Page:O Henry Prize Stories of 1924.djvu/22

xvi are pretty much alike? His creation of ’Lijah sets the Judge apart from his class, as the embellishment of ’Lijah distinguishes ’Bama.” The mica deposit—so fortuitously found—worried another; but, again, mica is just what that farm land would yield. One of the committee admitted to particular pleasure in the requirements of the closing lines. Than Mr. Smith no Southern writer of to-day is more familiar with his people or more adequately expresses through his stories those characteristics which are the soul of the old South.

By a miss that is better than a mile, “Professor Boynton Rereads History,” by Edith Mirrielees, just escapes being an essay. For the narrow dividing line that separates the purpose of the essay from the entertainment of the story disappears. The essay, in effect, is conveyed by the story vehicle. One critic may affirm that the professor’s rereading of the familiar passage is unnecessary to the point; but another will be ready to argue that Miss Mirrielees could take no chances. As Sir Arthur Conan Doyle never leaves his Sherlockian exploits to possible apprehension of the Doctor Watson order of intellect, so this author doubtless thought it best to emphasize her point. The Doctor Watsons are those she wished to impress, needed to impress. The final division of the story may be, then, superfluous to one reader; to ninety-nine others it will be essential. If there is more truth than fiction in this eye-opener, it was high time somebody was exploiting that truth under the guise of the garment in which fact popularly masquerades.

“One Uses the Handkerchief,” by Elinore Cowan Stone, met with general favour. It is further testimony to Miss Stone’s understanding of the heart of childhood and to her keen sense of humour, her sympathy, and her ability to extract the smiles and sobs from an everyday situation, which the committee first noticed with pleasure in “What Do We Wear?” (Century, September, 1922). Humour, stalked by its attendant shade, appears in Raphael who, by serving as monitor of the handkerchiefs, learned in his humble way to be “the good American.” A touch of genius endears that seminaked youngster of the scuffed shoes as a heroic figure worthy the gold watch fob presented by the Big Boss.

While they were considering the virtues of Raphael the committee observed that a large proportion of American stor-