Show 1 It THE THE CHOIR INVISIBLE LE THOUGH the popularity of a book is not ot a go good d criterion by which to judge 0 it yet in the case of James Lane Allens Allen's Choir Invisible the public taste has been on the side of art To the student this novel will always Vay be T attractive for its wholesomeness and it will be read again and again till it becomes becomes becomes be be- comes for him a part patt of that music which is the gladness of the world It is IS Mr Allens Allen's acknowledged purpose purpose pur pur- All 4 Oj pose to bring to literature wholesome ideals to establish the social order as the only one that lan an bring happiness and honor to put principle above pas pas- i sion In the II Choir Invisible sible as in s others of his stories he works out the i triumph of the Right as right is interpreted interpreted inter inter- by the accumulated experience of j ages Though the story is of historic Y value and gives us some sketches of J Kentucky in its early days it is this N j moral element that predominates The character of John Gray Mrs Falconer I Ithe O the Minister and Kitty Falconer are types of Kentucky in its pioneer days but they are also types of the world in all times In thought at least Mr rAllen r 1 Allen must have gone through the depths and arrived at the heights to be beable able to describe that High Table Land Landof of the Spirit Spir t where Silence reigns and J the II I I shall go softly all my days of j the one who has missed missed- missed happiness happiness and has given himself to duty In plot the story is simple John 1 Gray as a young inexperienced 11 man an f w t thinks he loves lovs Kitty Falconer a pretty prett i but shallow girl He has long been a a welcome visitor at the home of Mayor Falconer Kittys Kitty's uncle with whom she lives As Kittys Kitty's suitor John sees much of Mrs Falconer who is a beautiful beautiful beautiful ful refined minded high-minded woman The in two are congenial Disappointment his imagined love sickness and intercourse intercourse intercourse inter inter- course of sympathy and sentiments between bet be be- n be-n t tween een himself and Mrs Falconer develop in each an ardent love for the other W With John there is a struggle Shall he declare his love or shall he noc r Fiercely but silently the battle is fought out in his own breast Mrs Falconer is isa 1 a always the same true though disappointed disappointed disappointed pointed wife who has overcome all moral weakness and is established in goodness and virtue To John she is always the sympathetic reserved delicately delicately delicately deli deli- cately sensitive friend Her strength i y aids him He cannot tell her Ger that he hei loves her without thinking less of her or of himself so he is silent He goes away and through gratitude for kindness kindness kindness kind kind- ness shown him by her parents he offers his hand to a girl who loves him She accepts Then comes a letter telling telling telling tell tell- ing him of Mayor Falconers Falconer's death H His is betrothed refuses to release him though she knows s s the woman he loves is now free to marry him Mrs Falconer Falconer Falconer Fal Fal- coner had hoped John would return to her She is disappointed yet she does not retreat duty Subdued mellowed mellowed mellowed mel mel- lowed and ennobled by sorrow she draws about her the ties of life its sympathies sympathies sympathies sym sym- and its tasks She watches his career She centers all her interest in him and his family Once or twice a a year she receives a letter a book hook or a apa pa paper per Then she gro grows ws old I In n the evening of her life Johns John's son so like his father comes to her He has been sent by his father to be under her in influence in- in fluence lie He brings with him a sealed letter When the battle is won and he has behind him a a- along long life marked by faithfulness to duty he sends to Mrs Falconer the confession of his love with its closing words II If If I have kept faith with any of mine thank you and thank God We Ve have then in John Gray the unfolding unfolding unfolding un un- folding and developing of character by bythe bythe bythe the influence of a strong pure love We Weare are shown the transi transition tion from a ayoung ayoung ayoung young man with high aspi aspirations who C thinks he can make life what he wants t P i. i ft t luL it to be to the middle-aged middle man who 1 has m married for duty and is a faithful husband and father but w who o cherishes in his heart the memory of his love as asa asa asa a light beacon-light to his footsteps We see seethe seethe seethe the same man old but firm in the dIscharge discharge discharge dis dIs- charge of duty sending his son to the woman he has loved all his life John Gray is human He is tempted he struggles but his moral strength controls his actions Mrs Falconer never shows that she is even tempted to evil From the crucible of ardent love forbidden first by husband afterwards by a wife Mr Allen brings forth his hero and heroine untainted and even glorified Mr Allen may feel that he has accomplished his purpose He has made virtue more attractive than vice The literary style is good the taste is excellent the words are choice and the descriptions clear The incidents incidents incidents inci inci- dents are well-set well and natural The story is coherent the action steady teady and the interest intense The characters characters characters charac charac- as indicated are well-drawn well types and they are consistent throughout Altogether Altogether Al Al- j together The Choir Invisible is a j work of art portraying the beauty of j holiness in a simple story It is well fitted to add to the volume of that choir that touches our inmost hearts and ta to ring on down the ages Bertha E. E Wilcken |