Eleanor Mercein Kelly was born in Milwaukee, Wis., on August 30,
1880, the daughter of Thomas Boyce Mercein, was graduated from the
Georgetown Convent of the Visitation, Washington, in 1898, and was
married to Robert Morrow Kelly, Jr., of Louisville, Ky., in 1901.
Mr. Kelly died in 1926. She is the author of short stories of
unusual excellence appearing in many of the magazines and of several
novels of which the best known is perhaps _Kildares of Storm_. Her
home is in Edgehill Road, Louisville.
"La Bella Gina," which was first published in _Harper's Magazine_ for
September, 1926, is a fine example of thoroughly sophisticated and
completely unobtrusive humor. In fact, there are experienced judges
who will deny that it is a humorous story. In the same breath they
express their admiration for the story itself; so that evidently the
valuation of its humorous element, if it has one, depends upon
temperament. Mrs. Kelly expressed willingness for its inclusion and
I take it that this signifies that her intention, as author, was
partly humorous. In a collection which presents humor open and
unashamed, even on occasion a little riotous, this subtlest of
stories surely finds a place as representative of the opposite
extreme.