The sun., 1918-12-22
Simple Souls"
BY DOROTHY SCARBOROUGH.

the war. In addition, it is a love story
out of the ordinary in effect. though it
uses the trite motif Of King Cophetua and
the ragged lady. There aren't enough
dukes in England 70 balance the number
of stories concerning ducal love bestowed
on village girls, and a reader rot knowing
the book itself and warned before hand
OF IFS plot might sigh YEARLY "What!
Anotherf-
But Simple Souls isn't another, because
its so different! We know the sort of
ssr;lwberry leaved person we have always
met heretofore in such fiction, but the
Duke of Wynninghame is a new creation.
This reptilian biologist, who knows all
about snakes and toads but nothing of
women and whose only metaphor in the
face of feminine devotion is concerning
its unhkeness TO the behavior of Lizards,
aronses cur interest. This person with a
theory of life that causes him to do
bizarre things because he believes them TO
be right and who opposes TO his over
whelming sisters violence of interference
a humor Mcredithian in It's cleverness
aEakes our laughter. And this man with
The heart of child, with an unspoied
innocence that seven houses and unlimited
money have not married, with sympathy
quickly touched by others pain, this
dream monger who moves in joyous soil
tudc through a materialistic world, ap-
ped'S to our sincere emotions.
Simple Souls has created considerable
Sir in England and has already been
dranatized with success. America will
find an equal pleasure in this quaint and
original story
The chief characters are the Duke of
sS'ynninghame and shop girl out of a
job, Molly Shine, with father given to
drink and mother addicted to intemper-
ate quotations from the Scriptures. Molly
prefers her fathers wee. Molly is born
dreamer herself, though her early exist
ence has tended rather toward Nightmares
than pleasant visions. All the characters
In the volume are entertaining and most
o. them are likable, in their fashion.
There is Lady Blake, the Dukes sister,
who was what he called an "orerwhehner."
"Iicr method was terrific avalanche Of
words, quick breath and then another
larger avalanche. 1t was a method that
was generally successful. At any rate it
went far toward killing her husband, who
was, without doubt, bore"
The story has considerable dramatic in
terest and much suspense as TO The outcome
Of roI-cl elf ('laroo4or. IF
against each other in vital fashion, and We
are always concerned TO find out what is
gong 10 happen next. For instance,
wien life has stepped in to make a mock
of the innocent dream pedlary We are
touched TO homogeneous pity over Molly's
emotions.
God must hear some curious prayers
sent flying helter-skelter up to His seat
from a puzzled world. and perhaps in
heaven it was not considered comic when
Molly whispered brokenly into her torn
eOunterpane:
''Oh, God oh, God, let me wake
NJ and find he is a clerk"
When the Duke, in desire to help the
girl, offered her a marriage "as a man
offers TO put up another at good club
Molly could bear no more
"Care for youF" the cry was wrung
from her. "Don't You know that my
whole world holds only you! Don't you
know that love you so 50 that
it hurts like helI7'
when / offer you marriage" he went
IN, ''it is because that is the only way in
the world We live in that I can give you
what | want TO give you, what You are so
worthy Of having good Dreams"
She said nothing.
I'VE are two of Gods babies" he went
on. "and l offer you a share of my nur-
sery. 1t has more toys in it than yours