The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-12-12
By JOE ROSS

have perpetuated It's beauties.
 That there are but few such writ ters is the worlds loss. That there are any Is It's gain.
 Greensboro the home of one of the best known of these writers of plantation life, Miss Martha Young. And like all writers who are suc- cessful, Miss Young is thoroughly familiar with that of which she writes
 Miss Martha Young's first story appeared in the old Times-Democrat of New Orleans when the two Bak- CTS, Marion and Page, were at the helm of that splendid paper which introduced to the literary world George Cable, Julie K. Wethrell and many other southern writers whose names are now known not only in this, but in other countries.
 Miss Young's first stories were first published under the nom de plume of Eli Shepherd, and it was under this name that her first book, Plan tation Songs" was published A sec- ond edition was demanded within two weeks after the first appeared. and the third was put on the press before the author could make a few desired changes, such as using her own name instead of pen name, etc.
 These first stories were so redolent of flowers, of old gardens, quick with breath of prairie breezes. keen with tsns of the life and sport of plantation living, which fingered long in the black belt of Alabama; long after it had passed forever from all other portions of the south land that discerning critics at once guessed the home if not the name of tho author. Here are the prairies of Alabama! Here are the people of the black helty was too clear to be mis- understood.
 Miss Young has been rather an in termittant writer. if that phrase may be used. She has seemed to just toss off a book when possessed of the mood But these books have assured her rank with the foremost folklore writers of the world. Her planta- tiGn lore as told in her books, Plan tation Bird Legends" Behind the Dark Pines" and her magazine stories soon to be gathered into an- other book are of the best. When told on stage and platform, a 8 Miss Young gives them, with bird notes and the tones of frogs and other WOOuldnu StI lO HOi het as 1t were, the tales are irresistible. Among these stories are Mister Frog" Blue Bird" and others.
 No sooner had Miss Young won her place among the great names in folk lore than she turned her atten- tien to looks for children. Her book. Somebody's Little Girl" has a place in the schools of nine or more states, and was requested for publication by several firms in Eng land. It has been pronounced by Outlook's editors, in which maga- zine the story appeared serially, as the best chnd's story of the cen- tury." It has been called by critics tho best picture of a child's heart and mind ever penned:" "a cameo;" "a classic, in which makeup not a line or word could be changed or bettered."
 Miss Youngs next book for chil- dren was, When We Were Wee" This book is also used in school work in many states. One teachers comment upon this as school book was: q found 1t would not do at all as q school reader, for the children never stopped reading 1t when the lesson was over!"
 Miss Youngs latest childs book Is 1.-TWO Little Southern Girls and Their Garden Party" book illus trated in colors, filled with the mak- ing of flowers, toys and plays, thread of story running through the whole.
 Perhaps the most unique of the books by this Alabama author is the one just off the press, Minute Dranas-The Kodaks at the Quar- ter"
 The first thing the reader asks Is. "1'ime or space?" and the answer Is "Time~ Just a minute or two of time to read each little drama. A collection of such quick little dra- matic skits has never before been brought out. Here we have the ne- gro happy in his love making, jolly in his pranks about chicken coop and turkey pens: jovial over his poli- ties earnest, if quaint, at his church worship, faithful and loyal to his white friends.
 There is a whisper in the air that this is the first of series of book lets of these unique minute dramas, and that second is soon to appear from the pen of Martha Young of Greensboro.
 Admirers of Octavus Roy Cohen's stories of city negroes have often wondered just what the negroes them selves think of these stories.
 Hubert IT. Harrison, negro writ CT on the staff of The Negro World. a newspaper published in New York city by negroes and for negroes, has answered this question fully and frankly in his review of Mir. Cohen's latest book, Highly Colored," which is a collection of MT. Cohen's Satur- day Evening Post negro stories.
 The review reads in part as fol- lows:
 Today when a young negro col lege graduate puts pen to paper to portray imaginatively the life of the American negro, he either produces a propaganda pamphlet in the guise of d story or he writes almost ex- clusively of the upper class negro tyes and pushes the lives below that level into the background of obscur- fty. -,
 How negroes will take the bril- liant short stories of MT. Cohen will depend upon their sense of humor. We are still touchy about our tribe and tend to get huffy when the type that is amusing happens to be col cred Yet we boast at the same tune of the negros 'unfailing hu- nor as a God-send But then the' is the humor of malice and the hu- nor of sympathy, as well as the hupaor of sheer pleasure without any ulterfor purpose. Mir. Cohen's humor in this book is of the latter sort. l think thta that supreme dandy ana an-about-town, MT. Florian Slap new Lawyer Evans Chew and that closet listed man of money, MT. Se- more Mashby,' will live in the mem ory as outstanding types. together with the stalwart society known as