The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1922-11-19
NEW FICTION
-IN-
VARIED FORMS

to any breadth of canvas; who
can mold a colossus or carve cameo
Mr.. Bennett possesses this happy indie
pendence of dimensions. He passes at
pleasure from the epic sweep of "An Old
Wives Tale" to the almost sonnet-like pre-
cision of form and substance displayed in
"Lilian"-and leaves us wondering which
of the two embodies the finer art.
The theme of this story. up to a certain
point, is one of the oldest either in fact
or fiction. Lillian Share is the type of girl
created for pleasure and affection and
expensive fiattery.'' She is the kind that
wise mothers refuse to take as governesses
or companions, being much too pretty to
be thrown in the way of susceptible sons
and brothers. And it was precisely be-
cause jealous Miss Orig scented the peril
of this prettiness that she had yielded only
under pressure to her brothers wish to
employ the girl in their typewriting office.
and determined to get rid of her on the
first flimsy excuse that offered
Miss Grig's anxiety would have quick
ened to panic if she could have heard her
brother Felix taking to Lillian the first
night that we meet him-the night when
Miss Grg's illness has forced Lillian to
remain all night at this office. whose
chief boast is that its doors never close.
Felix Orig is sketched for us with a mini
mum of strokes. "a very slim man of
medium height and of no age a man who
might by thirty-five, with premature gray
hair. or fifty with hair younger than the
wrinkles round his gray eyes" Felix Orig
is man of independent fortune to whom
a typewriting bureau is mere sideshow,
something to keep his domineerng, en-
ergetic sister occupied. 1t is evident that
he would not come to share the night
vigil at this office for the love of the work.
And presently we hear Felix assuring
Lillian that she has no business in place
like this. that she is simply wasting herself
You type well, but that's only because
you're clever all round. You'd milk cows
just well as you'd type. But your
business is marriage and good marriage!
You'd make a success of marriage be-
cause you're adaptable and quick at pick
ing up. Most women when they're mar
ried forget that their job is to adapt
themselves and TO please They
forget that there are two sides to a bar
gain. Now you wouldn't be like the major
ity of women. You'd keep your share of
theNbargain. and handsomely. If you don't
marry. and marry fifty miles above you,
you'll be very silly
That Felix Orig had not at this stage
resolved to do anything rash is proved
by the fact that he ended by reminding
Lillian that he was an old man or he
wouldn't be talking that way And that
the girl herself was not of the calculating
sort is equally evident since We are told that
as she listened she ''blushed tremendously
1t is jealous. suspicious Miss Orig, whose
energetic mind, working overtime through
protracted illness, so magnifies her broth
ers peril that Immediately upon her re-
turn to the office she takes advantage of a
technicality. goads Lillian into what may
be construed an impertinence, and
grimly dsmsses her without a reference
OF course. with Lillian safely out of the
way-as Miss Orig in her ostrich like
blindness sees the situation-Felix prompt
ly discovers just how vital a matter her
loss is and forthwith goes in pursuit
Lillian is at the end of her resources; her
small reserve fund has dwindled alarming
ly. Moreover, she has learned that as a
business woman she is a failure But in
the much harder business of pleasing men
she knows that Felix is right; it is an
instinct with her. He makes no promise
of marriage, and she herself does not