The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-05-29
Among the Books
"sIrs. sInxon Protest..n

/ q
"oIrn. Anxon Protests"
BY Anthony Hope. Schabelitz illus
traitor. Harper &. Bros. OF New York.
s1.35 net.
Anthony Hope long ago wrote his
way in Action. into the hearts of the
American as we'll as the English read
Ing public. Laughter unendlng Is
evoked at the bare recollection of the
Dolly Dialogues" audacious and full
Of the sparkle OF purost wit and hum
comprehensive as to It's situations, and
extraordinary as to It's trenchant deal
Ing with shams and insincerities
The quality of "Mrs. Maxon Protests
which renders. 1t most noticeable
makes IT akin to the Dolly Dialogues"
In Its revolt against social amenities.
Mrs Maxon. the heroine OF tho story,
finds herself uncongenially welded to
Cyril Maxon, a man Of strongly DON'T
neering temperament. The wife. ao-
customed to taking her own way, de-
cldes to leave him because. as she ex-
pressed her grievance. "She could not
keep step with him. She could not
live up to her husbands high. uncom-
promising doctrine. Her plea was SIM
ply that, be 1t right or be 1t wrong,
she could not live UP to it,
Winnie MaNon is a complex, but not
an unattractive character In her re-
lations with others, she proves a touch.
stone by which tho real merit or lack
Of manhood and true womanhood In
those around and about her, stands re-
vealed The art OF the author in thus
reversing usual conditions, is decided
" original. for 1t is not often that an
errinE woman Is transformed into q
real moral force.
Winnie MaNon di6regards ali laws of
conventionallty. After she separates
herself from her husband, she goes for
whiie to some decidedly broad mind
&c friends at q place called "Shaylor's
Patch" These friends are not calcu-
lated to set her in a straight path.
Consequently she takes her future into
her own misguided hands and decides
10 live 1t with a young man named
Godfrey Ledstone. But Ledston, is not
able to stand the test she Imposes up
on him. The persuasions OF his fam
lily and the claims of his world cause
hin, to forsake her within a few months.
Her husband has refused divorce, and
consequently her difficulties begin all
over again
But she has been taught sharp
lesson, and made to understand that
the woman who plays the game OF life
as she has played 1t. must pay the
price. Ledstone and Nfaxon are, she
finds out, not the only mon with Curl
Gus and inconstant codes Of behavior.
BY final contrast. Dick Dcnnehy, an
Irish journalist, who loves her deeply
and truly in spite of himself, is re-
freshingly whole-souled and devoted.
The book throughout. In Its char
acterizatlon is tremendously clever and
interesting. The question OF marriage
and divorce is discussed from an un-
derstanding and sympathetic point of
n He IN aek 49,.
Is admirable, and Its satire and humor
abundant and of easy flow.
The hand that penned the earlier in
iinitable Hope novels has lost nothing
OF It's cunning, and Mrs. Maxon Pro-
tests" will rank we'll among the i'm
portant contributions to literature OF
the year. Many readers will not agree
with the principles 1t sanctions in re-
gard to the marriage question, but all
Will agree as TO Its powers of enter
taininG and to Its authors keen and
humorous insight into his social world
"She Ruildcth Her House"
BY VIII Lexington Comfort J. B.
Lippincott Co.. of Philadelphia sI>S5
net.
The woman who builded her house
in this latest book by Will Lexington
Comforts Is called in It's pages paula
radiant womanhood. uplifted ana un
afraid, living and working out her life
problem in small apartment OF the
Zoroaster. q New York house, filling
her days we'll with occupation on q
big review magazine, enjoying
thoroughly a few friends. many books
lectures, plays. music and painting
with an inspiring. completing feminine
intelligence"
By nature largehearted and broad
minded, Paula Linstcr is presented by
her literary creator as q type that "big-
Drained brothers of men have sung
and dreamed OF since human thought
first lifted above the appetltes." She
is called "Skylark" by one OF this class
of men. and as "Skylark" she rera1ins
in the mind of those who know her
through her book development
There are opposing forces which con
tribute to cause Paula Linster TO fulfil
her destiny worthily. She has as her
Irie.id. the editor of the review maya
zine. wi4a discovered her ability to
write and appreciates 1t always. He
Is big. safe and protractIve, a power for
good and a restful reliance. He is
quick to notice when Fa.la's nerves
are worn threadbere and always ready
to take her away from the city tc his