The News and Observer from Raleigh, North Carolina • 16

16 NEWS AND OBSERVER. RALEIGH. N. SUNDAY MORNING, JULY 9, 1922. In The World Of Books And Authors Negro Poetry Collected In Most Illuminating, Valuable Anthology "The Book of American Negro Poetry" Edited By James Weldon Johnson Revelation of Negro's Lyric Accomplishments; Presents Him In New Light, Not As Buffoon of Rag-Time Nor As Half-Savage of "Spirituals" But In the Role of a Serious Singer In choosing and editing, and ally in prefacing "The Book of AmerIcan Negro Poetry" (Harcourt, Brace Company) James Weldon Johnson bas assembled an illuminating and valuable book.

The Negro as a serlous poet is not a familiar figure In American literature, not for the reason that he has never attempted to assume the role, but in the main because race prejudice has elected to see him rather as the buffoon of rag-time and dialechanter the mystical, half-savage of the weird and primitive "spirituals." It is doubtful if there other section of the country "where this most interesting anthology could be such a revelations to the intelligent South. Here where reader have rubbed elbows with the we for so many years, we have Negro noted, usually with a smile, and to a extent appreciated his efforts large music. We have recognized within out question his inherent dramatic ability. But, like the Scriptural poet he has been withhonor in what, in America is his prophet, as a out For this reason, the own country. reviewer is especially glad to have this opportunity to bring this antholverse to the attention ogy of North Carolinians.

Mr. Johnson prefaces the anthology with a critical essay on Negro poetry in which is highly instructive. states at the beginning of this preface that he believes the Negro to possess "the emotional endowment, the originality and artistic conception and the power of creating that which has universal appeal and influence" which will make it possible for him to produce poetry of the highest order. He sees evidence of this in the fact that the Negro race has produced the most unique folk songs and stories of the nation; that in rag-time it has exercised an influence on the art of daneing in this country which has been almost absolute; and that in this same rag time music it has also proinfluenced American music. Mr.

Johnson admits, however, that foundly in the United States no Negro poet has been produced, of a grade as high 88 Negro artists in other countries. And the reason for this he finds to lie in the that the "Negro in the United States is consuming all of his intellectual energy in this gruelling race struggle." In his preface, the author gives a summary of the significant Negro poets of America from the time of Phillis Wheatly, who was brought to this country as a slave in 1761 from Africa, down to the present From the time of this, the earliest Ethiopian poetess in this country un. til the rise of the genuinely gifted Paul Lawrence, Dunbar, there were four who merit, Johnson says, serious consideration, and of these it is particularly interesting to note that one of them, George M. Horton, was born in North Carolina in 1797. He was employed janitor at the University of North Carolina and published 2 volume of poems "The Hope of Liberty," in 1829.

These poems express a strong complaint at his condition of slavery and a deep longing for freedom. Beginning his anthology with selections from the important works of Paul Lawrence Dunbar, Johnson brings the collection down to date, including in it poems by the most prominent Negro poets of the day. That some, in fact that a large number of these poems are of remarkable excellence there cannot be the slightest doubt. The anthology ag a whole is more than creditable to this reviewer it was astounding. In the book is represented no signal genius, 110 poet of the very first perhaps even of high second rate.

But, the most part, those whose work is shown, are at the least skilful versesnakers and often unquestionably talented singers. In conclusive evidence of this we quote the following poignant verses by Jessie one of the four women represented in the anthology: "LA VIE C'EST LA VIE" summer afternoons I sit Quiescent by you in the park, And idly, watch the sunbeams gild And the ash-trees' bark. Or else I watch the squirrels frisk And chaffer in the grassy lane; And all the while I mark your voice Breaking with love and pain. I know a woman who would give Her chance of heaven to take my place; To see the love-light in your eyes, The love-glow on your face! And there's a man whoso lightest word Can set my chilly blood afre; Fulfilment of his least behest Defines my life's desire. But he will none of me, Nor I Of you.

Nor you of her, is said The world is full of jests like theseI wish that I were dead." Faul Lawrence Dunbar, some of whose verses open the anthology, is deseribed by Johnson as "the first poet from the Negro race in the United States to show a combined mastery over poetia material and poetic technique, to reveal innate literary distinction in what he wrote and to maintain a high level of formance." Following Dunbar the names ef the poets included are less familiar, with the exception of W. B. DuBois, William Stanley Braithwaits and Jessie Fancett unknown to the reviewer. Of the men Claude McKay, l'enton and Wil- Liam Staniry Braithwaite would seem the most 'gnificant and of the women Jerrie Faucett and Georgia Douglas Johnson. There are many poems in the col.

lection that we would like to ernie of McKay'4 and LILLIAN RUSSELL'S FIRST APPEARANCE Interesting Backward Glance To Her First Beginnings On The Stage WRITES PARODIES ON NOTED AUTHORS 'A Parody Outline of History' By Donald Ogden Stewart, Delightful Book Many people do not know how to tell a joke, and many more do not know how to take one. Man is the only animal that can laugh, and it is sometimes hard for him to decide when to laugh. A man who fails to get a joke until it is explained to him cannot get much humor in the situation, "A Parody Outline of History," by Donald Ogden Stewart, recently published by George H. Doran Company, New York, is a delightful book of its kind, its kind is very rare. This does not mean that it will suit all classes; neither does it mean that every reader will appreciate While it is highly humorous, witty, and satirie, still quite a number of conditions must first be fulfilled before one can enjoy it fully.

To enjoy any literary parody one must be familiar with the thing that is being imitated, of course. More than this, he must have in mind the peculiar niceties of style, the oddities, and quips, and quirks, of the original author whose writings are being subjected to parody. The writer of supreme parody must have that closely approaches the ability that produced the original production. The ludicrous "Battle of the Frogs and Mice," the ancient burlesque of the heroic epos, was often attributed to old Homer himself, and is certainly as old as the fifth century B. C.

The style of Euripides found its parodist in the able Aristophanes, and here and there all down through literary history we have parodies displaying a power only slightly inferior if at all to that of the original. Outlines of history have caught the popular taste for the past year or two; H. G. Wells made a notable success with his, and found thousands of readers; later, along came Hendrik van Loon with his, which was also well received. Donald Ogden Stewart is well known upon the pages of "The Bookman," and elsewhere, as having a willing pen, and a nimble fancy.

He claims for his book a "curiously irreverent treatment of American historical events," and in this claim he has not at all exaggerated -he is "curiously irreverent" to a notable degree. He started in with the notion of having some fun at the expense of certain of his contemtory, and succeeds. He does not poraries, and co certain facts in histench us anything new in history, but he does. bring out afresh the characteristics of seven American writers of our day in a manner that must make even them smile, although they may also occasionally have to wince. The parodies are done in delightful good humor, and carry in the main no sting.

These authors are selected for the pardoies, William Lyon Phelps, well-known Yale lecturer and writer; James Branch Cabell, the Virginia novelist: Sinclair Lewis of Main Street fame; F. Scott Fitzgerald as the representative of the girl of the period era; Ring Lardner, the humorist; Thornton W. Burgess, who hardly excelled as a story teller if we measure by quantity alone; and Harold Bell Wright, who, despite the jeers of the literary critics about his work, runs along smoothly as a "best seller." In the cases of Pholps and Wright, Donald Ogden Stewart carries out his parody so well that one familiar with the style and manner of the two writers almost forgets that he is not reading the original. These two efforts stand out as the highest achievement in the collection. None of the others are poorly done: one, especially that of Fitzgerald, is over-done; all are "takeoffs" of real talent.

The value of the literary matter is entirely regligible, but the manner and style of ench are so reproduced that the book bolds many a delightful chuckle for the alert reader. If you know these seven writers, and if you enjoy the mimic when he puts on his cap and bells, then Stewart's Parody will delight you for a summer day. and sprinkle some sunshine over a drab hour or two. The gentle art of poking fun is here illustrated very happily. THORNTON WHITSETT.

THE DRAMATIC SCENE OF THE KAISER'S FALL (From of the Crown Prince of Germany." (Published by Charles Seribner's Sons.) I now went with my chief of staff to join the Kaiser. He stood in the garden surrounded by a group of Never shall I forget of that half-score of men in their gray uniforms, thrown into relief by the withered and faded of ending autumn, framed by the surrounding mist mantled hills with their glorious foliage of vanishing green and every shade of brown, of yellow and of red. The Kaiser stood there as though he had suddenly halted in his agitated pacing up and down. Passionately excited, he addressed himself to those near him with violently expressive gestures. His eyes were upon General Groner and His Ex.

cellency von Hintze; but glance was cast now and then at the fieldmarshal general, who, with his gaze fixed on distance, nodded silently; and an occasional look was also eral von Plessen. Somewhat aloof turned towards the white haired Genfrom the group. stood General von Marshall, the Legation Councillor von Grufinau and Major you feld. With their bowed attitudes, most of the men seemed oppressed by the thought there was no egress from their, entanglement -seemed. while Kaiser alone spoke, to have been paralyzed into muteness.

Catching sight of me, my father beckoned me to approach and, him self, came forward a few paces. And now, as I stool opposite him I saw clearly how distraught wer his features how his emacinted and sullowed face twitched and winced. S. M. Hutchinson Writes Another Powerful Novel In "This Freedom" Successor To "If Winter Comes" the Story of a Woman With a Career, a Home And Three Children And How She Co ordinated And Failed To Them; New Disappointing Only In Another Such Human And Lovable Protagonist As Mark Sabre After a rise, especially a sudden one, it is natural to expect a decline.

An ebb, least comparative, following a full flow does not surprise. It was with much this feeling of preparation for disappointment that we began to read A. S. M. Hutchison's new novel, "This Freedom," the special presentation edition of which has just been issued by the publishers, Little Brown and Company, and the first general edition of which will run this month.

When we had finished reading this immediate successor to "If Winter Comes" which we, with many more competent critics, had judged to be the outstanding literary achievement in the way of a novel during 1921, the anticipated disappointment was so much tempered that it had been resolved into little more than a sort of vague regret that we had not made the acquaintance of another character as real and as appealing as Mark Sabre. Had there been no "If Winter Comes," it seems safe to say that "This freedom" would have been hailed as Hutchison's mcst signal triumph, a very powerful novel. And it is, without question, the latter. But "If Winter Comes" is very nearly great, and despite the undoubted excellencies of "This Freedom, a more significant piece of work than the novel which follows it. The reason for this would seem to be that in Mark Sabre, Hutchinson created a living, breathing, struggling, whimsical person who could be received by the reader not elsewhere than in the heart, while in Rosalie (the heroine of "This he has wrought a woman whose quaintance we are intelligently glad to have made, but who, for all Mark her final suffering, leaves us cold.

is prominently human. Rosalie isn't. There you have it. And, perhaps more than that: Mark represents the most idealistic type of sacrifice; while the flood of horrors which breaks over Rosalie's head had its springs in her own consuming selfishness. It is hard to avoid a comparison with "If Winter Comes," in a review of "This Freedom." B'ut now for the book itself.

It is the story of a woman with a "single track -not perhaps unusual in possessing a mind of this character, but extraordinary in the force and the persistence with which her thoughts speed along that narrow track. Reared in a family where all the advantages of life apparently went to the men, and in child-hood poignantly shown by the suicide of all elder sister how pitifully cruel life can be to women, Rosalie develops into a hater. She determines that men shall have no place in her life. Possessed of a striking talent for business and an appreciation of the romance of commerce, she decides that she will hare a man's career, and she goes towards this end with all the fervour of what is, inherently, a very ardent spirit. In the process of attaining her success as a great woman banker which is eventually remarkable and unique, especially for the closing years of Victorianism, her thoughts are turned constantly inward, and she loses, almost imperceptibly, her human sympathies.

And when, prostrate at last, she looks back upon her determined liberty, maintained in the face of all dads, she has, indeed, reason to cry out in the words of "the chief captain" to St. Paul, "With a great sum obtained I this freedom!" Disguised as contempt and finally a8 hate, a surging love surprises her with startling suddenness, and she marries with the distinet and really very neat understanding that ringe is not in any way to interfere with her career. For cleven years it doesn't in the least. Even three children don't, for any, considerable length of time. Rosalie rises in her profession constantly and surely, at the same time organizing, and organizing is just the word, a perfectly ordered home where her children are brought up by a certificated child welfare specialist to the most approved modern methods, and where she sees them no more than their father does, and with as little worry.

All fair for Rosalie. All fair for Rosalie for eleven years, even though her phenomenonally reasonable husband ried for a home." Of course, all too fair. Her first shock comes when her eldest son expresses his contempt for the veracity of the Scriptures. Something had to be done at that point. And she did it.

She left her work to give her whole time to her children, after, -note-eleven years. But she found these children to be strangely unresponsive, and after the luxurious -satisfaction caused by her heroie sacrifice had worn off, the old desire to be about her former sorbing affairs returued. She took up career again. This on her conviction that "if a woman once gives herself to a thing, abandons all else, and gives herself to never can come back from it. 'They don't give return tickets to But life sometinfes hasn't much respect for even strong convictions, and it had a good bit to teach Rosalie through a lacerated heart.

To tell how this lesson taught her would be to spoil the story, to break for the prospective reader the shock of those devastating events that crushed to powder that unbending will, that shattered that granite hard egotism as glass is splintered, and that, at last, left stripped and stark and bleeding most -only her heart. In "This Freedom" is to be noted that same swelling torrent of events that overflowed Mark Sabre, those gathering storms of winter that had to descend before spring came to the spirit. When Hutchinson really "gets going" towards the climax of his plot, there's no stopping him: he's off, and disaster piles upon disaster until the reader is wrung by their strain. It's like that in "This Freedom" although the cataclysm is longer gathering than in "If Winter Comes," and, fallen, more quickly spent. But, as we have already said, there is no Mark Sabre in "This Freedom," -worse luck.

And without some such character, there is lacking for the reader sympathy with the protagonist. You cannot sympathize with Rosalie until the bitter end. She "gets hers," what is too patently "hers" for you to wish it to be avoided. Yet you admire her dously, for she is most thoroughly and carefully and convincingly drawn But you not only admire Mark Sabre. You love him.

Rosalie is theoretical, brilliantly so; but Mark is valiantly inspirational. Rosalie is of the mind. Mark is of the heart. Rosalie suffers, terribly indeed, but for herself. Mark goes through his bleak wintry wilderness for others.

N. B. L. William Spence Robertson, Professor of History in the University of Illinois, is the author of the "History of the Latin-American Nations" which D. Appleton and Company publish this week.

When Lillian Russell died the other day the spontaneous tributes to her memory and oher worth as a and her achievements as an actress that were made by men and women of prominence in many professions proved how deep an impression made her art nad her personality had upon her' generation. An interesting glance bok to her first beginnings on the stage and a view of her final success is afforded by James L. Ford in his charming volume of reminiscence, "Forty-Odd Years in the Literary Shop," which was published last winter by the Duttons. Says Mr. Ford: A couple of nice girls that I know are going to appear at Pastor's next week and if you can say a good word for them I I'll consider it 8 said August Brentano to me one day in the autumn of '79.

Ihope that my mention of this remote date will not offend the lady with whom this anecdote deals, for hers is a case in which years are a credit, so well have the charm and beauty of her youth been preserved. Fully aware of my lack of musical knowledge, I asked a frined of acknowledged authority in such matters to accompany me to Tony Pastor's Theatre and listened with more deference than I shall ever again accord to musical criticism. The first of the singers to appear was a girl named Florence Merton and my companion pronounced her voice excellent nad predieted for her a bright variety future. Later in the evening a slender, graceful and wonderfully pretty, and attractive young girl skipped out on the stage and sang, in what seemed to my untutored taste a voice of rare sweetness, a song about the violets that bloom in the vernal spring. But my friend shook his head in grave disapproval, declaring that her voice lacked timbre nad was weak in the lower register and contrived to deluge my mind with 60 many technical terms that I was afraid to write what I thought and prepared a sapient paragraph echoing his views, which I think was the first notice ever received in New York by Lillian Russell, whose previous appearanco here had been mrly as Ed Rice's chorus girls.

"But it was not press work that gave Miss Russell her earliest fame. Her own attractiveness stirded thentro-goers long before the critics came lumbering into view with their words of commendation. Dazzled by applause and inexperienced by theatrical affairs her mistakes of those early days are not to be wondered at. Her later work and study have never won for her the public. recognition they deserve.

Her success in comic opera was achieved by talent, industry and a personality of rare charm. I trust that these words will atone for the less honest utterance of my callow THE FUTURE FOURTH ESTATE. The prize offered by Houghton Miffin Company for the best essay by a student of journalism on Samucl Hopkins Adams' novel Success has been won by Hugh J. Morlan of the University of Iowa. judges, A.

Hamilton Gibbs, Will Irvin, Mr. Adams and a representative of the publishers, included in their report of the contest the interesting information that over. half the papers submitted were by women students. It is also Interesting to observe in this connection that Catherine Filene in her "Careers for Women" lists no fewer than nine positions on 8 newspaper which are particularly suitable for women. LAW BOOKSN.

C. Report Vol. 182 now on Sale- Price $3.00 Postage 15c Consolidated Statutes and supplement, 2 Vols. $20.00, Postage 15c Law Price List Sent on Application OFFICE STATIONERY ALFRED WILLIAMS COMPANY RALEIGH, N. C.

WAKE COUNTY SAVINGS BANK Report of Condition June 30, 1922 RESOURCES Cash and due from 87,688.70 U. S. Liberty bonds, at cost. 121,979.24 State of N. C.

10,355.00 $220,022.94 WANT COVATY SAVINGS PARK Other bonds and investments. 37,712.50 Banking house and ixtures. 15,000.00 Loans. 470,620.62 Total $743,356.06 LIABILITIES Capital stock $15,000.00 Surplus 12,500.00 Undivided profits 3,494.80 30,994.80 Deposits 712,157.26 Total $743,356.06 Wm. P.

Little, Assistant Cashier of the above Subscribed and sworn to before me, this 3rd named bank, solemnly swear that the foregoing day of July, 1922. statement is true to the best of my knowledge FRANK P. HAYWOOD, and belief. WM. P.

LITTLE, Notary Public. Acsistant Cashier. My commission expires March 1, 1924- -DIRECTORSTHOS. H. BRIGGS R.

H. CROWDER R. L. SORRELL J. W.

BAILEY B. GRIMES W. W. VASS A. F.

BOWEN JOHN G. KEMP WILLIAM A. YOST W. L. BROGDEN ALFRED WILLIAMS Hudson-Belk Company 30 Stores 30 Stores "The Home of Better Values" Braithwaite's (who, by the way, is the compiler of the annual Anthology of American Magazine Verse).

Here is one of the latter's, a thing of deftness and simplicity: "SIC VITA "Heart free, hand Blue above, brown under, All the world to me Is a place of wonder. Sun shine, moon shine, Stars, and winds a blowing, All into this heart of mine Flowing, flowing, flowing! Mind free, step Days to follow after, Juv8 of life sold to me For the price of laughter. Girl's love, man's love, Love of work and duty, Just a will of God's to prove Beauty, beauty, beauty!" Georgia Douglas Johnson is more or less conventional, but she is and sincere and musical, particularly so in this throbbing lyric: "I want to die while you love me, While yet you hold me fair, While laughter lies upon my lips And lights are in my hair. want to die while you love me, And bear to that still bed, Your kisses turbulent, unspent, To warm me when I'm dead. I want to die while you love me, Oh, who would care to live Till love has nothing more to ask And nothing more to give! I want to die while you love me And never, never see The glory of this perfect day Grow dim or cease to be." Fenton Johnson is more modern and more "TIRED am tired of work; I am tired of building up somebody else's civilization.

Let us take a rest, M'Lissy Jane. I will go down to the Last Chance Saloon, drink a gallon or two of gin, shoot a game or two of dice and sleep the rest of the night in one of Mike's barrels. You will let the shanty go to rot, the white people's clothes turn to dust, and the Calvary Baptist Church sink to the bottomless pit. You will spend your days forgetting you married me and your nights hunting the warm gin Mike saeves in the rear of the Last Chance Saloon. Throw the children into the river; civilization has given us too many.

It is better to die than it is to grow up aud find out that you are colored. Pluck the stars out of the heavens. The stars marked our destiny. The marked my destiny. I am tired of civilization." It would be strange indeed in such collection of songs from a folk long in chains and even, now bearing great Burdens if a note of bitterness did not entered As in Johnson's pitiful "I am of building up somebody's else's civilization," it cries out through many of the poems.

It runs through the verses of McKay. Du Bois, "Litany of Atlanta," is gall and wormwood. Corrothers epitomizes it "At the Closed James. Gate of "To be a Negro in a day like this Demands rare patience, patience that can wait In utter darkness. 'Tis the path to miss, And knock, unheeded at an iron gate, To be a Negro in a day like this." None of the poems which we have quoted have been in dialect, not because there are not excellent dialect poems in the collection, because the Negro struggling away from the limitations of dialect seems to us to be more interesting.

Johnson says in the preface, "Negro dialect is at present a medium that is not capable of giving expression to the varied conditions of Negro life in America, and much less is it capable of giving the fullest interpretation of Negro character and psychology." He speak of it again instrument with but two full stops, humor and pathos." And further "what the colered poet in the United States needs to do is something like what Synge did for the Irish; he needs to find form that will express the racial sp.rit by symbola from within rather than by symbols from without such as the mere mutilation of English spelling and pronunciation." However, the humor of the Negro, which is one of his most pronounced characteristics is shown only in the dialect poems in the collection, notably those of Paul Lawrence Dunbar, James Edwin Campbell, James Corrothers, Daniel Webster Davis, John Wesley Holloway, Ray G. Dandridge and Alex Rogers. NELL BATTLE LEWIS. Edith Wharton's New In Edith Wharton's new novel, "The Glimpses of the Moon." which is to be published by D. Appleton and Company on July 28, the distinguished, portrayor of New York soclety's "Age of Innocence" turns to a subject of the present day.

"'The Glimpses of the deals with society of the present time and exhibits certain developments in the society world which were shadowed in Mrs. Wharton's previous novel and which the conservative Four Hundred ef the 1870' who were pictured in its pages frowned upon. Never have Mrs. Wharton's powers been more brilliantly exhibited, it is reported than in "The Glimpses of the in which she finds the true gold of character in midst of society, from which the Janey Archers of "The Age of Innocenco" would have fled dismoyed, Beginning Monday A Sale of 500 Voile Dresses Purchases by the 30 Belk Stores of a New York manufacturer's entire stock at a low figure enables this offer. Not only cool, summery Voile Dresses in light and dark prints, trimmed with organdy collar and cuffs, but a limited quantity of Imported Gingham, Domestic Gingham, Organdy, Organdy Combination and Linen Dresses are included in the lot, ranging values up to $7.50.

Beginning Monday we offer these at- $3.95 Another Shipment of Those Navy Blue Women's Dresses $5.95 and $9.95 These are women's large size Dresses, 38 to 52 bust. The materials are Solid Navy Voiles and Navy background with light prints. White Serge and Flannel Skirts to $5.95 Regular and Extra Sizes. Hudson-Belk Co..