New-York tribune., 1920-06-28
Books

Daisy Ashford, who finally has man
aged TO convince the majority that she
is something more substantial than a
pseudonym for Mr.. Barrie, is follow
ing faithfully along the broad trail
cleared by generations Of successful
authors.
Having written a best seller, she has
proceeded in the accepted fashion to
exhune other works of her pen and
dump them on the market, confident
that they will be carried forward some
distance at least by the impetus of her
first success.
In Daisy Ashford: Her Book"
(Doran}, the collected works OF the
juvenile author ante dating and sue
oeeding "The Young Visiters" are pre-
sented to the world. One story written
third at twelve and a considerably
longer and more wearisome one at
fourteen are included in the volume.
Miss Ashford has evidently ransacked d
the garrt with admirable thoroughness
for included in the volume is also a
story written by her sister, Angela, at
eight years of age
None Of the collection is as good as
"The Young Visiters." We have sus-
picion that to be appreciated thorough
ly they should be read a little at a
time and not all at once, as we have
done. Mss Ashford, we think, should
be administered homeopathically
Analyzing humorous appeal is al
ways vain task, but we do believe
that what amusement Is contained in
these new stories comes moro from
childish mistakes as to spelling, custom
and social usage than from the activity
and pictwesqueness Of the authors
mind.
There are dozen passages in "The
Young Visiters' that are better than
anything in this volume. Miss Ashford
evidently reached the height of her
power at the age of nine, when that
work was ]enned.
Her new volume bears out that
theory There is much more originality
in her frs story, written when she was
eight, than in her last, finished at the
age of fourteen.
You can trace through the interven-
ing tales The gradual clouding of the
untarnishel, quite original mind of
little grl. You can feel the slow
penetration Of the world and its view
point into Juvenile consciousness
Gradually, you can see, Daisy is begin
ming to accept life according to formu-
lac; is beginning to cherish admiration
of mediocity.
"A Shor Story Of Love and Mar
riage," that starts the book, has neither
the polish nor the lofty conception of
"The Young Visters," but it is infn-
itely better than "The Hangman's
Daughter" the product of her four
teenth and fifteenth year.
The latter work makes one suspect
that Miss Ashford prepared for it by
fairly complete course in Charles
Garvice and The Duchess" Yet there
are still glimners and flashes, now and
then, of the Daisy of "The Young
Visiters" peri,d.
"At last" she writes concerning the
father of her heroine, che found some
thing not ve,y satisfactory, but as
nothing else offered he decided to take
it. 1t was tc perform the Office of
hangman in small country town in
Hants by the n.me Of Kenalham.
at was not nice position to be in
certainly and Mr.. Winstons nerves
we're not strong, but the payment was
good and after all only about two peo-
pie were hung year in Kenalham."
Apparently Mr.. Winston's hangings
were so satisfactory to All concerned
that his fame w,nt abroad in the land,
for later on We read Of his receiving