The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1921-02-25

stor,es, aren't your, remarks the de-
lighted minister.
you've talked seven minutes" said
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
nents, and brings him in triumph to
he STUFFED Animal House"
Day by day the tie that binds her To
David strengthens until We see this af
lection the dominant motif Of her
life. 1t even Overshadows her love for
Prior although it is some time before
| She 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
1rifted into the habit of calling on her,
and who falls in love with her. It 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 ac-
"uSeS her of not being a good woman.
The shot is a random one. but the ia
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 a scorn for con
ventiOn she now sees to Ee u crime
against humanity. All her being is
rocked with self-rerroach.
! 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. She is lioness fight,
ing for her young. She will give W
Prior; in fact she does give him up
But she will not part with David. She
begs, brides, prays; but Willy Kings
! conscience will not permit him to lis
ten to her entreaties. She must send
the child back to Doctor LaEcndar OF
The must acQuaint the good minister
with the entire story.
| In n f.1pnStnn this nPtinT
Mrs. Richie herself goes to the rectOry
and before she leaves it she looks into
the face of her own soul and pro
nounces her doom.
| The whirlwind Of anger had dice
out; the shock of responsibility hao
shame had ceased She was in tie
centre of all the tumults, where lies
the quiet mind of God"
When DIR. Laventiar asks her if she
thinks herself worthy to keep the
child she humbly whispers: NO
And after the fire, the still Small.
| Voice
At last the WumHn'S conscience is
aroused, her repentance is sincere
and we have the true awakening Oi
Helena Richie"
! How wisely DR. Layendar meets this
| crisis in the shattered life, allowing
her to taste to the full the dregS OF
remorSe and suffering; and yet how
mercifully and gently he leads her up
! ward toward hope and desire for res.
! titutiOn constitute the remainder OF
| the story.
The kind old man suggests that
she make her future home in Il distant
| city where her past will not follow
| her and where she may start anew
| and he asks that on the morning
of her departure she come to him fol
| Il package which he wishes her to take
with her on her journey. The reader
| shares her shock of Joyous surprise
| when David energies from the corner
of the stage-coach crying:
I'm the package"
"Dr. Lavendar took both hel
| hands. Helena he said, 'yOul
Master came into the world as little
child. Receive him in your heart by
faith, with thanksgiving.
| So ends the novel.
To tear the skeleton of the plo'
from its exquisite setting is almost 6
| sacrilege. 1t is like dragging the per
| fume from a flower One must reaC
| the book to gain true sense of its
! exceptional beauty and ineness.
| 1t has been successfully dramatiZeC
and the title role ably and artisticall!
portrayed by Margaret Anglin; there
is also an "Anglin Edition" of the
story attractively illustrated by pic
lures taken from the play.
Copyright, 1919, by the Post Publishing Co
| CThe Boston POST. Printed by permits
sion of. and arrangement with. Harpe
! & Bros, authorized publishers.