Show Early Story of English Writer Published Here by Sheila KayeS Kaye- Kaye S Smith Provides Lasting CharS Character Character Character Char Char- S acter If lt his miseries were sometimes the consequence of hIs his faults he ought not yet to be wholly excluded from compassion he because his faults were very often otten the effects of his misfortunes This bit of ot philosophy philosophy philosophy phy from Mr Johnsons Johnson's Life of bt Savage age serves as the keynote to one of ot the earlier noveis novels novels nov nov- els eis by Sheila Smith Kaye being published for the first time in inthe the United States This gifted English writer has given her readers in Miles Star- Star brace a character that will not soon be forgotten Conflict emotional Conflict emotional of ot environment of heredity of cIr cIr- Is is depicted in every page This lovable young heathen with the hands of a gentleman and the heart of a rebel is ill 1 equipped to fo follow low the line set out for him hint Miles son of ot Gerard an ab English gentleman disinherited for his marriage to a n chambermaid In his college town spends the first elgh eighteen teen years of his life amid surroundings of ot dire poverty hard labor and brutality his father all the while attempting to Impress upon his mind his superiority and aristocracy by means of of- beatings and curses He objects to the lads lad's use of ot the dialect of his environment environment environment environ environ- ment to his uncouth friends to his loitering in the village yet with all his unreasoning behavior toward his son he is devoted de to him and Wf I would l sacrifice his life lIe t to help the lad Finally Gerar Gera Broken in health and spirit makes maltes a thir thira o l final appeal to his father for aid and ItIs it itIs itis is given for the sake of the youth Miles Is to be made the heir hell on condition that he come to live with his grandfather for three years ears and that his father go abroad for tor that length of ot time Miles is isto ISto isto to be educated and forced to accept culture It is to be hoped that durIng during during dur dur- ing this training all tra traces tras es of his Ballard commonness will vill be stamped out and that the blue blood of the will tri trI- And thus we have ha the conflict conflict- can an inheritance of crude peasant peasant peasant peas peas- ant tendencies backed by years of ot unrestraint and Impoverished environment environment en en- be tempered to the life of an old English manor house with all aU its customs and traditions re religIous religious religious re- re and educational demands Miles brooks little in interference In- In from any but his sw sweetheart sweetheart sweet sweet- etheart et- et heart an aristocrat whom he has worshipped since sinde e he first saw her when she was in her hel early teens and he but 10 years of age But Buthis Buthis Buthis his spirit is too wild and has known too oo ittle of the civIlizing influences to long Iong endure the authority authority au au- au- au of a well meaning but of officIous officious officious of- of clergyman his grandfathers grandfather's chaplain and secretary and following following following follow follow- ing a furious outbreak of temper temper- in which he believes he has killed the man Miles runs awa away His ad adventures adventures adventures ad- ad ventures from froni that point are full of suspense and heartbreak heartbreak- showIng showIng showing show- show Ing a character portrayal yal that Is la remarkable The setting is In rural England of the early eighteenth century and gives the auth author r opportunity to bring in many picturesque bits from the colorful history of the time Highwaymen hangings for theft the kings king's pardon folk tales and superstitions all aU are woven into the life lICe of Though the story is tragic relieved only occasionally occasionally occa oCca- with the delight of a fox foxhunt foxhunt foxhunt hunt or a happy moment between Miles and his sweetheart it Is well worth reading for the Interest of ot Its remarkable characterization and for Its style E. E P. P Dutton Button Co Ca New York Prize Contests Promote Quality The prize novel contests which welt well known publishing firms have been conducting of recent years ears have distinctly raised the I level e 1 of ot young oung American writers says Grant Overton O himself the author of ot several novels and one of the judges In the 2500 contest now v being conducted by Edward J. J Clode Inc This extra stimulus brings out the best that Is In them Of ot the manuscripts which have so sotar far tar been entered In the Clode CORtest contest contest con COR- test perhaps BO O per cent are first novels no In conception development development development develop develop- ment and style they are far above the manuscripts with which publishers publishers pub pub- lishers ushers used to be bombarded Manuscripts are arriving at the Clode offices In New York at ata ata a a. lively ely rate and ond are alread already Undergoing undergoIng undergoing un un- the elimination process at atthe atthe atthe the hands of the Judges Mr 11 Overton Overton Overton Over- Over ton Harry hansen Honsen literary critic of the Chicago Dan Dally Daily News and andI Edward J. J Clode I |