One More Spring ranks in the top tier of Robert Nathan’s body of work. No one ever forgets a Robert Nathan story after it's read, because whether they are lovely fantasies dusted with ethereal magic, such as Portrait of Jennie, or graced with tender charm and humanity, such as One More Spring, they become more than words on paper, but a part of each reader.

One More Spring is set in the period right before the Great Depression and the Crash, and during and after it. On the surface it is a gentle story of three people struggling to survive during hard times: an antique shop owner who has gone under (Otkar); a musician who can’t find work (Rosenberg); and a tender-hearted prostitute (Elizabeth). But underneath it is a charming and moving tale with much to show us about compassion, kindness, and the ridiculousness of class divisions among society. Even more importantly, One More Spring puts forth the notion that the root of true happiness is not money, but love.

At first, it is just the violinist and the former shop owner. With only a bed that Otkar has managed to keep when all else he owned is lost, the two unlikely companions find shelter in a tool shed in the park, a situation brought about by the groundsman’s (Mr. Sweeny) desire to learn the violin. When Elizabeth comes into their lives and begins living with them in the tool shed, there is some friction between she and the temperamental Rosenberg, but not enough to prevent the older man, Otkar, from developing tender feelings for her.

Adding depth to this magically constructed story is a banker hiding out so he won’t be blamed for its failure, a festive Christmas dinner with Mr. Sweeny and his wife, and a moment when the life of one of this make-shift family is in grave doubt.

The story comes to an end — or perhaps a beginning — in a way which says so much about what is really important in life. Written in a much older narrative style than today's books and stories, it may not be for everyone. But for those who can embrace it, it's a wonderful experience refreshingly different and touching. It will linger in the heart of the reader long afterward. ( )