Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-04-07
WHITE, OF KANSAS,
HAS GOOD STORIES
William Allen White Out With
Another Excellent Set of
Short Tales

In Gods Puppets" (NtacNfillan Com
pnny, New York;, william Allen White
does on n reduced scale what he achieved
in "A Certain Rich Man" IL Is n collec.
tion of five short stories, two Of them
ample enough in motif, situations and
characterization to furnish forth many n
fun length work Of fiction
Mr.. White has remarkable construc-
tive faculty; his dovetailing Is neat; his
beams give the 1rmest support; his tim
hers are stanch; his details are related;
his use of decoration is just and economic.
So "a Social Rectangle" and THE One
Pharisee" are well-builded, slightly,
soemly. They fulnll the primary demand
Of fiction with conflict at their base, in
n way not discoverable in "a Prosperous
Gentleman" and THE Strange Boy"
These latter two, indeed, have much Of
the familiar essay appeal. pivoted on
character and moving by lclsurely descrip-
ton, not the rush of action. Where Lamb,
Irving and Hawthorne wero ideallstic and
"Concelted" I'm their like sketches, Mr.
White is modern enough to be realistic.
particularly in IA Prosperous Gentle
man." which relates the lifelong retribu
tion, born within and eating outward. Of
n man. later successful in all worldly
ways, who in his youth has deceived n
trusting girl 1t is n sombre study In
conscience psychologicnly acute The
one n Pharlsee," "deSalsomines" n whlted
SeDulClTe. Inc naEIlIe anu MONUMENT
of tho town Is corrupt at the core. He
rules town hall, newspaper offices, the
banks: his tcntacles reach out to the rail.
roads, the state Legislature and other
exterior activities which influence or af.
feet the community.
He is the greedy spider centred in the
civic web. Turing and consuming his prey.
Himself and his family arc his most nota-
BILE victims. He is unsatistlcd always;
his family are selfish always. Callousness
and corruption bring their own worthy re-
ward in n business and domestic cata-
clysm. This story Is chiefly valuable for
its Photographic ctchlngs of certain social
and financial portraits.
"a Social Rectangle" points another
moral drawn from tale of current Ameri-
can life, the dangers of which are keenly
nnalyzcd. 1t tells OF n girl who Is un-
sCrupulous, clever, merClless She ruins
three men. attracted by her brilllancy.
Tho tragic tales preach powerful SER
mon on the text of false Ideals which AMI
mate certain section of Americans VINO
have reached social or business success.
In the early chapters of Eleanor Mar
wins now book, Mary Allen" illustrated
by Alice Beard doubleday, Page & Co,
Garden City, n. W, there are practical
suggestions on decorating the home. 1t Is
tho redeCoration of Mary Aliens house
that finds 1t n ready tenant, and with the
money derived from the rental she pays
her tuition in an art school. competl-
tion for n school prize, carrying with II
years study in Paris, furnishes most of
the material for the story. Mary Is ac-
cused of having stolen the idea for her
winning illustration from another student.
1t all ends happily, however, and with the
assistance of her friends she is enabled to
take her mother abroad. Although the
author says 1t is intended for girls be-
tween the ages of 16 and 90, students of
art of all ages can enjoy this delightful
story.
The humor of John Kendrick Bangs Is
Kind that nnXar ErnMI old. IL IL