The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-06-21

one ever even heard of anywhere else except in a book. He was superb in everything. He never became angry, he sacrificed himself for anything or anybody that gave him an opportunttyi if no opportunity presented itself, then
 he worked one up. He was busy all of
 the time doing something for 10th CTS. Noble chap, was Desmond, none like him in all the world, which is just as well. Now with such a hero, no au- thor, even a woman, should have al- lowed him to marry. Of course not. for where on this green earth could woman have been found that would live up to" Desmond? Nowhere! And
 so 1t was In this book too. For this superb creature fell in love, as all manly men do, at some time or other in their lives; some fall fin love all of the time, but that has nothing to do with this book. At any rate Desmond fell in love with and married lovely Evelyn (not the young person recently In the publics eye, but one on her or
 der). Desmond carried Evelyn to his frontier post, where the wife cut off
 from all her social associates was naturally not very happy. Then on the scenes appeared -Ionor Meredith" just
 such a woman as Desmond was a man
 It was fate with capital "F," bring ing two such creatures together. Now,
 Honor's brother became i'll; he was
 sent to England for years vacation. Honor, who went to school with Evely1
 (neither kept a diary, at least the book
 doesn't say anything about iD, was invited to spend this years absence of her brother in Desmond's and Evelyns house.
 There you are! There is the beginning
 of the end for Honor was present at all of the quarrels, all of the little disputes,
 always looking on in superior way al- ways comforting the poor @ husband so badly treated by fate, etc., etc Anybody can now see the answer. There was Honor living In the same house, saving his life every now and then; being su- perior wonderful woman then what else
 could Desmond do but see the great diff ference between the woman he had mar ried and the one he should have. This is the complication in the book and the inevitable things happen. How could they have been avoided? Here was Desmond and Honor just made for each other. They knew it. They told each other
 with their eyes'' and all that sort of thing so of course in a short time Honor was talked about" and had to seek greener | fields or, at least, pastures new outside of Evelyn's house. With all the light before us no one could possibly blame little Eve | lyn for her objection to her rivals pres ence. Of course Honor was "misjudged,' of course. Her kind always are but that is. the way of this wicked old world ] 1t Is so hard-the world is-to put the wrong construction on things" But poor little harassed Evelyn did not bene- | fit much by the absence of Honor Shs continued to run up bills, talk sweetly l to other men. while loving her husband. and just when matters were getting wee bit strenuous fanatical Indian went | out, got hold of a gun and shot little Eve | lyn, relieving the situation wonderfully at least for the superb Desmond and 1 Honor for in time we know and are as- sured they found each others hearts" | They ought to have done so. They cer- | tainly were on the lookout long enough | Some women writers will insist upon | taking for their heroes. men. wooden l headed, noble CD, that Is, cad-like, who were given all of the virtues no man ever | had or wanted or could use if he pos sessed. Just, for instance. about Des- mond An acquaintance of this wonder l ful chap Desmond got into financial | trouble Desmond knew him in his regl- | ment fairly well-not very intimately. The young offcer-"the Boy'-came to Des- l mond-"the fish''-with his tale of woe ! Now, Desmond only hal a limited in- come, but what did he do? Why he sim | ply took over the large indebtedness of | this acquantance-"th Boy"-assumed it and asked his wife-the pretty. charming | Evelyn to deprive herself of the necessi- | ties of life to gratify Desmond's foolish | ideas of helping others" Evelyn very properly rebelled What man or woman wouldn't rebel from having less food on | the table to pay the debts of an ire sponsible young acquaintance. Of course. Desmond thought this position very pe- culiar. So did Honor-standing by and chiming in with her eyes" of approval. What wife wouldn't rebel and cut up? That is just an instance of Desmond and Honors carrying-on. The book how ever, is interesting if one can just forget and mentally knock Desmond and Honor in the head every now and then. The descriptions of Indian life among the English and native troops are very good indeed.
 "Quivira," Book of Poems By Harrison Conrard. CThe Gorham Press, R. G. Badger.)
 The first real good attempt to sing true songs of the far west around old Arizona, one of them at least Is this book of poems by MT. Harrison Conrard. It is illustrated by original drawings by Charles C. Svendsen and w. E. Rollins, also some photographs.
 Some of the poems ring truer to what the life is out in Arizona than any thing seen by this department for long time. How is this:
 "In old Tucson in old Tucson, What cared I how the days ran on? A brown hand trailing the viol-strng Hair as black as the ravens wing,
 Lips that laughed and voice that cung
 To the sweet old airs of the Spanish tongue
 Had drenched my soul with a mellow
 rme
 Till all life shone in that golden cline,
 With the tender glow of the morning
 time
 In old Tucson, in old Tucson,
 How swiftly the merry days ran on!
 ''In old Tucson. in old Tucson,
 How soon the parting day came on!
 How oft I turn back in my hallowed
 dreams,
 And To! the low adobe a palace seems,
 Where her sad heart sighs and her sweet
 voice sings
 To the notes that throb from her viol-
 strings,
 Oh, those ear-dimmed eyes and that soft
 brown hand!
 And soul that glowS like the deserf