Newspapers / The Chowan Herald (Edenton, … / May 3, 1951, edition 1 / Page 2
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PAGE TWO SWING TINT SWOSD! I A Random Look At Historical Novel By WIL BORIN E HARRELL Giro to my hand a flashing sword, In glory lot me join (the fight; In honor wield it like a lord, But bear it ever in the right. When Alexandre Dumas wrote The Three Musketeer* and created D’Ar tagnan, he gave to the world a symbol of romance that has lived through page after page of fiction and many miles of movie film. Given the breath of life by the early portrayal* «f Douglas Fairbanks, Sr., and later by Errol Flynn and others, the fictional character of Dumas’ and his inevitable , swordplay has outlived its creator in both popularity and fame. Which, . the old saying to ithe contrary, proves that the sword can be mightier than the pen. 'Alexandre Dumas was a brilliant writer and the most prolific producer of • colorful historical novels the world has ever known. He wrote over 1200 volumes of fiction, of which the best known single volume is probably The : Three Musketeers and its inimitable swordsman, D’Artagnan. The plumed hat, the flowing cape, the high boots, and the sword—ah', don’t forget the sword—arie familiar to the readers of romantic novels. It is the flashing blade, more than any thing else, that blazed the way for 1 the historical novel into public ac claim. But for the sword, swash buckling fiction would have died a quick death. And where would the movies be if we deprived them of that indispensable prop, the sword? Grasp a sword by its hilt and we have a weapon—a conqueror of em pires, a carver of destinies. Hold it by its blade and we have a cross—a de fender of the faithful, protector of the weak. The sword is simultaneous ly aggressive and defensive; belliger ent and peaceful. The attributes of the sword are the natural ingredients of the popular historical novel, and ready grist for the historical literary mill. Other weapons, the knife, the lance, the gun, the bow, closely paral lel the sword and are essential to some forms of historical literature. But the sword is still supreme—king. A singing, fijgphing blade exudes an aura of romance that no gun may equal. The sword is subtle, suave— the gun a crafty blunderer. The gun is loudmouthed, blatant—the sword is quiet, insistent. Both are deadly—but the gun is treacherous, striking like a snake from ambush. The sword, by its very nature, must allow its op ponent to come within striking dis tance before going into action. D’Artagnan is the prototype of the modern school of the historical novel and the embodiment of all the ele ments that the average reader expects to find when he opens the pages of j •a costume romance. Reading histori cal novels is the adult equivalent of playing soldier or pirate. It affords a vicarious outlet for that juvenile urge for dramatizing our heroes none of us outgrow. An-adult collects ra piers and swords and crosses them on. his wall—when his fingers fairly itchj NOTICE! TO CHOWAN COUNTY TAXPAYERS 1— ♦— i By order of the Chowan County Commissioners, I will on Monday, May 7,1951, advertise property . for sale for 1950 delinquent taxes, the sale to be heldonMonday,June4,l9sl. PAY YOUR TAXES NOW AND SAVE EXTRA EXPENSE AM) EMBARRASSMENT - • ❖ J. A. BUNCH Sheriff of Chowan County >3 to take them down and play with them; to be a boy again wielding a wooden sword. But he is ashamed to give way to this boyish but perfect ly natural impulse. So—the logical gateways to adven ture dosed to tie—we do the next best (tiling: we read about adventure and romance in the pages of historical I novels. A large percentage of historical novela published today fall into the “modem” era and fit the D’Artagnan pattern. Very few new books reach far ther back into history than Elizabethan England—those lusty and adventurous days when new horizons hove into view and far lands remained to be explored. IBut there are fertile fields for the writer and many excellent books to be enjoyed by the reader that reach back beyond Elizabethan England. And in my opinion have as strong an interest, and as strong a hold on the intellect, for those days are more mysterious— we know less about them. 'And through all these periods of history we find the sword, a shining bodkin on a thread of romance, weaving and shutt ling back and forth. The heavy, two handed sword of the Middle-Ages and the Crusades (Scott’s Tvanhoe); the short Sword of ancient Rome (Davis’ (Continued on Page Eleven) • • I m&fonb Diamond Isl Eight I *2l® 1 DIAMOND*# "P U I s-sUS *v # ! 9 4 /,fL I *••••••• I gg I $ <► Gibson’s Diamond 8 Blended Whiskey. 86 proof. 65% Grain Neutral SpUNts> % 1 ° I < ► THE CHOWAN HERALD, May 3, 1051 CHRISTIAN CHURCH SIKVfCKS « Services at the First Christian ; Church have been anmnmsad as fol- • lews by Iks pastor, tbs Ear. S. a ! Alexander: Bible School, Sunday morning at 10 ! o’clock; morning service at 11 o’clock; ; young people’s meeting at 6&0 P. M.; < evening service at 7:80 oWock. ; Wednesday Evening Bible Claae meets <> at 7:80 o’clock Everyone la welcome ; t to all services. Jmm i rente fee r For o Bke*naw appeoronen ( lot us gtvo your shoos a complete raMdhg fob— < For foot health and comfort ask for "STEERHEAD" / \\ genuine leather solos. W. M. RHOADES jj SHOE REPAIR SHOP I EDENTON, N. C. - $ 429 S. Broad St. Phone 378 i <*> »»»o»»»oooooo»Sosooooo»»oooooooo»ooooooooooooooooooo»oooo»»»»ookooooooooosoooooo j To .Remember HH|HI Sunday May The Thirteenth : This Is one of the most important Calendar dates In the year. Moth- i: | ePs Day and Belk-Tyler*s collection of gifts for her are more im- | Portant than ever In that it Is more outstanding than ever before. \\ Remember, too, Belk-Tyler Will gladly box and wrap all Mother’s < l Day gifts for you attractively without additional charge. 1 , tovely Gift Nylons ...51.00 to 51.45 ii | Summer Gift Bag?. 51.00 to 54.98: | Fine Giftfitoves 98c t 051.98 f ! Smart Gift Jewelry ......55c to 51.98 ij | Pf| Gift Linens SI.OO to 59.95jj \WM Cannon Sheets ; 52.79 to 54.29 ii : J \ BELK-TYLER WILL WRAP ALL GIFTS : j WITHOUT ANY EXTRA CHARGE j: j Gift Handkerchiefs........... 2)c to 51.48 j i I Gift Scarfs 51.00 to 51.98 II ! 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The Chowan Herald (Edenton, N.C.)
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May 3, 1951, edition 1
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