The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1919-07-05
THE CHOIR INVISIBLE
By JAMES LANE ALLEN
Condensation by Miss Sara Ware Bassett

Few writer's of American fiction are
better qualified to present the early
! history OF Kentucky than is James
Lane Allen, himself a native of the
! Blue Grass state.
He chooses as his setting for The
Choir Invisible" that picturesque
period during Washington's admins
! tration when the Mississippi was just
being opened for navigation, and great
tides OF pioneers were migrating
through the Allegheny highway to
settle the sparsely populated regions
or the West and South.
/ Lexington, Kentucky, CHANGING to
be directly in the path of one tribu-
tary OF this current, received not only
many of those who were abandoning
! the cities of the coast for the untried
territory of newer land, but also
others who, having tested out the Ito.
plan western country and left there
health, wealth and dreams of success,
were returning broken-hearted to the
homes from which they had come.
Hence in Lexington one encountered
persons of every class. There were
students from William and Mary col
! lege, voyageurs travelling for adven-
ture, traders, the gentler bred English
colonist from Virginia, homesteaders,
and even an occasional group of the
friendly Indians.
1t was heterogeneous populace,
| high or courage and strong of forti.
tUde, that amid clearing in forest and
cane-brake laid the foundation Of this
! fine old Southern city; populace not
to be daunted by discomfort, privation
or unceasing toll.
The heroes and heroines who thus
sacrificed their lives on the altar of
civilization have, the author tells US,
long since joined the choir invisible
of the immortal dead" but they have
left behind them a heritage that has
come down to us through the cen.
turtles.
! The chief character Of the story is
John Gray, the master in the little log
schoolhouse, and we have a charming
glimpse of him: "a young fellow of
powerful build, lean, muscular, wear.
ing simply but with gentlemanly care
suit of black which was relieved
around his wrists and neck by linen,
snow-white and of tho finest quality
He had handsome head covered with
thick red hair, we are told, and was
a man Of such integrity as to render
him a worthy descendant from one
of Cromwell's unconquerable, hymn
singing army"
We therefore are not surprised to
find him holding himself aloof from
the follies of the time, and seeking out
the Comradeship of those to whom
! the finer and nobler things of life ap.
peal. Yet he is very human-a crea.
ture Of anger, passion, and a multi.
tude of moods. Moreover it is quite
consistent with his character that he
should fall in love with a woman whom
he idealizes, Amy Falconer, who was
Perhaps the first beautiful girl of arts
| tocratic birth ever seen in Kentucky
and the first of the famous train of
those who for hundred years since
have wrecked or saved the lives OF
men She is a cOQuette, vain, shall
low, and incapable Of deep feeling, and
she losses Johns love aside in mo-
ment Of pique for that of Joseph Hol
den: afterward, on discovering that
there is prospect Of Johns inheritine
a fortune and becoming a person OF
importance, she shamelessly offers to
rid herself Of Joseph and reinstate
John in her graces.
John Gray, however is not to be sc
lightly dropped and picked up again
The episode proves to him that mis-
idol has feet Of clay, and with his faith
in her shattered he bids her farewell
Amy, in the meantime, has made ne1
home with her aunt and uncle, Major
and Mrs. Falconer. Mrs. Falconer
stands out against a BACKGROUND oil
high-born Virginian ancestry-a back
ground of jewels, brocades. fans and
satin slippers: CT balls and minuets
Of wide-reaching plantations an6
| slaves The Moi ~
those who has hePoically fought in the
Revolution, and to whom the Southern
beauty out of patriotic gratitude has
given her hand, bravely following him
into the Kentucky Wilderness Unfor
tunately, although neither of the pail
confess it, the marriage has been ar
uncongenial one. Both. however, are
too noble minded to do otherwise thar
be true to the union that holds then
together. Yet there is a scar of dis
appointment beneath the surface, ant
in the Woman's heart a WEAKNESS anc
longing that nothing satisfies. During
John Gray's visits to her niece Mrs
Falconer has become deeply interested
in the young schoolmaster who is
about her own age, and whose tastes
she shares. Between them a compan
ionship has sprung up which eacl
honestly mistakes for friendship.
Amy's attraction for the man ha:
been an untutored impulse of the
senses: but Jessica Falconer's powel
over him is one of deep spiritual in
spiration.
When he awakens to the discover
that in reality it is Mrs Falcone,
whom he loves his reverence for her
her purity, and her loyalty to her hus
; band all bind him to silence. Shs
, also loves him but is in honor bount
10 give him no sign, and hence will
their love unspoken he goes East os
tensibly to recover the legacy he ex
poets to inherit, but determined neve
TO return.
| The law suit for his property zoe