Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1921-08-04

R@e~~C AA WVAA0 4
When Sue was born the novel wal
still a comparatively new product
There had, it is true, been books be.
fore it's advent, for the invention Of
printing had put reading matter with.
In the reach of the people; but until
fiction made its appearance most Of
the material published had been Of 9
religious trend, consisting Of lives Of
the saints, and treatises on theology
and science. Even then such volumes
were costly, to say nothing Of their be-
ing Of far too ponderous a nature to
answer the cravings of a public scant-
lily educated and DESTROYS for enter
tainment at time when amusements
were few.
Therefore, when out Of this arid lit
erary waste the novel sprung into be-
ing, we can easily picture the eager
ness with which the hungeting masses
fell upon 1t. Here, at last, was some
thing human and within the scope of
the everyday mans understanding /:
here, In fascinating form, were pre-
sented not only with characters from
the life with (which he was familiar,
but also adventures in those mystic
realms of romance that he had imag-
ined. It was like water to the
thirstyl
Hence, If when reading the very
early novels, or even those of the later
decades to which Sue belonged, we are
conscious Of stilted dialogue, and mel
dramatic and improbable situations,
let us remember that the writer's Of
this era were to no small extent pi-
oneers in a sparsely trodden wilder
ness Of art; and that when 'the world
was so new and all" in literary de-
velopment 1t Is a marvel that their
handiwork has endured for so many
years. Sues Mysteries Of Paris"
penned in 1912, seems touched with
the fires of everlasting youth. Indeed,
1t must possess the charm of universal
appeal or 1t would never have held it's
place for almost century. When we
consider how few of our present-day
novels survive second season, we are
forced to doff our caps to this artist
OF the past, who, like Stevenson, SO
well merits the sobriquet of ''Tusitala,
a Teller of Tales" and the secret Of
whose spell lies In the eternal child
IN us answering to the sorceries of a
master story-teller.
The book In question is q labyrinth |
II exciting and dramatic happenings,
which, cleverly woven together, en-
'ody the authors unique philosophy
hat the quest for good may be made
lutte as seductive a crusade as the
Iuest for evil; the only difference ly-
ng in the goal toward which one
urns his steps. Certainly the story
'ears out this theory, for we are swept
long BY the magician's cunning page
fter page, chapter after chapter, un-
Il his creative resources seem limit
ess. Never for an instant does our
interest lag. When the book il 1in-
shed we feel that had Sue 80 or
aimed he could have evolved Just as
many more plots with an equal de-
rec Of ease.
He opens his narrative with q scene
the slums Of Paris, where FIeur-de-
larie, a beautiful girl Of the streets,
being viciously attacked by the
lasher, brute Of the underworld.
trivial quarrel between the two has
risen and the man is about to strike
lis helpless creature when suddenly
stranger intervenes. and by superior I
.rength and wit lays low the assail-
ut. The newcomer is NJ. Rudolph, II
no styles himself painter Of fans.
Though poorly CARRIED and speaking I
le Jargon Of the pavements, we speed L
realize that he is something other {
ian he pretends: and In this suppo- I
ton we are soon justified, for pres 8
lily we learn that In truth NJ. Ru- t
Olph Is no other parsonage than his q
val highness, the grand duke Of Ger /
stein in disguise The Slasher, how
'er, does not know this, and neither h
'es his pretty companion, and we G
on find the three crOnies seated ami e
~ at cafe table relating for one n
lother's amusement the stories Of e
cir past lives. III
Rudolph has little to say. he Is an M
tisan, he declares. The Slasher In
ankly admits himself to be an es. /,
ped convict who has served in the v
lleys for murder; but with the In q
Of human nature he an I.
unces that while he has no scruples "
ainst murder, he Will not steal. 81
or GOualeuse, as her Il
mrades term her. is a sixteen-year- d
waif who has never known any Il
rent save Screech Owl, q cruel wom-
from whom she fed when child; v
has she had any home save prison "
lis and the hauns Of vice. Never 81
Hess despite her vile surround 81
's, she has kept her soul untainted 81
10 essentially pure Of heart, being II
victim Of environment and circum- nc
noes rather than It's vOtary. =
Observing this, Rudolph, whoge aim =,
ever to give another chance to those j
whom good Is apparent. transplants
to home IN the country, where,
ner the care Of Mrs. George, his old