The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-09-19

greatest story of it's kind ever pub lished.
 Readers of the Crimson Alibi will ever <.member Coh1h's detective, David Carroll, not because he solved the mystery confronting him.. but because of the human manner in which he went about solving it. There is nothing of the super -human about David Carroll !" When Fan shaw told me his story. l swallowed it hook, line and sinkcr," says Car roll in the story. Nothing there or the mythical detective who knows the moment a man opens his mouth whether or not he IS lying, who can look at the back of hls head and determine the brand of cigarette he smokes. Just plain human being who realizes that he makes errors. and then goes about rectifying them
 That people like 8 story in which man of this type is the central char acter is demonstrated by the fact that not only has the novel had an unusually wide sale, in this coun- try and abroad, but the play writ ten in collaboration with George Broadhurst had six months run in New York city at the Broadhurst theatre; five months in London at the Strand theatre, and is now in it's second year in the British prov inces. Not only that, 1t is playing in stock all over the United States and is being produced by travelling companies in Holland, France, South Africa, Australia, India and China.
 The popularity of MT Cohen's ne- gro stories is attested not only by the manner in which they are looked for each week by readers of the Post, but also by the sale of those stories in book form. 'Polished Ebony" and "Come Seven" the first two volumes to appear received recep- tions seldom accorded collections of short stories. The third volume in the series" Highly Colorcd," will ap- pear this month.
 Mention the negro stories of Mr Cohen and people immediately think of Florina Slappery. He is real breathing character to hundreds of thousands of people everywhere. This is because Octavus Roy Cohen has made of him genuine person and people like that which is genuine. Visitors to Birmingham would not seek out tlorian Slappery's haunts If he were not real to them--if they hadn't visualized him time and time again. going into the Champion the-
  or buttonholing some friend to pour into that friends ears the schemiest scheme which ever is ben schum an which l did same right outn my own haid."
 It is unnecessary to enumerate Co., hens many Gray Dusk, "Six Seconds of Darkness" his close to 800 published short stories, nor to make more than brief mention of his latest mystery novel, Midnight, which is concluded In the October issue of Munsey's. and which will ap pear in book form this winter. David Carroll is, of course, the hero of the story.
 It Is unnecessary to explain that not only are his negro stories appear ing in the Post, but that such maga zines as Cosmopolitan, Hearst, Mc- Cures and others are running his stories of white characters.
 There is no need here for any sketch of Octavus Roy Cohen. Most people know who he is. And now they know what he is-that he is human.
 And his popularity grows. those who know him best understand that it Is because he is human-very. very human--that he writes about people who are also human and that he writes about them in a manner which those who are human can un- derstand
 And although he's a hard worker. he's star member of the Loafers.
 A friend asked Henry c. Vance why it is that one of his fictional characters is such u great eater.
 Henry smiled. Such great eater?n
 Yes. ran across a story of yours which I liked very much. And the best part of it was this heavy eat ing fellow, but I couldn't under stand where you got such an idea. "
 "Huh." said Henry. Nothing un- usual about eating. Everybody eats except an occasional person who goes on hunger strike. And my characters are not that kind"
 T know that" said the friend, but this getting the idea for a story---''
 Well" said Henry You know 1t Is claimed fellow must know what he is writing about before he can write effectively"
 "Yes?
 Well. happened to have the op- portunity one day of observing a growing boy and Joung bird dog at their dinner
 Enough said" exclaimed the friend remembering his own boyish appetite. "pll say you had all the material you reQuired!"
 There is something about the title of a story which is as interesting to many people as the story itself. They like to ponder over it, try to decide from the title what the story is like. and then read it to see how near they come to the truth.
 Pearls of Borooa," the title oi Eric Levisions latest story. which was delivered to Short Stories this week, is such one. There is ai- ways something fascinating about pearls, causing one to think or mys- tery. love, laughter and tears Aud the fact that the story went where it did proves that it is just as good as the title would lead one to De- lieve.
 Every writer in the world has some one work which in his eyes out shines everything else he has done "Jehovah." by Clement Wood. oi Birmin gham is one of many good things this writer has given the world, but the success of his novel "The Mountain nor in fact tha' of any of his work pleases him as does the reception accorded this noem " yhich is now in book form.