er generation, perhaps, in mere
externals, but nevertheless an embodiment of characteristics essentially
national. While only Mr. Westcott's complete book can fully illustrate
the personality of David Harum, yet it is equally true that no other
episode in the book presents the tenderness and quaintness, and the full
quality of David Harum's character, with the richness and pathos of the
story which tells how he paid the "int'rist" upon the "cap'tal" invested
by Billy P. Fortunately this story lends itself readily to separate
publication, and it forms an American "Christmas Carol" which stands by
itself, an American counterpart of the familiar tale of Dickens, and
imbued with a simplicity, humor, and unstudied pathos peculiarly its
own.

The difference between the written and the acted tale is illustrated in
the use made of the Christmas story in the play. In the book David tells
John Lenox the story of the Widow Cullom and her dealings with 'Zeke
Swinney, and reveals the truth to her in his office, and the dinner
which follows at his house is prolonged by his inimitable tales. In the
play action takes the place of description. In the first act we see
'Zeke Swinney obtaining blood-money from the widow, and the latter makes
the acquaintance of Mary Blake, newly entered upon her career of
independence as Cordelia Prendergast. In the second act we see the widow
giving the second mortgage to David, and thereby strengthening Mary
Blake's suspicions, and in the third act David pictures his dreary youth
and Billy P.'s act of kindness, and brings the widow to her own, the
climax coming with the toast which opens the dinner and closes the play.
It was a delicate and difficult task for even so distinguished an actor
as Mr. Crane to undertake a part already hedged about by conflicting
theories; but his insight and his devotion to the character have
succeeded in actually placing before us the David Harum created by Mr.
Westcott.

The illustrations of this book, reproduced from stage photographs by
the courtesy of Mr. Charles Frohman, include the best pictures of Mr.
Crane in character, and also stage views of scenes in the second and
third acts, which show the development and culmination of the Widow
Cullom episode. The Christmas Story is now published separately for the
first time in this volume, which unites a permanent literary value with
the peculiar interest of Mr. Crane's interpretations of the famous
character.

*