[originaltext]M: I just finished reading a book of short story by Hemlen Garlen

M: I just finished reading a book of short story by Hemlen Garlen called May Traveled Road. I really enjoy it. Have you read it?
W: Yes, it was a required reading in the American literature course I took last year, even though it’s a fiction, you get a realistic picture of the hard life people had on American frontier. I don’t think I would survive 19 century frontier life.
M: Me neither. Remember that story among the car roads. Garlen gives a vivid description of Julie Peterson, that young immigrant girl. She had to work on her family farm.
W: Ah ha.
M: Well when Julie feels exhausted, and she is wishing she can escape from her hard labor, she looks over her father working in the next field. And she is inspired to continue her own work.
W: I do remember that story. Garlen really captures the spirit of hard work that was so typical of immigrants and pioneers who settled the American Midwest. It’s difficult to image that nothing seems to discourage them for long.
M: I wonder how Garlen learn so much about the Midwest. Was he from Boston? W: He lived in Boston. In fact, he studied and taught in Boston School of Oritory, but I think he was born in Lawcarbinlen, Wisconsin. He did grow up in Midwest.
M: No wonder his description is so good, I’m going to take this book back to the library now and see what other Garlen’s works I can find.