Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1907-08-11
BOOKS AND MAGAZINES

"A Game at Love" is audacious, and
proclaims the author a man who has
faithfully studied certain phases of life
and writes as he finds them. Some
times the portrayal seems too somber,
too sordid--we almost wish he would
not be so truthful-and then he lets his
poetic soul flow from his pen and the
plays seem as a whole strong and beau
tiful.
An almost CHASTITY effect is pro-
duced by the last play, THE Butterfly.
1t Is made up of flashlights upon two
deathbeds. The first is scene at the
last hours of a righteous man. Con-
ventionally we would suppose this to
be picture of peace. Not so. Around
the dying mans couch appear female
forms bearing 1.-THE Crown of Life that
never pressed his brow, the happiness
whose light his temples never felt.
The sick man tries to defend his life to
this chorus that mock his dying mo-
ments with thoughts of joys forever
beyond his reach, the dreams unrealized
through duty to others, fame that
bloomed not for him, the crimson bios
SONS upon the tree of life, the fire of
lips unkissed; but of no avail. They
continue to mock. The dying man
means as these visions fit before his
falling sight, but at last death SOFTLY
places a finger upon his lips. A butter
fly flutters against the window pane as
the soul of the righteous man goes
forth.
Again another fiashlight on a death
bed. An unrighteous man lies there,
and about him, deriding, jeering, are
the awful companions of his past-Un-
truthfulness, Pride, Avarice, Envy, Muir
der, Gluttony and Unchastity. The man
cries out Leave my soul in peace"
But they stay, reminding him of his
sinful life. A little white dove appears
in this atmosphere of sin and sorrow
lowering above this human life so bar
rem of hope. The dying man passes
into the beyond, while the butterfly
touches his brow lightly, fluttering
away while the echo of its wings is like
a song heard from afar.
This attempt at an old morality play
places Viereck very high as a master of
emotional literature.
We have met Viereck as a playwright
and as poet, and 1t is said that he will
soon appear as novelist, thus gain
ing for himself a threefold power in
the literary world.
A Game at Love, and other Plays. By
George Sylvester Viereck. New York:
Brentanos.
''McMaster's Brief History of the United
States" is a new book by the leading au-
thority on United States history The
narrative is attractive and interesting and
provides a we'll proportional account of
the chief events and figures. The book
contains a summary at the end of each
chapter, and references to collateral read
ing. Numerous footnotes include the
biographies of prominent characters and
accounts of the less important events.
The volume gives adequate attention to
the colonial period, as well as to the So
cial and Industrial development of the
country. 1t is noteworthy for the fresh
ness and vigor of ehe style, it's authori-
tative statements and it's historical and
impartial treatment of every phase of
our country's history. The numerous
pictures are of a striking character and
rare educative value The maps are clear
and well executed.
McMaster's Brief History of the United
States. By John Bach McMaster, pro-
fessor of American history in the Univer-
sity of Pennsylvania. American Book
company: New York, Cincinnati and
Chicago.
Geography is made interesting in the