America of opportunity
the aliens have found their refuge and have
anchored securely In the haven. Their
coming has created problems Their In
crease, both In the family and by increased
immigration, has accentuated tho condition.
There have been created strange problems
of assimilation OF the rank outsiders and
Of roadjustment of the native.born. Mrs.
NJ tY,NN Af lam
both of the first and second generations.
She has indicated n solution, Her satire Is
reserved. good-humOredly for her national
kindred, but she is not caustic for I'VE
love our own the best" Her broad sym
pathy Is for the puzzled. cropping alien.
who Is now in strange strains and breeds
outside the law. becoming bone of the ma
tionnl bone, sinew of the national sincw.
blood OF the national blood. She Is herself
of old New England ancestry, but also she
Is thoroughly, profoundly American In
large sense. And she has one advantage
over many of her compeers among New
England writers--she has pervasive and
deep sense of authentic humor. So her
book is a clever as well as constructive
one
Good Novel, Old Theme
THE S5EH&SoHs IT HH SNAIL 'S Maynard
New York of today and the great throngs
of people OF allen races which the tide Of
immigration has brought TO our shores form
the subject OF Katharine Metcalf Roots first
novel, THE Stranger at tho Hearth" The
story deals with tho reactions of this inn
mense metropolis on charming woman.
who, after ten years absence. returns to
visit II with her husband, an Italian noble
man. The book Is we'll written, although
the theme Is not new.
Shoe Statesmen, Attention!
FILLING HIS OWN SHOES. BY Henry c,
Rowland Houghton Mlnlin Company. Boston
and New York.
How a young American shoe salesman.
after many thrilling experiences, fell heir
to several million dollars, palace in Tur-
key and the guardianship of four beauti-
full girls ia told in n most interesting fashion
by Henry C. Rowland In 'Filllng His Own
Shoes,
The hero of this entertaining tale retail
salesman in the European branch of the
American Walkeasy Shoe Company, meets
a young artist and imagines himself in love
with her, but on being rejected when his
profession became known left for the front
to engage In the Bulgarian war. 1t is
during the war that he wins the affections
of n wealthy Turk. who later. on his DEATH
bed, exacted promise from the former