The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-03-13
Literary Lights And Shadows
BY s. MAYS BALL

testify how long and hard struggled the poor reviewer to be "Comrade.''
 Now, where some wooden-headed peo- pie, such as this scribe cannot "tempe- amnetally circumscrbe' who, why and the witness of socialism, it, the fascina- ton of the study. talk and work, do att tract lot of other people, interesting men, delightful women and-some work men. It is always, Yours for the Revo- lution.' which Is just as good. better, doubtless than Yours for the Millenen'- what's the. differe e? It is rather an- moving, however ways to have it ex- plained to my friend MT K. the so- cialist." to SC the wild -jack-rabbit feared eyed those to be introduced' looking for de bomb or the lack of MT Pears For most people think a Nihilist and a socialist-two exactly opposite things-are the same red blud and morning utensil l arrangeemnts. There Is no reason why 1t should be like that but 1t is. isn't 1t?
 This question of socialism has taken up more than it's accustomed space in tie weekly reviews, first, because there was an interesting book to discuss and recom- mend as good. light, Mellin's food, to anyone so mentally inclined. Further, socialism is being discussed all over the country now; people have ceased to laugh at 1t. This reviewer feels toward so- cialism. pihilism. you-can t-scratch my | backs associations. or any of those things; he will join 300 of them if by so doing he can get and keep that blank, happy look" really keep it, as so many of them seem to have all the time. In conclusion. The socialist party of the United States membership now about some 45000) with Alabama and Georgia, furnishing perhaps 5000 each to the army, making up the total 45,000 in the country. will please, most respectfully but firmly understand that this reviewers good friend in New York, B. w. Hue bsch sent this book. "The Substance of Socialism, for him to review Admitting the reviewing to have been done poorly no disputing-or even so: the socialist as party or as persons may fire as many letters at The AgeHerald in reply to this review as they choose; they may catch Col. Paul Cook in their mesh. Dolly Dalrymple, Miss Myrtle Miles in ''card- writing contest and so on.
 On the contrary with this scribe--quite the vice versa or even over>th hot sands for this reviewer, ts different and on socialism 'tis silence evermore. This scribe is no card writer (no book reviewer either, eh?-all right let it go at thatD- and with hopes for the brotherhood of man desired, he bows himself from this subject to the tune of the little ditty: She kissed him on the goatee as the ice clinked in the glass"
 Later) Spargo is selling books at the rate of the 100000. Can you beat it? Lord Loveland Discovers America by
 C. N. X A. M. Williamson. Doubleday,
 Page & Col
 Mr Harry Peyton Steger, head book man for Doubleday, Page & Co.,, advises this scribe that In the latest Williamson success-there's a winner. MT. Steger who is a southerner-by the way, a win ner-and as they say in Texas (from where Peyton hails) he was ''completer'' of Rhodes scholarship at Oxford So he knows good book, you can be sure; but it is rather difficult to get MT. Steger, who is of very timid sort to state his book preferences. He likes the William- sons latest. and says so.
 The story about Lord Val, the Marquis of Loveland. is much better than some of that awful stuff the Williamsons have forced on an unsuspecting public.
 The facts were that Lord Val was broke in England, with much landed es- tate and a rich heiress had just before the story opens and mamma talks to him, refused his hand. Lord Val couldn't, of course, go to work. So finally Lord Val comes to America to find an heiress. On the way over he meets a charming girl.
 
 ously consider her, since she is not re- puted wealthy.
 Now is exhibited the usual Williamson man: For in landing in New York Lord Val is taken for his valet, who had robbed him before his leaving England, placing Vallie in most awful bad condition Now think of hero who couldn't make him. self known as between his valet and him. self. Awfully Williamsburg, isn't 1t?
 At any rate Lord Vars letters of credit prove useless; his letters of introduction are laughed at; he is elected from the Astoria (horror of horrorsD and at last he finds refuge in a cheap East Side res. taurant, where he earns, no doubt his first bread as a waiter and plays hero in red hot fire-the 'devouring ele- ments" weren't anything to Lord Vallie
 It all comes right in the end-and really is fairly entertaining-quite above the usual Williamson stufr-the hero more like man, the heroine more of a woman, which is always pleasing. Of course young Lord Val finds himself engaged to the girl on the boat and finds also that while she Is not an heress, she is at least a popular dramatist whose non- de-plume has hidden her real identity dur ing the "bread-line times" of Vallie
 This book will cheer you up on the train kill lot of time and trouble for a cheap price.
 "The Seventh Noon" by Frederick Orin
 Bartlett Small, Maynard & Co)
 MT. Bartlett made us all decline soft drinks here some months ago, but tnis time with his 'thriller"-listen:
 Here Is the situation, laid out to play:
 The situation is that ?f man who be- fore taking poison that is not supposed to kill for seven days, makes a VOW to give his life for another during those seven days if an opportunity offers; other wise, to spend the time in enjoying the things for which his heart craves, but which he cannot as a poor man enjoy.
 The hero-horror, so to speak. has the opportunity to be useful to a charming girl whose brother is an opium eater, and the young man sezes the opportunity. etc, with quite remarkable results
 But he also falls in love with this beau tiful girl, and the seventh noon' at which he is posted for. dues is near at hand
 It had not been long before the young man had discovered that the key of life, principally to It's meaning, is not grati- fled desires but service to others.
 By the time the seventh noon was ap- preaching on horseback, the young man. with the young lady in view, was long ing upon life upon any terms as he had never longed for it's pleasures.
 MT. Bartlett has certainly out of this central theme (of course, the poison didn't Kill at the seventh noon) worked a very exciting story, with many perilous adven- lures and exciting situations.
 And MT. Bartlett is one of those hold you-to-the-end authors, all right enough. with his to be recommended thriller" rtxt xt,1.s