Los Angeles herald., 1908-10-04

ToHN AYSCOUGH offers a story OF
Sicilian life in his recent book,
- ssMarotz" Aside from the interest
which surrounds any story dealing with
the picturesque and romantic country
where the secenes of this story are laid,
HE author introduces an unusually in
teresting character in the heroine. Her
dreams, aspirations and her conscien-
fious scruples are most of them very
foreign to those of the average young
woman of fiction, and occasionally some
of them will be found provocative of a
strong inclination to administer to her
a good old-fashioned spanking. The
rather unusual view of Catholicism
which the book presents will doubtless
make it especially interesting to stu
dents of religious phases. There is,
however, plenty of chance to see the
more worldly side of life as lived in
the luxurious circles of Naples and
other cities of the pleasure-loving
southerners.
Many of the events in the story are
highly dramatic, notably the mothers
vow bestowing her soul upon her son,
and later the sacrifice of a fathers life
to atone for a crime committed unwit-
tingly by the son; but the writer has
described them in the same quiet man.
ner which dominates the entire book,
some of the more thrilling passages.
Marotz. By John Ayscough. New
York: G.. P. Putnam's Sons.
"Why should one not be able toNcon-
troll ones heart? Suppose have a
wife and child and my wife is she whom
I myself chose. Then one day l meet
another woman, who rouses my de-
sires. I meet her at party where
there are wine and lights and music.
We are not ourselves, she and
/. We are in another mood
than usual everything is done
to lead us from the way by which we
4 not be able to step aside in loyal graft
tude for that which L possess?"
"Who is 1t that places love outside
the laws? If l kill fellow creature I
am indulging criminal fancy If l
have given my word and break it am
no gentleman. But my heart may do
as 1t pleases."
"And If that be so, If 1t be the case
that I am not able to contral my
'If 1t be the case that love makes me
happy and confident, so that l build my |
life and the life of my family upon it,
. J. If it can there expire without
my knowing how or why, and have to
look for the mother of my children on
a strange mans bed, then why do 1
let my wife go out in the street un
veiled? Why do I not lock her UP as
the Turk does? oh, why do we not kill
the mother when the child is born?"
With such questions and thoughts do
the characters in 1.-THE Old Room" per-
plex themselves and the reader.
The book, by Carl Ewald, is trans
ated from the Danish and purports 10
be series of scenes in and about the ]
1eeply intimate affairs which are dis /
,ussed in this old room. There is So {
much symbolism throughout the book
md so many parallels that the student
# books and the student Of life will both i,
ind much food for thought.
The Old Room. BY Carl Ewald. New !
York: Charles Scribners Sons. !
'The Leveller'' is a story of Russian I
politics and love. 1t is quite In line L
With many similar stories, and is told P
With fine perception of the artistic
Anton Rubenstine and
ne of his pupils both figure import h
ntly in the tale. The ending is a C
appy one, and the supposition gained g
rom the title that love Is the leveler f
ives way to the conviction that II
wealth levels all ranks
The Leveller. BY Alexander McAr- t
hur. New York: c. H. Doscher & Co. t
"The Confessions of a Princess" is a f
ook which makes little appeal to the h
mind. 1t describes with t.