Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-11-15

ton. HOuEhtOH AllHl4 1oiipdiiS
<<r rAGAR" is less epic than Miss
- Johnston's war stories
"The Long Roll and
u Cease Firing" 1t is,
nevertheless, an important
and purposeful novel. In very real
sense. too. "Haear' presents an extern
sion of the period in which the war tales
are set. It is, in effect a story of the
growth in the south of the modern ideas
about woman. This growth is embodied
in the life Of the girl, Hagar Surround
ed by two generations OF kin folks who
are ingrained with notions about their
womankind that the old southern chiv-
airy implanted so ineradicably, Hagar
has gathered from her mother. and no
doubt from other far sources, the leaven
Of growth. of individuality. of self-realiza-
ton in some wider field than the mere
homage Of men can set. Tie story moves
with Hagar out of Virginia into New
York city, where the girl casts in her lot
with the complex organism of reform set
Element worker, suffrasist. advocate of
The new socialism The Tovel possesses
n triDle line of strength. II is. first. a
colorfui drama OF the south One feels
II to be, in this respect. of the nature Of
an important historic document. present
ing a we'l-nigh faded picture of southern
life. with the beauty and charm of its
freshest days upon il. Ii rs besides, a
restrained and consistent presentation of
the question of the modern woman. Tt
is good love story set out in strong and
delightful writing.
THE CUSTOM OF THE COUNTRY.
BY Edith Wharton. author of
Ethan Frome." etc. New York
A misleading title The situation deve,-
oped here is. happily, not so dinused as
70 embrace the country" nor so tradi-
TONED and habitual as to constitute a
Gus som.'
This is the story of pretty girl from
ApeX-or was it Smiths Four Corners !?
1t is the story of pretty Undne Sprage
who. growing steadily roster and more
beautiful with the exercise, climbs out of
AneN into New York. and out of New
York into Paris. breaking this metropoli-
tan ascent at intervals to Swoop down
upon the easy-divorce zone of the United
States then and off again. In this
progression Undine takes on and puts
OF husbands with no more TODD about
It than the everyday sort of woman
makes over changing her stockings. 1t
turns ont. not at all SURPRISINGLY under
the circumstances. that Undines latest
marriage is to her first husband two
others having come in between. There IS
one little boy, somewhere along the way,
10 grow all mixed up over his fathers.
One husband shoots himself One proves
quite too uncomfortable with his exclusive
French notions and dull life In an an
cestral chateau. The latest husband-he
being. YOU remember also the first one
in the respte furnished by the other
marriages. has gathered up coolies of
money which he filings about flamboy-
antly. Upon this development Undine
discovers that he is the only one for
whom she really cared-all through"
This is the bare and brutal substance of
Mrs. Warriors satire, The Custom of
the Country
As mere workmanship the new novel is
If this writer's best quality. Here is the
familiar splendid mastery of the tools
of her craft. As thing to read the story
X now and then entertaining. 1t is more
often unpleasant. and even painful. 1t
mirrors the exception. not a tyne. It's
Effect will be negligible. perhaps to an
author the most Disappointing of all re-
suits. Its permanence will not be reckon
able. It is a squalid story pointed no.
where