The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1909-04-18
LITERARY GOSSIP.

Since the publication Of bill Trueteli. Sc
George II. Brennan's fascinating story
OF theatrical life, the author has received
hundreds of congratulatory letters One
Of the most enthusiastic came from
Thomas Dixon. IT.. who wrote the fol-
lowing while on his recent trip through
the South:
Ny Dear Mr.. Brennan: read Bill
Truetelr on the train from Raleigh. It's
bullyi It bubbles over with real humOr,
and its touches OF pathOs are genuine and
heaTt-reaching. You have mace a real
contribution 10 the literature OF the
stage I laughed and cried over II.
congratulate you on the work. It's well
done and deserves success with the pub.
lie. THOMAS DIXON. Jr.
Fate AID the Butterfly" is a novel by
a new author, Forrest Halsey. q novel OF
contemporary American society as il is.
It's the "as-it-is" part that strikes you
at once as different: Halsey knows so
ciety to begin with. with the knowledge
Of one born and bred therein; snd he
doesn't use that knowledge 20 distort and
castigate as does Mr.. Patterson. Heaven
knows society is bad enough as Il IS; and
even In its most selfish. worldly members
-as he in the end sh0ws-there is mere
than a streak OF good
Mr.. .Halssy doesn't natter his society
he doesn't condoue or condemn or ex-
cuse or preach socialism. He tells his
story. the love OF three men for a woman
and her return. simply. rapidly. force
fully. The setting-New York. Egypt
Italy. New York. and the ways between
q f.rH-
tagonists IN that real drama lie is pOr-
traying
The butterfly heroine. tied in marriage
TO a weak. -drugged. brandy
soaked brute. reeains that measure OF
freedom that the code Of her class al
lots her. only 10 fall in love with real
man. a man high IN the political councils
Of the nation. and on the verge Of rising
higher. His election 20 the governorship
Influenced by the rumor Of his relations
with the notorious Mrs. Roth. hangs in
the balance, and 20 save his career she
makes the supreme sacrifice.
Some very estimable people are prone
10 say the day OF romance IS dead, kill
ed by the advent OF steam and the civil.
ization that the latters enginery has
created These sighers for the old days
ought 10 get hold OF Arthur Stringer'
new book. The Gun Runner" published
this week by 3. W. Dodge & Co.
II there's any part OF modern invention
that deserves tho term romantic. It's tho
electrical part: II there's one bit Of cleo
trical apparatus that has the element
more than any other. it's wireless.
and II there's any man can get romance
fairly ooZing out OF things electrical. its
Strlnger. You remember his Wire Tap
pers,' OF course; a story that held your
breath and made your heart beat quick
through every one Of its so pages. Here
story that's bigger, faster, better. and
fun OF the spirit OF that wonderful inven-
ton that goes lingering out over the
broad. patient seas.
For it's a sea story. most al OF IL takes
place aboard tie Laminian. the tramp
steamer. on which Ganley. THE Gun
Runner IS secretly smuggling arms
into Locombia. How McHinnon. the wire
less operator Of the Laminian. and Alicia
Boyaton. the gil IN che case. thwar,
him-that's the story. And a dramatic.
blood-stirring. story Il IS. TOO.
OF all human gifts surely that OF low
ing has received the least general recos-
milton. A genius for music. a genius for
mathematics. OF natural history. or sculp-
ture. or mechanics. IS at once admitted
and acclaimed. But what Of a genius FOR
loving. which Of ali is Infinitely the rar-
est The trouble IS that every one is
conceited enough 20 think thar ne (o.
shel is a wonder az g. But. frankly. 90
We really indeeI~see so many l0ve-geuIJS-
es about u.s. Are re not rather struck
instead by an almost universal love-pov-
erty2 II the husband STAYS drearily a;
home every night % his life. ard II the
wife IS entirely absorbed IN the baby
are We not asked enthusiastically 20 APP
plaUd q happy home2 This is The national
idea. and tens Of thousands are yawune
herOiCally through IL But where's love
IN any bat haIf-pint sizes? Everybody
insists Il IS there In barrelfuis much
as they insisted In the fairy tale IN the
case Of the man with the invisible clothes
We are not defending hubby when he
gets tangled Up with the blond lady.
but emotionaIly speaking (only emotion
ally. be IL understood. Il may be an up
ward step. II you have a 70 per cent
capacity 20 love, II is bard 10 - fobbed
of with a per cent na=sner-From In
fatuation. by ElOvd Osbourne. The
Bobbs-MerriH CouYaEy.
A case IL WHO high beats two OF a
kind is in the Il raised writing for
the blind There ar .wo systems Of this
writing. AmesSzsn E4aiUe and New York
point The board Of education in New
VorL- has q o-aa7 ~ crond v,,ovor- f,, tas,1,