The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1920-12-17

'"C iaSt thdI one Cdu never De sur
what he will say next. Once, whel
. Doctor Lavender is telling him a stor,
ne keeps his eyes fixed so intently OF
the mans face that the old gentleman
is much ffattered.
SWELL, well, you are a great boy fol
stories, aren't your" remarks the de
lighted minister.
you've talked seven minutes" sale
David thOughtfully, "and yOu haven't
moved your upper jaw once"
AS can be imagined the child makes
instant conquest of Mrs. Richie, who
insists on fitting him out with tiny gar
ments. and brings him in triumph to
the STUFFED Animal House."
Day by day the tie that binds her to
David strengthens until we see this at
fection the dominant motif of her
life. 1t even Overshadows her love for
Prior, although 1t is some time before
h is conscious that.it does so.
In the meanwhile, quite by chance,
the security Of her miniature world is
shaken to its foundations. There lives
In Old Chester a youth much Mrs.
Riches Junior. Sam Wright, who has
drifted into the habit Of calling on her,
and who falls in love with her. 1t is
the blind worship Of one who has
never known passion, and in an at
tempt to break up the boys ~infatua-
ton his doting grandfather comes TO
Mrs. Richie, and half In irritation &C
cuses her Of not being a good woman.
The shot IS q random one, but the in
slant the charge is made the speaker
realizes he has hit upon the truth
Helena's anger at his gibes and sar-
casm is like the whirlwind.
But the Lord was not in the wind.
1t is Sam Wright's suicide that first
brings home to her the gravity Of DEFY
ing social responsibility. What she has
hitherto regarded as q Scorn for con
vention h now sees to be q crime
against humanity. All her being is
rocked with self-reprOach.
But the Lord was not In the earth
quake.
1t is not until Doctor King forces
her to confess her guilt, and tells her
she must give up David, that we reach
the climax of the drama. Then all the
wild mother instinct of the woman
leaps into being. Size Is a Iioness fight |
ing for her young. she will give I'D !
Prior; In fact h does give him up
But she will not part with David. She
nppS hr5hnS nrouc. h14 WILL IY;--s,
conscience Will not permit him to lis
TO her entreatieS. She must send
child back TO Doctor Lavendar, or
he must acquaint the good minister
with the entire story.
In an effort to forestall this action
Mrs. Richie herself goes to the rectory
md before she leaves it she looks into
the face of her own soul and pro
1ounces her doom.
'The whirlwind Of anger had died
put; the shock of responsibility had
subsidized; the hiss Of those flames of
had ceased. She was in the
Of all the tumults, where lies
he quiet mind Of God"
When DR.. Lavender asks her If she
Kinks herself worthy to keep the
.hild she humbly whispers: mo.
And after the fire, the still Small
Voice.
AT last the wOman's conscience Is
reused, her repentance is sincere;
nd we have the true Awakening Of
Helena Richie"
How wisely DR.. Lavendar meets this
risis in the shattered life, allowing
4er to taste to the full the dregs Of
emorse and suffering; and yet how
lercifully and gently he leads her up
7ard toward hope and a desire for res
tuition constitute the remainder Of
story.
The kind old man suggests that !
be make her future home in q distant 4
ity where her past will not follow
err and where she may start anew, X
nd he asks that on the morning \
{ her departure she come to him for 3
package which he wishes her to take +
18th her on her Journey. The reader 3
lares her shock Of joyous surprise Z
hen David energies from the corner &
the stage-coach crying:
'Tm the packagew
"Dr. Lavender took both her
lnds. Helena he said, your
came, into the world as a little
lid. Receive him in your heart by
18th, with thanksgiving"
So ends the novel.
To tear the skeleton of the plot
ON its exquisite setting is almost a
crflege. 1t is like dragging the per-
from a flower. One must read
e book to- gain a true sense Of its
lceptiOnal beauty and fineness.
1t has been successfully dramatized
ID the title role ably and artistically
rtrayed by Margaret Anglin; there
also an "Anglin Edition" OF the
Dry attractively illustrated By pic
res taken from the play.
pyright, 1918, by the Rost Publishing Co.
Boston PoSto. Prinfad nv unrvnaa.