By JOHANNA SPYRI
Many writers have suffered injustice in being known as the author ofbut one book. Robinson Crusoe was not Defoe’s only masterpiece, nordid Bunyan confine his best powers to Pilgrim’s Progress. Not oneperson in ten of those who read Lorna Doone is aware that several ofBlackmore’s other novels are almost equally charming. Such, too, hasbeen the fate of Johanna Spyri, the Swiss authoress, whose reputationis mistakenly supposed to rest on her story of Heidi.
To be sure, Heidi is a book that in its field can hardly be overpraised.The winsome, kind-hearted little heroine in her mountain backgroundis a figure to be remembered from childhood to old age. Nevertheless,Madame Spyri has shown here but one side of her narrative ability.
If, as I believe, the present story is here first presented to readersof English, it must be through a strange oversight, for in it we finda deeper treatment of character, combined with equal spirit and humorof a different kind. Cornelli, the heroine, suffers temporarily fromthe unjust suspicion of her elders, a misfortune which, it is to befeared, still occurs frequently in the case of sensitive children. Howshe was restored to herself and reinstated in her father’s affectionforms a narrative of unusual interest and truth to life. Whereas inHeidi there is only one other childish figure—if we except the drollpeasant boy Peter—we have here a lively and varied array of children.Manly, generous Dino; Mux, the irrepressible; and the two girls forma truly lovable group. The grown-ups, too, are contrasted with muchhumor and genuine feeling. The story of Cornelli, therefore, deservesto equal Heidi in popularity, and there can be no question that itwill delight Madame Spyri’s admirers and will do much to increase thelove which all children feel for her unique and sympathetic genius.
CHARLES WHARTON STORK
Spring had come again on the banks of the Iller-Stream, and the youngbeech trees were swaying to and fro. One moment their glossy foliagewas sparkling in the sunshine, and the next a deep shadow was castover the leaves. A strong south wind was blowing, driving huge cloudsacross the sun.
A little girl with glowing cheeks and blowing hair came running throughthe wood. Her eyes sparkled with delight, while she was being drivenalong by the wind, or had to fight her way against it. From her armwas dangling a hat, which,