New Faces

In Short

Myra Kelly’s short story collection gathers humorous, lighthearted tales of American life at the turn of the twentieth century. Moving between the crowded tenement blocks of New York’s Lower East Side, uptown drawing rooms, and suburban homes, the stories follow ordinary people navigating love, domestic misunderstandings, public school teaching, and youth club theatricals. Through sharp dialogue, vibrant regional accents, and gentle satire, Kelly captures the charm, energy, and social clashes of an expanding city. The collection endures as a vivid, warm-hearted portrait of turn-of-the-century culture, highlighting the shared humanity that connects diverse communities across social and economic lines.

The Story

The collection opens in the Lower East Side, where the Lady Hyacinths Shirt-Waist Club—a group of working-class young women at St. Martha’s Settlement Mission—decides to stage a heavily edited production of Shakespeare's Hamlet. Led by their autocratic club president and star, Rosie Rosenbaum, the girls cut long speeches and favor dramatic action over talking. Mr. Burgess, a cultured uptown visitor, steps in to direct them. He grows fascinated by the cast, particularly Mary Conners, a young shop worker whose natural intelligence and acting talent stand out. When a professional actor offers Mary a chance at a stage career, Burgess steps in to ensure she makes her own choice. Expecting her to choose art, he is surprised when she candidly accepts the stage job simply to escape the daily drudgery of her store job, leaving him to contemplate the quiet distance between their worlds.

The scene then shifts to romantic misunderstandings among newlyweds and middle-class couples. In one story, a young bride named Marjorie waits anxiously in a hotel room for her husband John, who has been delayed by a business meeting. As the hours pass, her elaborate preparations turn into mounting frustration, prompting her to rehearse dramatic speeches of rebuke—only to soften completely when he finally arrives tired and remorseful. In another, Winthrop Hawley accidentally gives his friend John Mead a pair of severely bruised eyes during a friendly boxing match just days before Winthrop’s wedding. To prevent the injured John from being abandoned or left behind in New York, Winthrop and his bride Patty dress the heavily disguised John in goggles and a motor veil, dragging him along on their honeymoon journey. The plan leads to chaotic mix-ups at a rural inn, where inquisitive bystanders and local "detectives" mistake the veiled, battered figure for a fugitive stage actress.

Elsewhere, holiday chaos takes center stage when John Sedyard goes shopping on Fourteenth Street for his church-minded sister Edith. Caught up in an auction, he impulsively buys a fully dressed, feather-hatted mannequin named Maudie. As he tries to transport the heavy, smiling dummy home in a taxicab, he faces strict police officers, amused cabdrivers, and bewildered onlookers who mistake the mannequin for an intoxicated companion. Other tales explore childhood adventures, such as young Cecelia Anne, who outruns her male playmates in a Fourth of July footrace, and young Mary, whose vivid imagination transforms a local wedding at an estate into a heroic pilgrimage to King Arthur’s Camelot. The collection closes on a reflective note, examining the role of public schools and teachers in bringing together children of diverse immigrant backgrounds to build a broader sense of community.

How It Unfolds

A theatrical venture begins The Lady Hyacinths Shirt-Waist Club gathers at a settlement mission, where the energetic members quickly decide to put on a performance of Hamlet.

Directing the cast Mr. Burgess steps in to help direct the production, navigating the members' drastic cuts to the script and discovering the raw, untapped talent of young Mary Conners.

A bride waits alone Marjorie spends her evening in a hotel room waiting for her husband, rehearsing angry speeches to deliver upon his late arrival before softening when he returns exhausted.

An accidental injury Winthrop Hawley accidentally gives his friend John a pair of black eyes right before his wedding, prompting Winthrop and his bride Patty to hide John under a motor veil on their trip.

A frantic taxi ride John Sedyard buys a dressed mannequin at a holiday auction and struggles to haul the smiling, awkward figure across New York City in an open taxicab.

Winning the race Young Cecelia Anne triumphs over the local boys in a Fourth of July footrace, only to realize her prize means handling noisy fireworks that secretly terrify her.

A trip to Camelot Little Mary wanders off to a grand local wedding, imagining the bride, groom, and guests as King Arthur, Guinevere, and the noble knights of Camelot.

Lessons in community A group of public school teachers reflect on their daily work, showing how guiding children from different cultures creates mutual understanding and breaking down neighborhood prejudices.

The People

• Rosie Rosenbaum, the decisive president of the Lady Hyacinths Shirt-Waist Club and saleslady in a Grand Street shoe store. She wants to run a fast-paced, entertaining play without unnecessary dialogue. She enforces strict cuts on the script and manages her fellow club members with sharp, direct authority.
• Mr. Burgess, a well-meaning, refined visitor to the St. Martha’s Settlement Mission. He wants to help direct the young women's play and cultivate Mary Conners' talent. His idealized view of art clashes with Mary's practical desire for a better income.
• Mary Conners, a quiet young club member who works long hours in a department store. She wants an escape from her tedious retail job. When offered a career on the stage, she takes it pragmatically rather than out of romantic ambition.
• Winthrop Hawley, a well-intentioned groom-to-be. He wants to protect his friend John Mead after accidentally injuring him in a boxing match. He insists on bringing the disguised John on his honeymoon, causing comical misunderstandings.
• John Sedyard, a practical businessman shopping for Christmas gifts. He wants to find a unique present for his sister, but ends up buying a fully clothed auction mannequin. He spends the evening trying to transport the heavy figure through the city without causing a public scandal.
• Cecelia Anne, an energetic young girl coached in sports by her friend Jimmie. She wants to participate in the town's holiday races, but finds herself overwhelmed by the scary fireworks she wins as a reward.

In Its Own Voice

"Git busy. Mix her up, why don't you!" she commanded later from the wings.

Rosie Rosenbaum directs her cast during rehearsal, urging the actors to substitute physical action for long, spoken dialogue.

"I have been getting pretty tired of work in the store and I'd like to try this if he don't mind."

Mary Conners explains her practical motivation for taking a new job on the stage to Mr. Burgess.

"She needs a checkrein," he declared, "an' she needs it bad," a remark which so incensed Patrolman McDonogh that Sedyard decided to explain.

A passing cabdriver offers unsolicited advice as John Sedyard tries to support the limp, unyielding frame of the mannequin on a city street.

What It's Really About

At its heart, the collection explores how people from vastly different backgrounds attempt to understand one another across social, financial, and generational divides. Kelly contrasts the high-minded ideals of wealthy patrons and directors with the clear-eyed, practical realities faced by working-class shop girls and immigrants. The stories examine how humor, small acts of kindness, and shared community spaces—like settlement houses, public schools, and local holiday festivals—help bridge these gaps. Through light satire, the text questions upper-class sentimentality, showing that dignity and common sense are frequently found among those working hard to build a life in a fast-paced, modern city.

Why Read It Today

New Faces offers a charming, authentic snapshot of urban American life at the turn of the twentieth century. Readers who enjoy classic comedy, social observational fiction, and rich historical settings will appreciate Kelly's lively dialogue and sharp comedic timing. The book provides a cheerful, engaging reading experience that moves easily between lighthearted farce and warm social observations.

Modern readers should note that the text reflects the vernacular, humor, and social attitudes of its era. The dialogue frequently uses heavy phonetic dialect—including East Side street slang and accented speech—to capture the diverse voices of early 1900s New York. While these stylistic choices ground the story in its historical moment, they may require a reader's patience to navigate initially. What stays with you is the author's deep affection for her characters, their resilient humor in the face of daily strain, and the timeless, universal desire to find connection, purpose, and a bit of joy in a bustling world.