The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-09-02
oTH ADJUSTMENT

For the past fifty years novelists and producers Of fiction have
had a time OF it in Keeping up with the changes in transporta-
ton. Time was when there was no way of getting from place
to place except. by walking and the fleet of foot performed mar
yelous feats Of speed.
ATLANTA, daughter Of a king Of benighted Boeatia, was per-
maps the teetest of all the females. This young woman did not
want to marry and announced that she would accept no one as a
sutton who could not outrun her, and any challenger who failed
was pt. to death. The suitor started first on a run over a chosen
course; ATLANTA followed him, spear in hand, and if she overlook
him she plunged the spear into his body. A good many met their
fate in this way. Finally, one Hippomenes, who seems TO have
known the female OF the species, entered the competition. He
provided himself with a few golden apples and when he found
ATLANTA gaining on him and about to overtake him, he dropped
one OF the apples and his fair pursuer, stopping to pick il I'D.
was ouunn and became the wife Of Hippomenes, The golden
apple IS still attractive TO women. Then came the horse. carving
y rider over spaces with incredible speed. Sir Walter Scott uses
,ne morse 10 carry the young Highlander Lochinvar and. his lady
ove beyond the reach Of jealous rivals, proving himself neither
a "laggard IN love" nor "a bastard in war" and the horse has
been used throughout the entire course of historical fiction az \
means OF transportation When the railroad came in the horse
was outstrpped and writers familiarized themselves with the de-
taiis OF rairoadrng The summit was reached when a special
tram was employed in an emergency and the Ronaunt Of Ro-
nance was written when the sturdy engineer invited the Young
couple into his cab and carried them away beyond capture or
pursuit In his Yankee at King Arthurs Court Mark Twain
introduces the bicycle TO carry his actors from place "a nl,ce
and the going must have been bad before MacAdam was horn
or any roads built. "
Another adjustment must now be- made by fiction writers
~ meet conditions changed by the introduction Of the airpIane
Aniiready It IS being used in emergencies and With much success
Q would-be bridegroom can be thrown overheard as the shin
a. polt ana ms rival can take ? waiting train with the Young
idoy and nee into the country, and Just as the ceremony Is about
70 be performed the hero can come whirrinp in in an airnlars
ana ,oroid the banns This will furnish one climax in a thriller
wnich NAV contain MAR" others At the present time the air
pane IS the limit, but future writers may send their characters
hurting through space by being shot out of a oO-m;le p,n
opeedy travel is necessary frequently to the happy ending Of !
500 leuon story, and every new method is seized upon bv writer's
VINO must have action while keeping probability in view" For
= long tfne the airplane will be called upon to do duty, The fear.
~ young aviator has a long course to run in fiction. The crpeI
seet may lock the beautiful young lady in her room, but she will
escape 70 the root Of a skyscraper and wait until her intren;J
oyeI comes out OF the air, when she viii Jump in beside him and
away beyond parental objection Novelsts must keep pace with
PaSSlSaS n invention and introduce nrytLtr E.lnt.
strange, and the mode OF travel must be scientifcal1 a ~ a n4t
cated Inc srN"."-." 80. Vs." 7,oan 20 se-ve a urno ~ 49,
aranauc possibilities lie in the use Of swift cbasers daoth
o g ad inc Ike The novelist of the future has much nanr
machinery awaiting his hand and Jonah's clumsy metbod ~
na.tung ny whale can be improved upon by modern ihvention
ns'oipho borrowed ElVahs chariot to make a trip to the moon
put tne wright brothers will make a safer chariot for an,orn WLa
mas me price to pay for it and the air is sure to be The onsne - -
many anatory experiences in the future, "'e Vi