The Washington herald., 1919-12-06
NEW YORK CITY
By o. o. McNTYRE

New York. Dec b.-cynical. scoff-
ing Manhattan curiosity seekers
went to see Mrs. John H. Curran,
the st. Louis woman. who claims
to write novels. poems and epics
through messages across the Bor-
derland from Patience worth--and
went away at least wondering.
/ There Is little doubt that the
unusual inspiration Mrs. Curran
receives from somewhere left a
profound impression In New York.
I was at one OF the afternoon DEM
onstrations and while I am never
skeptical about metaphysical phe-
nomena, I left in a haze of amaze
ment.
Patience Worth is supposed to
have lived several centuries ago. 1t
was stated that she used Mrs. Cur
ran as a medium OF expression be-
cause she found her attuned to re-
ceive them. Mrs. Curran uses an
ouija board-but only as a means
OF concentration. comparable per-
haps to a merchant smoking a cigar
while debating letters.
She claims to hear the voice Of
Patience Worth. Altogether Patti
ence Worth has spoken more than
10000 words through Mrs. Cur
ran-always in tho same swift,
astounding way. Mrs. Curran's hus-
band takes down the messages as
his wife repeats them.
The Van Dyked Squad-the high
brow pale faced professors-came.
looked cynical. smiled knowingly
and left with the startling-im-
portant IL true-information that 1t
is a phenomenon which does not
betray its true nature upon the
surface" If 1t cannot be explained
from a neurological, psyche -analyt-
ical or purely material standpoint
to the Van Dyked Squad, II is gen.
orally a fake.
The marvellous high character OF
the Patience Woth literature. COM
ing rapidly as It does. staggers the
intellect. The whole thing may be
fake. do not profess to know.
But l do not think 1t is. From some
strange source Mrs. Curran receives
these literary gems.
This seems to be the day of the
young novelist. Nearly all of the
best sellers are being written at
present by writer's who are in the
twenties. peter the Rrazen" was
written by George Wortz, who Is
just 80. II Is having a big sale
and New York reviewers are
rhapsodizing about it. Wortz has
lived a life teeming with adventure.
despite his years. His story con-
Germs some personal adventures he
had with Chinese pirates while
rowing abou' as a wireless opera
tor. Free Air" was written by
''Sinclair Lewis-known to his inti-
mates as Red" Lewis. of Sark Cen
ter, wis.-and Mr.. Lewis has just
turned 80. Ten other successful
novels. according to publishers
blurbs, were written by writers not
yet so years of age.
There Is being exhibited in New
York a blouse of which the price
is $3,sO0. 1t is constructed of what
they call rose point. 1t is all full
of holes and as a Xmas gift l would
much prefer a well constructed dog
collar. Still. saw a fur coat point
ed out to me that cost $4,000. And
on the avenue there are many hats
tagged s4o0 and $500.
Taxi drivers in the metropolis
are a scrappy lot They seem to
resent the appearance of limousines
on the streets. They will jockey
the big cars out of line. block them
and il necessary. rip off mud
guard. l saw a swarthy little for
eigner trying to break into the
heavy evening traffic on Sixth ave-
nue. near Forty-second street the
other day. A liveried chauffeur and
footmen were on the front seat OF
huge town car. The taxi driver
tried to wedge past them but the
liveried boys with stony faces ig-
nored him. Finally there was a
chance and the taxi brigand cut
across in front. sideswiped the big
car. ripping of the mud guard and
smashed a front light. Then he
turned up a side street. stuck his
head out the side and thumbed his
nose at the limousine occupants.