Friday, March 1, 1940
THE DAILY NEBRASKAN
MUSIC
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Gass' book . . .
'Family Crisis' is colorful,
quietly charming, true story
The appearance of a book by a
University professor is not so rare
as to cause unusual comment on
the campus if the publication is
a textbook. But fiction is another
thing, and so when copies of
"Family Crisis," by Prof. Sherlock
Gass of the English department,
were placed on bookstore shelves
throughout the country recently,
the University felt a rightful thrill
of pride and anticipation. Nor will
readers of the book feel disap
pointed, for although "Family
Crisis" is not really fiction, as
Professor Gass explains in an au
thor's note, it is very definitely a
story an interesting, colorful,
quietly charming story.
Story it true.
It is the story of a five-year
period in the fortunes of Profes
sor Gass's family occurring around
the turn of the century when
young Sherlock was in his early
'teens. It is unexploited truth,
claims the author, but this does
not mean that it is dull. Had fic
titious names been used through
out and no explanation given as
to the origin of the plot, the book
would almost qualify as a novel.
We say almost because "Family
Crisis" adopts a conversatoinal
rather than a dramatic style.
Dialogue absent
Dialogue is conspicuous only by
its absence, and throughout its 278
pages one retains the feeling that
he is not so much reading a book
as listening to an accomplisned
story-teller who can keep up his
audience's interest by a ready
flow of humor, pictorial descrip
tion, and varied characterizations.
The plot concerns the efforts
of an American family father,
mother, and growing children to
earn a living by means of a
wretched little laundry in the small
town of Dayton, Ohio. Long hours
and hard work do not bring them
much financial return, but some
how none of the group becomes
discouraged for long, and even
when they do feel the weight of
hardship and misfortune settling
down on them, the reader can
never feel really discouraged about
their plight. For the book's char
acters are all somewhat like
father who might have been able
to find consolation for his defeat
but "he never felt the need of
such consolation." In other words,
despite its treatment of adversity,
"Family Crisis" is a cheerful, op
timistic, hopeful book (but not at
all in a syrupy sort of way), and
one cannot read it without some
hom felling refreshed by the in
fluence of its philosophy.
Book not pretentious.
There is nothing pretentious
about Professor Gass's book, and
therein lies its charm. It presents
what must be an authentic picture
of life in the nineties a moving
picture across which passes a col
orful and varied assortment of
characters and yet there is none
of that "realistic" crudity or flam
boyancy of emitions which char
acterizes many books of similar
field The story is handled with a
restraint which enables one to read
it from cover to cover in an eve
ning with undisturbed enjoyment
DRAMA BOOKS
Reviewer describes . .
LeRossignol's 'The Habitant
Merchant' as charming story
By Kathryn Park.
"The Habitant Merchant," a
new book by J. E. LeRossignol,
dean of bizad college, is a series
of charming stories depicting the
life of the Fiench-Canailians, aa
it was lived and is now.
Jovite Laberge, the gruff but
kindly habitant-merchant, in the
book, tells stories of his relatives
to Eduard Morceau, a commercial
traveler. According to Monsieur
Laberge, "habitants" are "droves
of cultivators."
Typical of the French-Canadian
merchant, Laberge offers special
discounts to all of his relatives
and friends. But as a change grad
ually comes in from the larger
towns to a policy of fixed prices,
Laberge decides that he has to
follow suit. Complaining of this
change to Eduard Morceau, he
says, "One of the joys of life I
call it pleasure of merchandising.
Shady side.
But like every good thing, it
has its shady side. 'It is bad for
the disposition, the character, of
the customer. It makes him alert,
suspicious, disputatious, ana in
sulting even at times. Yes, and it
tempts the honest merchant to
stretch the truth a little now and
then. But he pays for that in the
end when he goes to confess his
sins to 'M'sieu le cure.' He is rude
that one, and does not chew his
words. He calls a lie a lie. Me, I
give it a more polite name, but
M sieu le cure is the boss."
Sunday Journal and Star.
and satisfaction. It clearly reveals
the author's philosophy without
raising its voice above a civilized
tone, and it manages to be deep
in its significance without dredg
ing the bottoms for inspiration.
Student unacquainted with Professor
C.nss'i previous published works may be
Interested to learn that he la the author
of two bovka of wsays aa well na a
very aurceaaful deteellve story which
appeared under the pseudonym of Mor
rison Dnpree. Hla work also ha appeared
In the Vale Review, the Rnokman, the
Atlantic Monthly, and other American
magazines. "Family rials" la published
bv Reynal and Hitchcock of New York
t'lty In a beautifully bound edition
which In Itself Is worthy of comment.
P
The spring turns
students thoughts
from the library
It has been said that in the
spring a student's mind quickly
turns from thoughts of study.
Fewer people spend their time in
the library on actual book learn-
ine. October is the month of in
tellectual study. According to the
university library more books were
checked out during the month of
October than any other month
since the beginning of school last
fall. However, during the month
of January 3,672 books were
checked out for home reading,
while only 3,422 were taken out
for home reading in October.
That many 7
A total of 86,204 books were
checked out of the library last
semester. 29.939 from the main
reading room, and 56,265 from the
reserve room.
In purchasing books for student
reference, the library figures that
there should be one book for every
15 students. Taking this into con
sideration, students in an average
class that meets three times a
week will have equal opportuni
ties of obtaining books for their
reference work. The oldest printed
book in the library is the Nurcm
bure Chronicle, published in 1473
The oldest unprinted book is a
small Babylonian clay tablet which
is estimated to have been printed
25 vears B.C. It has Cuneiform
writing which was done with
sharp reed. The characters are
small and resemble Chinese writ
ing.
Your Hit Tunet
Played On
DECCA RECORDS
35.
.1 for
loo
Cherokee . . .
Jimmy Dorsey.
Tuxedo Junction . . .
Jan Savin.
I've Got No Strings , .
Victor Young.
On the Isle of May . .
Woody Herman.
Fifth Floor.
If '
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' 4
I ' 8 !
thiv.-i vtofcofw am J, -ai .u, . J
Little sins costly.
Eduard Morceau replies, 'Yes, I
know. The church has the keys,
and our little sins are costly at
times. It pays to be good, n'est-
ce pas? So you will have one
price after this?"
"But yes the price marked in
plain figures for everybody to see.
No more discounts, no reductions,
no bargaining, no intelligence re
quired. No salesmanship any
more, Eduard taking orders
merely. Even you could do it"
Family history.
"The Habitant Merchant" is not
only an excellent character
sketch of Laberge, but is also a
history of his family, for most of
his stories are of incidents involv
ing his ancestors and relatives.
Mr. LeRossignol has kept his
Journal A. SI sr.
J. E. LEROSSIGNOL
He writes of merchant
style carefully subdued, the better
to portray the simple but direct
lives of the French-Canadians.
The careful repetition of French
phrases adds to the color of the
book. Imbued with humor, the
stories are, every one, equally as
quaint and interesting.
THE ARTS I
Joint recital
features 26
Two musical honoraries
join in concert Sunday
Tlii Mu Alpha, Sinfonia, musical
fraternity, and Mu Phi Epsilon,
musical sorority, will present 2G
musicians and the Phi Mu Alpha
glee club in a joint recital Sunday
at 4:30 in the Temple. The pro
gram is being presented under the
auspices of the university school
of fine arts, and is open to the
public.
Mu Phi Epsilon's program con
sists of "Trio No. 4 in C Major,"
by Mozart, played by violin, 'cello, ,
and piano: "For Music," by Fianz,
and "Musicv When Soft Voices
Die," by Douty, sung by the sct-
tctte, accompanied by violin, 'cello
and piano; "Sonata," by Valontini,
played by June Meek, 'cellist. Sin
fonia'a program includes "The
Chase," by Tscherepnine, sung by
the quartet; "M'Appari," by Von
Flotow, sung by Richard Koupal;
"Interludium," by Glazounow, and
played by the string quartet; and
the glee club singing "Hail Sin
fonia," by Sullivan and Saar; "By
a Brook," by Grieg; and "Wade in
De Warer," by Enders.
The University Symphony or
chestra under the direction of Don
A. Lentz will give a concert March
10 in the Union ballroom.
J
I r1 With Jo I
I To. Fashion otcsm
YOUR
MILLINERY
TORE
REMINDS YOU
WITH THIS EDITION
OF THE NEBRASKAN
THAT SHAMELESSLY
FLATTERING NEW
STYLES ARE BEING
RECEIVED DAILY
FROM NEW YORK
AT $1 AND UP.
EED
1523 "0" ST
BETWEEN
I3th and 14tr STS.
NEBRASKA'S LARGEST
MILLINERY STORE
UlUUgl
your p
iA tect!
found
Dear Be try Coeds ... !
Have you ever
thought that
you too might
have amnesia. .
yes, thousands
everywhere get
lost because
they cannot
identify them
selves . . . you
needn't worry
any longer,
though, 'cause
private de-
1 v e has
found the solu
tion for your
safe return.
Ben Simons
have "Identification" bracelets on
which you put your name and
phone number (by the way . . .
very- helpful in giving him a hint
. . . get what I mean?). Also
'Conversation" bracelets on which
you write the message you wish
to convey . . . they are ultra-fashionable
... in gold or silver at
$1.95, pretty reasonable I'd say,
to get that S. O. 8. across. (It is
a new way of flirting . . . but keep
this confidential cause he might
get wise.)
And Betty . . . you have often
told me that you would love to
have a pair of Pumps, but they
don't fit your foot . . . Let me
help you solve your problems . . .
Now you inarch right down to
Magee'iand get a pair of "Tango"
pumps with the elastic instep
which relieves discomfort and
helps them fit perfectly . . . They
are toeless too . . . have pyramid
heels (and you will love that). If
you prefer to have low-heels they
have those too. I go for those
build-up lastex pumps with the
square toes and grosgrain trim. . .
Gosh, Betty, they are sumpthin' at
only $6.95 . . . Well, I don't have
to tell you about Paradise shoes
. . . they speak for themselves!
Say Eetty! There is a new milli
nery silhouette causing much ex
citement ... it is the FLEMISH
SAILOR inspired by the halo-like
coiffures painted by the old Flem
ish masters. You'll find the new
FLEMISH SAILORS at GOLD'S,
in the third floor Millinery De
partment . . . They're priced from
$5.00 to $7.50 . . . They certainly
meet with my approval
. .
Well Betty ... it
lust wouldn't seem
1
7
like spring if you
didn't have a Her
ringbone weave suit
to flare out in . . .
the skirt has six
gores and a leather
belt to make it fit
the waist-line. The
jacket with those
huge pockets and
broad shoulders
helps you carry his
troubles too . . . You
too, can have that
Spoitish look that
the B. D. O. C. will
have, if you wear
one of these suits
that also come in
plaid. Buy them separately . . .
the skirt is $3.95 . .' . the jacket
$5.95 . . . Mix them and match
them . . . that's the vogue. Gold
A Co. has what you want. You
might also look at the sweater
and skirt combinations ... in all
pastel colors . . . Theda Chapoton
and Betty Cox have been sporting
classy numbers from Gold's . . .
Speaking of'
coiffures, have
you seen the
way C I e t a
Beauty Shop
styles hair?
You may have
on your smooth
est costume, but
if your hair
looks dishev
eled you simply
cannot look
well groomed.
Tomorrow is the
Junior Senior Prom
that you look your best
your appointment with Clcta . .
J127 R St., today. Cleta says that
bangs are coming out with a
bang. Betty Coed ... let your
hair have the care that it needs
. . . phone 2-4426.
Well Betty dear, that's all the
news for today. Expect same news
from me next week.
As ever yours,
Josephine Gold.
so
be sure
. . make
I