The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-09-27
The Auction Niork."

inc Auction blOck.
by Rex Beach. Harper X Brothers.
Mt Beach in The Auction Block
makes a long jump from tho IIlondilte
10 Broadway. but he lands very firmly
On his feet ana at once begins tangoinr.
- II were. In other words he exploits
mo same set aud the Same rapid. burn
inS life that owen johnson dealt with
III The Splaiuandcr'' and sets his story
in tile Same brightly lighted WAY as
rupert Hughes advcnturcd in What
VIII People Say
But The Auction Rlock' differs
widely FROM both OF tho stories men
toned. particularly because of it's
strong melodramatic flavor. a flavor
impaired by incidents of blacknail.
police protection, ana even murder. Mr.
iicachs heroine is. like Mr. JohnSon's.
salamander. in that she remains I'M
Scorchcd Ivy the flames. but, unlike her
she does not tiuttcr around the fire
through choice--a desire for expert
cucc.
Experience she has in abundance
but much of II il forced upon her
and always She Is icpclied by the things
that the salanandcr sought. True she
Is n Show-girl and supports her family.
not by her salary, but 10y the laruc
riffs OF money showcred upon her by
wealthy men. Nevertheless. she CON
tiuucs formally honest" although the
members of h"r parasitic family are
prepared. not only to wink at, but to
welcome any profitable connection that
She might form
II is from this attitude on the part
of her lc2thSomc family and its CON
segment action that the title OF tho
story * derived: the heroine Is almost
literally placed upon the auction block.
Lorclci has been raised IN the little
town Of Vale. in which her father is q
political has been. and is. therefore,.
chronicaJly in need of money. Her
striking beauty. displayed in u photo
graph TO New York producer OF
musical shows. easily wins her :, place
in the chorus of his "rcVue." and her
mother, as we'll as her degenerate
brother insist upon her accepting the
offer confident that they Themselves
nvill be benefited prruniarily.
SO 10 New York she goes ana at the
end Of two years. when the story hcgins
again, She is at the Very hcight Of pros
pcritN. Her father has become = hope
lass cripple: her mother does nothing.
and her brother is = gambler. a cocaine
suiffcr and ~orsc. sc; they all 1--we
comfortably ON Lorclci's earnings. TO
express her incom" Icy an cuphcmistic
phrase. Still. "a has been said. Sh" has
kept herself personally above her asso-
ciates on the stage. and, particularly
Dove her roommate, Lilas, and She re
aeals violently the crude and rough
love making OF young Fob Wharton, .
chronic alcoholic ana we'll -l.nowi
nlan-about town.
Her brother. assisted by Lilas and a
Sinking figure OF the semi und erworld.
me Max Mclcher. enter upon ~ black
mailing scheme which ends with 4
tragedy But tho Same brother, ever
mindful Of possible pccuniary gain.
pereuades young Wharton while ne is
iu his cups 10 marry Lorclci and the
life OF the Great White Way ends for
icr. After the marriage. her struggle
Us with her husbands craving. for liz
nor, for her one glimpse of hts "socic-
~" fricrds--ou the occasion of q coun-
try house partN--so completely shocks
even her scusibilitics that she cannot
bring herself 20 make amy effort to en-
ger that particular set
This house party and the hchavior Of
hosts and guests is very, very frankly
described. whuc sull other conduct is
suggested that will take away the
breath of the reader who understands
the rcforcncc-at the very audacity of
the author iu suggesting II. Then. by
way ~ strong contrast the author por-
= travis the hiln sweetness with which tho
.raftiu- shuwGirI manages her domos-
tic affairs. and brings the story To- q
haUpy conclusion SO far as she and her
reformed husband are concerned
|its Of underworld life arc rcalis,i-
ally drawn. and til" veil east over a
number OF scandals among men of high
finance is 30 thin that rumors freely
whispered iu recent years Will hc rcadi-
~ recalled
rherr is nothing pretty about The
Auction Block but there is much TIA
IL that $ thrilling. sordid though ii Is.
Little Eve Edgnrt"n.''
3y Icl"auor Ilaliowcll Abbott. Tic
Century Company.
I'll. author OF Molly Make E"lievc'
and The whit" Linen Nursc' has pro
duced ip Little Eve Edsarton" an
other of her different" stories While
ia is not ar good as cith": of her two
better known books, Little Eve Edgar
ION ~ at least diVcrtinp iu f.u I'M
usual ut.Iu"t.
When the man first saw Evc his eyes
TOOK iI ?ucrely a queer, droopinp it'll"
figure. clad iva q shabby suit of boys
riding clothes. and when hc was pruc-
iicnlly forced 10 80 riding with her he
TOOK IT 81 had part Even when he was
struck rs lightning ana shc. with hcr
why. trained muscles. worked hours
md hours 10 revive him. and then told
sim nov beautiful his skin was. lie
-till saw merely TIC same shabby.
rather unattractivo figure
But In the end. ne learned THAT Eve
was vcciiy "a Girl Of surprises She
could dance like an angel. aud read
.Sanskrit as wei as hcr dad she could
ride ANY horse that could stand on tour
legs: ANA hor Knowledge 81 pal.oII-
ioloey was surprising The Hecrrt pas-
sion Of hor lie was tor Il home. ana
lsT fathers work condemned her n IA