The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-06-12
Illustrated BY George Brehrn. Double
day. Page Co., of Garden City, N. Y;

Illustrated By George Brehrn. Double
day. Page Co., of Garden City, N. Y;
s1.35
A new book by such popular authors
as the Williamsons always arouses
feeling Of pleasurable anticipation In
the mind OF the reader.
This anticipation Is very complete
~ answered in The Golden Silence"
which has the merit, not only Of be-
Ing deeply interesting and excellent
in construction. but has an atmosphere
that is full OF the mystery and charm
OF the Orient.
The book Is unusual from its begin
ming There is in 1t an undercurrent
or passionate feeling that vibrates
through Its pages, and renders them
dramatically intense. The fact that
tho heroine OF tho book is an Amer
lean, and that she is devoted to a ro-
mantle quest that OF searching for
her sister from whom she has been
separated for years, whose rescue
from the home of her Arabian husband
Is effected only by subtle stratagem
and attended with the gravest peril,
furnish incidents and lead up to eli
makes which unfold 30 gradually and
naturally, that they seem Just part
OF the primitive Ike OF the desert, tho
desert with It's golden silence" Its
GASES resting like jewels on It's bosom.
mental cities.
The story begins in England and
changes from there to Algiers. where
stephen Knight, the English hero, goes
to visit friend. Neville Cairdi and
meets on his way out, an American
who develops into a delightful travel
Ing companion
Not less attractive than the romance
OF the novel is all that 1t reveals OF the
Africa OF the north and the desert.
and or the Arabs and Kabyles The
descriptions of the interior OF high
class Arabian homes and of Arabian
marabouts and caids, as husbands and
fathers Of families, are wildly pre-
sented and, an American girls change
Of attire from her customary nattiness
to the disguise in dress worn By the
Arabian women. seems so realistic as
to have been pictured only By some
one who has had such a personal ex-
perience.
The book carries double threaded
love story. Neville Card. the friend
of stephen knight In Algiers. is such
an unselfish and thoroughly good fell
low. that his final persuasions with
MS obdurate lady love are almost as
satisfactory to the reader as TO the
girl. Neville's aunt. Mrs. Macgregor,
and the twin H!ghlanders who stand
behind her chair fill an engaging COR
ner of the book canvas
The meeting of the two sisters after
years of separation in a place SO re-
mote from civilization, as the desert
city, where the elder is held in durance,
is most pathetic. The escape, or rather
the rescue, of the two might read like
a melodrama, were 1t not recorded of
Africa. where everything is mysterious
and moves on an extraordinary nlanc
The material element of the novel
Is supplied by Margot, an American
woman, who is altogether sordid, not
witbstanding her dark and splendid
beauty. Being material. when her de-
mands are satisfied. she takes herself
out OF better peoples way.
The novel is most readable one
and will we'll repay the many who will
enjoy what It has to tell. Its artist
has thoroughly reflected the spirit of
the romance in series OF beautiful
color pictures.
Was Poe Never Ethical,
Mrs. Mary Newton Stanard, in the
Nation. of May 25 makes answer 10
an article By Professor Brander Mat
thews In the Century Magazine enti-
tied 'Poe's Cosmo politan Fame" In
this article Professor Matthews says:
Poe never preached and there is no
moral purpose. explicit or implicit TO
be discovered in his poetry or his a.
tion He had no message for
mankind but only melody for youth
fui melancholy. His poems and his
brief tales lack not only moral pur-
pose, but also spiritual meaning"
Mrs. Stanard replies to Professor
Matthew's statement by examples
taken from Poes different master
pieces "Of The Fall OF the House OF
Usher" she asks: IF in telling this
tale. Poe had been seeking simply 70
produce an effect to make an, i'm
pressionistic word picture. he would
have been as careful as ever in the
selection OF just the right word and
phrase to produce this effect. for his
art was his master and would not sur
Ter him TO SLOUGH. But could this