The San Francisco call., 1908-03-29
'1he Loom of The Desert

luC LuuM vi lHr OCcCit
By Idah Meacham Strobridge. author Of ''In
Miners Mirage Land" Published by the
Artemisia bindery. Los Angeles. Price s1.75.
The admirers of Idah MeacIam Stro-
bridge have read with delight the oc-
casional short stories appearing in
newspaper or magazine from her pen.
but the public at large knows little Of
her work Tha deserves rank with
the output OF best story writers
Of the day is proved by this collec-
ton in book form. which she has gath
cred together under the title OF The
Loom OF the Desert" The short fore
word explains that title and is itself
worth quoting:
There. IN that land set apart for
silence and space. and the great winds.
Fate-a grim, still figure-sat at her
loom weaving the destinies of desert
men and women. The shuttles shot to
and fro without ceasing and into the
strange web were woven the threads
OF light and Joy and love; but more
often were they those Of sorrow or
death or sin. From the gray waste the
weaver had drawn the color and design;
and so the fabrics warp and woof were
OF the deserts tone. Keeping this al
ways well in mind will help you the
better to understand those people Of
the plains whose lives must needs
be often somber hued."
The first story, one Of the shortest.
IS called Mesquite" Mesquite is a
cowboy. a youngster of 20 years. At
the ranch house a young woman from
family. and to the lonesome young
cowboy she seems a beautiful angel
from another sphere. He is her alb
ject slave. She being some eight years
older. accepts his devotion. but
has no thought that there may be
heartbreak in it for the boy. She is
engaged to be married and her lover
from Boston is to come any day and
take her away. The last day before
his arrival she is out riding with Mes
quste and they are overtaken by q
fearful sand storm. Her horse. becom-
ing terrified, bolts with her and she is
separated from Mesquite. The descrip-
tion Of the storm is most dramatic.
One feels the hot wind of the desert
and the sting Of the sand IN every line.
and also can quite sympathize with
Audrey when she throws herself into
Mosquitoes arms when he comes to her
rescue. The nervous terror she is in
is so graphically described one can
almost see it. So far. while very well
written. there is nothing very unusual
about that situation. but the untangling
OF the snarl IN these two young lives
is unexpected and tragic in the ex-
treme
The Revolt of Martha Scott" the
next story, is totally different Every
line threatens tragedy, and even the
climax. remarkable as IT is, does not
entirely remove the feeling OF tragedy
imminent. The third story. IAN Old
Squaw," is a picture OF the heartless-
ness OF the Indians to the women when
they grow old and useless.
In the fourth story. Greater Love
Hath No Man." is given a little sketch
OF a mans self-sacrifice not often
found in everyday life. The characters
are all well drawn, particularly the
vampirish woman in love with the
young miners money. I'm Mammals
Palm" the next story. is a pretty little
bit Of sentiment with more of sad
ness than Joy IN it, but very human,
very real
One need not be told that THE venge-
ance of Lucas" is q tragedy. With
these simple. elemental people life sell
dom flows in an even current The
heights OF Joy or depth of tragedy are
reached, and this is a dreadful tale.
The next tale is purely psychological
and does not hold the interest as the
others do 1t is not so convincing,
but is very well written. and to people
interested in stories OF dual personal
tiles viii be founda new light on this
~ subject
IT, story OF a prospector who had
proved himself SO honorable that the