DAVID GRAYSON—RAY STANNARD BAKER 
O ALL but a very few of his closest 
literary intimates the disclosure of the 
name of the individual who for ten 
years has stood behind the nom de plume of 
David Grayson comes as a complete surprise. 
For the man of large affairs, the writer on 
sociological questions, the publicist living and 
working in the hurly burly of American life 
in all its intensity, seems very remote from 
the idler by purling brooks, the poet of the 
open road, the interpreter of that deeper con- 
tentment in life which may be had for the 
taking by the humblest or the highest. 
David Grayson—Ray Stannard Baker. It 
seems a far cry, yet such is the fact, at last 
made public upon Mr. Baker’s own permission 
because the complications of anonymity were 
becoming a tax upon the veracity of the bearer, 
and in some cases an embarrassment to others. 
Although we have long known Mr. Baker to 
be the author of the David Grayson books, 
THE. GARDEN, MAQXGAZI NE 
“To business that we love we rise betime 
And go to ’t with delight.”’—Antony and Cleopatra 
the two names have always stood in our mind 
for two separate and distinct entities. To us 
David Grayson, the philosopher, has always 
been a homely and well loved symbol standing 
for all the deeper, the sweeter meanings of life; 
while Ray Baker, the keen, the incisive, the 
thinker has remained in our mind as the 
American with awakened conscience, sleeves 
rolled up, thick in the confusion of affairs. 
We are glad that we now can share our 
acquaintance with the creator of David Gray- 
son with the admirers of his books. Certainly 
the knowledge of the man should only lend a 
deeper meaning to the Graysonian philosophy, 
and for our part we hope he as David Grayson 
will go on and write many more books equally 
as delightful as “Hempfield,” “Adventures in 
Contentment,” etc. In making the announce- 
ment of the individual who is David Grayson 
the current issue of the Bookman says: 
David Grayson, the author of “Adventures in 
Friendship,” ‘“‘Adventures in Contentment,” “The 
Friendly Road,’ and “Hempfield,” is in reality Mr. 
Ray Stannard Baker. Mr. Baker was born in Lansing, 
Mich., in April, 1870. He studied at the Michigan 
Agricultural College and later at the University 
of Michigan. For five years, from 1892 to 1897, 
he was connected with the Chicago Record. Then 
fora year he was managing editor of the McClure Syndi- 
cate, and afterward, for six years, he was associate editor 
of McClure’s Magazine. Since 1906 he has been one of 
the editors of the American Magazine. Over his own 
name he has published ‘‘ The Boy’s Book of Inventions,” 
“Our New Prosperity,” “‘Seen in Germany,’ “The 
Second Boy’s Book of Inventions,” “Following the 
Colour Line,” ‘‘New Ideals in Healing,” and “The 
Spiritual Unrest.” 
For some time we have been urging Mr. Baker to 
allow us to use his name with the David Grayson 
books. (At last) Mr. Baker capitulated 
“Both hands up!” he began. ‘“‘I suppose it is absurd 
to try to maintain this ‘secret’ any longer. And it is 
indeed getting me into all sorts of complications and 
explanations. I had a letter from David Gray (he of 
“Gallops”) the other day saying that people had been 
writing to him on the supposition that he was David 
Grayson and wanting to know what I’d do if he signed 
his stories Ray Stannard Bakerson! But make it as 
easy aS youcan.” .. . ; 
It is almost impossible to over-estimate the appeal 
that these David Grayson books have had in certain 
sections of the United States. The Graysonian philos- 
ophy has been accepted at its face value and as has 
already been recorded in the Bookman, in Florida 
there has come into existence a club known as The 
Graysonians. 
A WOMAN’S SUCCESS 
Miss Ellen Glasgow has turned some phrases 
at one time and another that have lived and 
APRIL, 1916 
"prema 
e 
woven themselves deep into our language. 
But of all the illuminating thoughts to which 
she has given expression this one seems to us 
to be one of the most complete and satisfying 
definitions of success. 
Miss Glasgow was being interviewed by one 
of the newspaper people about her new novel, 
“Life and Gabriella” and she was asked by 
the interviewer what she regarded as the 
highest success for a woman. Her reply was: 
“Success for a woman must be about the 
same as for a man—a harmonious adjustment 
to life. That means happiness, material suc- 
cess, a spiritual harmony with the facts of one’s 
environment. 
“The great thing in life is the development 
of character to the point where one is able to 
shape his own, or her own destiny. To be 
successful one must use the circumstances of 
life rather than be used by them.” 
How truly Miss Glasgow here defines her 
own Gabriella’s success and her courage to go 
on in spite of the most dismaying obstacles 
and mould the circumstances of life rather 
than, like her Virginia, be broken by them. 
FOR BOYS AND GIRLS 
A constant comment from parents and 
others who buy books for children is the diffi- 
culty in finding books of the right sort for 
them. We do not always agree with this, for 
we think that the person who makes the book- 
store perform its full function is pretty apt to 
find what he is looking for. However that 
may be, we feel that in this spring list we 
have books for both girls and boys that will 
please not only their juvenile readers but also 
will fulfill the requirements of the grownups 
upon whom the responsibility rests. 
In Mr. Seton’s new book “Wild Animal 
Ways” we have another animal book, the first 
from his pen in several years, not in any sense 
a juvenile other than that it will be a joy to 
youngsters of either sex from seven to seventy, 
just so long as they love animals. Then there 
is an out and out boy book, “Scouting with Kit 
Carson” by Everett T. Tomlinson who wrote 
“Scouting with Daniel Boone.” For girls there 
is ““Hollyhock House” by Marion Ames Tag- 
gart, author of “The Little Grey House” and 
“Daughters of the Little Grey House;” and 
“Mary Allen” by Eleanor Marvin. 
