The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-04-19
"PIDGIN ISLAND.


 By Harold MacGrath. Illustrated by Athur William Brown. The Bobbs Mer- Ill company. publishers. Indianapolis The name of Harold MacGrath has be-
 come a synonym for delightful romance with bookloYers on both sides of the At lantic. He has. perhaps. more distinct
 successes to his credit than any other writer of light fiction in the country to- day.
 Ii is therefore without doubt or hesi tat'on that one picks up new book from his pen, for one is satisfied beforehand that he is going to be entertained, and heartily, too, while occupied with the story.
 The report therefore, that Harold Mac Graths latest novel has just been pub lished will be welcome news to the thou 1 sands of fiction lovers throughout the land. The new story is entitled "Pidgin Island. and it can be said frankly that it is one of the best, if not the best story which Mir. MacGrath has written. Ii IS his first full sized American romance in lcng while.
 First of all. one is attracted by the | novelty of the plot and the originality of
 the theme. Romance is as old as the hills
 but as handled by MT. MacGrath in this l story it is as fresh and new and bright as the shimmerng sun that comes peep ' iug over them anew with every dawn. | or course it Is a love story. Of course ! it is tale of adventure. Of course it is a story of complications and thrilling | episodes. But. would tha. all stories that l were intended to possess these clements were modelled after the plan of "Pidgn | Isiandi"
 \ tale of the St. Lawrence, snug | sling tale. autumn tale. love story | ir.tertwined with expert fishing mys- | tcry kept nviolate till the end-the story Is oil Af Datk .sxI hA,-~ ! are secret agents. the one to earn lux
 u1ies somewhat the price of his self | respect. the other to make amends for
 the offense of her father and brother. | Cranford has few equals as an apprai iser
 of gems, with intelligence and infinite
 patience, to boot. The -ns and outs of the calling are all interesting and many of them are distinct surprises. 1 The cast includes cameo-fa faced woman | in black. girl who was born at sea, cae young woman who fled from mem. 1 oTy, another who bravely gathered his | iUe a third who saw the lees in his l pleasure cup. Also there is Uncle Billy, l tie old fisherman, who has been mar 1 red thutty years and don't argy nons | With wmmen'
 Bait, winds, weather. ly-castng, hooks | l;aes. rods, reels, shore dinners, the migration of birds, the fall tints the l la nding in a fierce storm, the combat with | two giant bass, give outdoor flavor | of freshness and zest The manner of | the story is after the authors own, with 1 occasional use of the first person per pendicular' who acts as chorus. | The explanations are characteristically | condensed, short cuts are taken when | ever they are possible, and padding and | brcmides are absent The story starts | with rush and no second wind is needed. 1 Certainly, this man MacGrath has 1 truly had his look at things. He knows l the whole globe like most of us know | the block we live in. And better yet. he
 knos whole lot about the thing that
 everyone of us is trying to fin dout just | d little bit about, and that is--human nature.
 l Like George NJ Cohans hero in | Seven Keys to Baldpate." MacGrath writes the sort of stories that the pub lie wants-and, may he write a hun dred more,