The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-01-10


 can tell.
 "septimus,9 by W. J. Locke. (The John Lane Co)
 "Septimus" under the title of Simple septimus," has been running serially in the American Magazine for some months. It is now to be published in book form; review copy to hand, on January IA.
 MT. Locke is the most gifted writer of England, of the younger generation, do- ing work today. Most readers are fla miliar with his delightful stories, ''The Morals of Marcus Ordeyne." "The Be- loved Vagabond," Where Love Is," and so on, there are now Il of his novels published, including "Septimus."
 For the benefit of those readers who are not familiar with MT. Lockes de- hghtful stories, this book department pro- poses soon to get up a symposium of his ten novels, all of which have delighted those who were fortunate enough to read them.
 "Septimus' is as good as anything that MT. Locke has heretofore written. It is very much in line with his Morals of Marcus Ordeyne." and while "Septimus' who was simple in. his way, was not quite another "Charlotta." the similarity is there; every bit of the new book be- ing delightful.
 |" I love Nunsmere,' said the Literary Man from London. It is a spot where faded lives are laid away in lavender.
 " I'm not faded life and I'm not going to be laid away in lavender, retorted Fora Middlemist"
 Fora Middemist hated men. 'I hate the touch of them-the very sight of them. I m going to have nothing more to do with them for the rest of my natural life. |. haven't I had enough to do with men and marriage"
 Mrs. Fora Middlemist, now a widow, beautiful, all that sort of thing had not found it cheerful for a girl to dis cover within 24 hours of her wedding that her husband is a hopeless drunkard and to see him die of delirium tremens within six weeks. An experience so vivid, like lightning must blast something in a woman's conception of life. Because one mans kisses reeked of whisky the kisses of all male humanity were anathema."
 At least so 1t was with Fora. Fora wanted to see life; she had no mission but was open to propositions, any that didn't come from a man. She proposed ito tear off her widows weeds and deck herself in the flower of youth. She would plunge into the great swelling sea of life. She would drink sunshine and fill her soul with laughter" r"-Zora didn't know just how to do all that, but she proposed to promptly find out. Nuns mere, the little home place of Fora and her mother, didn't please the young widow. "The place is too small for me, l don't fit
 So Fora started out to see life. With her friend and companion she drifted to Monte Carlo, where she meets Simple Septimus," known to his family and friends as "Septimus Ajax Dix" Ajax is a lovely man." said Fora. Septimus didn't think so Ajax suggests some body who defies lightning and fools with a spear. It's a silly name. A maiden aut persuaded my mother to give 1t to me. l think she mixed it up with Achilles. She admired. the statue in Hyde Park. She got run over by milk cart"
 Why are you called Septimus?"
 m the seventh son. All the others died young. I never could make out why I didn't"
 Perhaps you were thinking of some thing else at the time and lost the op- portunity."
 Ut must have been that said he. "I lose opportunities just as I always lose trains"
 How do you manage to get any where?"
 q wait for the next train. That's easy"
 But Septimus appealed to Fora he was
  she had ever seen before. He paid no attention to her beauty, treated her un- consciously as If she were another man. In Zoras condition of mind that made a hit with her.
 Septimus was the son of an English en- gineer who had been more of a machine than man. Septimus Dix had independ- ent means so he devoted his time to missing trains being simple, attended by hI1F0
 At Monte Carlo, Fora meets "Clem Sypher," the proprietor of "Cypher' S Cure" remedy of the patent kind for the cure of most ills which might af- feet humanity. Clem wishes Fora to act as his inspiration; to boost him mentally as "frend of humanity"
 The story moves rapidly. Septimus and Fora return to England in time, where the former meets the sister of the latter. a pretty little young girl who was on the London stage. From love of Fora Septimus marries Zora's sister to save her honor. which had been tempered with by an English actor.
 It would require a page of this paper to tell what the book deserves; all about septimus. Fora. Clem sypher, "sypher's Cure" Zora's search for life. dear little crushed Emmy; how Emmy after long time grew to love Septimus and had to tell him about it; he never would have found out, he was too simple. But do. if you care for something first class. go and get "Septimus" when 1t is published on the 14th inst. If you are not familiar with MT. Locle's books you will find from the reading of this latest one that you have missed a lot of the good things of life and you will want the other books.
 The editor of the American Magazine is of the opinion that "Septimus is the joy of the year" It is surely one of the most charming stories published in many a long day You will laugh and come near to weeping. over Septimus Ajax Dix and little Emmy. You simply can't lose when you take up any of MT. Locke's s books.
 "The Better Treasure" by Mary R. Shipman Andrews. CThe Bobbs-Merrill Co)
 This is a charming little story The book is handsomely sent forth by the publishers and would do splendidly for a gift volume.
 It tells the simple story of a man who had been an utter failure in life, who returning to his home town inst bafora