The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1926-01-23
LIFE IS MADE
UP OF MYSTERY
SAYS KENNEDY
'TwOuld lie Il Dull World With
no Question Mark, Famed
Slcuth Remarks
ny GENE COIN

NEW IDIh, Jun. SOY IdIS hNttF
ncdy. the great detective, squlnted
his owl-likc eyes, lighted Il fresh
cigaret and began:
mystery, Why do people enjoy
mystery? Ny dear fclIow--i,s be
cause all life j. made up OF mystery.
Now let Us place il under the mi
croscopc. What is it.? Mystery IS
merely an unanswered question.
Pardon me If present few Of
the daily mysteries that are all
about us?
"Is Mary Jones going to marry
John Smith? Tho question is aake |
III the breakfast table. Before noon
the entire family is on the trail OF
clcws. Little Sally asks her school
mate what she's heard about It.
Daddy asks the office girl or the wo-
man who sits next to him on the
street ear. Mother calls up six
friends. by night they have rather
co-ordinatcd case. Yes Mary and
John are going To marry--that Is
unless suchnnd- such happens. There
another mystery opens.
Mysteries Everywhere
"And to go on: Why didn't the
milkman leave the milk? Who was
The man IN the taxicab that stopped
ut the neghbor's house last night?
Who IS the new beau that Mollic
Green was out with? Why didn't
Brass. the banker, keep his business
appointment? Are the Thus-and-Sos
really married? Why did Mrs X
leave her husband Mysteries, mys-
tcries. mysteries, everywhere and
nnywhcrc!
my dear fellow, | have the rcpu-
tntiVn Of being IA great detective, but
any good gossip Of the Ladies Mon
day club could put me To shame
when ii comes to running down u
neat Morscl Of scandal.
The point is we're all detectives
IN our particular way and each day
of, our lives we solve some problem
or mystery which, in its way. is as
inloftunt and difficult as that | ann
often called upon to solve. The bust
ness man finds out what caused
some loss or some gain. The mother
finds out where Johnny has been
spending his nights. The child finds
out some new fact about life. We all
are searching and finding.
The Difference
"Thc difference lies in this: my
problems present certain phases ot
drama or mclodrama. They are
about Things detached from the or
binary life. The continuity Of inter.
est is built up at once and not over
intermittent spaces, ms IN the every
day mysteries. Also there is gen
orally violence and danger and those
other elements that hold interest
But the basis is mystery -~~nnd that
is life itself for we know not whence
we came or whittier we CO.
The cigarct burned to the end ant
Craig Kennedy rose ncrvously.
Craig Kennedy. rs you know, /;
Arthur Il. Reeve, II plump. humorous
ox.ncwspnpcr man who amasset
nfurn Ianc ana fortune by hi
Scientific detective creation. SOM
"a volumes have been written arount
this character and two more ART
about to come. But just now Reeve
is excited. about Long Island req
estate which, he breaches. will do
Florida.
Discussing mystery stories. Reeve
went on:
\ DsM World Without Mystery
"'rhc fact is every story is u mys
terry. Love stories, adventure stor
les, tragedies and comcdics--they arr
all mystery stories or they wouidn
be popular. The reader always wants
to know whether the hero will MARI!
the heroine or what becomes Of then
ut the end Of the book.
"It's one Of the answers to iarg'
newspaper circulations. A celebrated
divorce case holds attention becaus,
the public wants to know what vii
be the next revelation. A poiitica
campaign keeps them guessing unit
the votes are counted; trial ha
the double interest of testimony AM
jury verdict. And SO il goes.
"Without any mystery this Ger
tainly would be II duh old world