New-York tribune., 1922-12-10

thing, so nearly joke. 20 the modern
y mind, that a reminder Of its deep roots
in the primitive mind It's dark and
cruel possibilities comes as a revelation and
dramatic shock. Realistically treated it is
an excellent theme for a novel. having been
employed hitherto largely as a basis for
fancy and poetry and wit.
f. Temple Thurston has chosen the reals-
tic viewpoint in this novel OF Irish peasant
life; and he had good idea FOR a plot into
the bargain. Because Mary Kirwan was
beautiful and gentle, nodded OF finer clay
than the other farmer and fisher girls of
Ardnashiela. she seemed always strange 10
them. and therefore an object OF suspicion.
For 10 be strange is TO be dangerous. 20 the
simple and almost savage mentality OF these
shut-of. uncuitured people The hardness
and dreariness Of their lives has colored
their myths; to them the very elements arc
threatening. earth is no kindly mother but a
grudging and jealous stcp-dame. Mary's own
father has neither sympathy nor love for
her; he values her only FOR the work She can
90 about the farm.
Knowing no other life, Mary is uneomplain-
ing and resigned. not az all rebellious. but
perhaps Wlal4uls Alltu WIN hAhAf gtAAAAir-s
The only thing she fears is marriage which
crushes the women as their meagerly reward
cd toll crushes the men. SO when Father
Coctello. the new young priest, comes to Ard
nashicla and instnctvely understands her.
the two are drawn together irresistibly.
Tragedy was inevitable; their JOY and their
sorrow sprang Of the same roots.
Jus, so she was first saved and then done 10
death By one and the same agency When she
weat wandering distraught upon the hills no
one guessed the real reason they believed only
that the>faries had stolen her away. Fennel,
the fisherman, who did love her and had her
promise Of marriage believed it so firmly
that he thought her child was fairy child
he married her, anyhow, md by the power
Of his deep affection al last he won he~
heart. But she had got the name OF
witch-Vife Whatever misfortune befell any
one in the village was put to her account.
Her father believed it more firmly than any;
II was he who murdered her al the last
This may seem an incredible deed. but Homer
and the Old Testament record the like What
has happened can happen again,
This Is true tragedy. not melodrama, for
the action springs from the character and
the character, in turn, Is nodded and eolored
By the environment. II only the authors
stylistie and technical equipment were equal
70 his dramatic sense il would surely be a
great novel. But Il Is not quite The tex
ture Of the writing Is little thin and pale;
the reader does not get close 70 these NOV
ing figures. There is slaekness and super
fuity about the book az a whole. Il is just
too long drawn out. Nevertheless il is con
sidcrably above the level OF the average
popular novel in every way.
"Wtch Doctors has the same underlying
theme, though the scene and the characters
are as far removed from "The Miracle" as
th, round world viii allow. Mr. Beadle goes
to the east coast Of Africa and introduces
the reader 20 the picturesque IL sometimes
deplorab.e customs Of TIE jungle folk He
too. had a brilliant idea as well as d lot Of
coed material His notion is 10 reveal az