Evening star., 1949-06-16
This and That
BIZ Charles Z. Traceioeu

Most readers think the detective story Is
something new.
While they know Poe wrote several famous
ones a long time ago. they smugly believe
that the modern detective. himself. Is
creation of this age.
AS q matter of fact, in 1869 q London
woman who wrote under the name Of Mrs.
Henry Wood produced q real character in
her Jonas Butterfly.
Ellen Price Wood lived from 1914 to 1887.
during which time she turned out q number
of good stories.
They were SO good. as o matter Of fact.
that they attracted the attention OF no less
an expert than Leo Tolstoy. the great Rus.
sian novelist. e* "'7 .75.'
We were reading bits here and there in
q biography of Tolstoy. when we came across
the Remark that Tolstoy loved this woman's
books. q &a#
This reminded us of the fact that we
had q copy of Roland Yorke." written In
1869.
We had never read 1t. because we thought
is must be another old-fashioned book Of
tn. .old days.
When we started to read, were we sur
prised!
Here was q very modern sounding story.
considering how long ago 1t was written.
right on the job all the time in the best
modern fashion.
The lady had anticipated many of the
ways of handling the strictly modern fic-
tional detective.
Nor was he in the least Sherlock Holmes
sort Of person.
Jonas Butterfly is strictly q policeman's
detective. He does lot of hard work, Just
plain pavement pounding. He studies the
cases, has few breaks" but in the main
depends upon common sense and elbow
grease.
Today we too often tend to look back upon
old boks as strictly old-fashtoned just be-
cause they are old.
We think Of songs Of the long ago as
Lavender Blue" sort of things
The mystery of time throws sort Of false
halo over the past. and If it does not do 50,
1t seems at least to build UP in some minds
resentment.
All of us are mixture of prejudices.
The honest man admits them. and the rest
act upon them. whether they admit them
or not.
The general attitude on old stories is that
they are slow at the take-of. slow in the
wind-up, and dragging at the end.
The truth is that many OF the older stories
are as fast paced as any, and Roland
Yorke" Is one of them.
This comes about because the characters
have real part to play. and their very
words are part Of the plot. It is In this
respect that many of todays popular. who
dunits" fall down. The reader Is bored
without knowing 1t. the deadliest kind Of
boredom. Il is for this reason. among
others. that many readers after developing
great enthusiasm for detective fiction.
mysteries, cali them what one wishes, finally
hor frod nf fhcEn orsd on
what might be termed regular fiction.
Character is, after all, the backbone Of
all fiction, and no amount Of plotting and
withholding Of clues win make up for its
lack.
In ROLAND Yorke" the reader finds plenty
Of real people. who act and talk rs real
people would.
And Butterfly. the detective, Is always q
joy.
Mrs. Henry Wood? Oh. she is the woman
who wrote East Lynne" but don't let that
fool you. It was her first book. and big
success, but the rest OF them must be worth
reading. too. II we can judge from Roland
Yorke" Others Of her stories are THE
Channings," .'The Shadow OF Ashlydyat."
"A Life's Secret" within the Maze." !"
sEdina." 'Pomeroy Abbey" "Count Neither
leigh and House Of Halliwell."
Mrs Henry Wood was q lady writer OF
the long list Of lady writer's Of whom Eng
land may wen be proud. Her modern ccun-
terpart Is the fabulous Mrs. Gabrielle Long.
who has written $50 novels under six or seven
nanes, including those Of Marjorie Bowen
and Joseph Shearing. Her true crime stories
under the Iatter name are perfect examples
| of the type. They include $50 Evil NY
Love- and ssThe Strange case Of Lucille
C1ery." both of which may hs secured N
s. cents editiopk.