Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-07-21
CHAMBERS RETURNS
TO THE SHORT STORY
Those in "Police I p Have the
Binding Unity of Cor.mon
Hero-Other Fiction

Robert w. Chambers in THE King In
"Ir the Quarter" wrote some memorable
short stories. They had technical pro-
ficenoy power of plotting. believable char
acterization and the indefnable atmos-
pheric glamor that Is the life Of story
otherwise unendowed with vitality. In moro
recent years Mr.. Chambers has written
comparatively few short stories, and those
not of the first water In his new book,
Police !" ID. Appleton & Co., New York;
he has returned with measurable success
to a field in which he once won distinction.
The book is comprised OF half n dozen of
what are really Independent short stories
in form. but which have the connecting
tissue of a common personality. q scientist,
an anthropologist to be precise, who serves
as hero and relator. His madcap adven-
lures. which are as much concerned with
blue eyes and cornsilx tresses as with the
problems of ethnology and pure science,
are ingeniously plotted and told in brisk
and epigrammatic style which makes the
diction a delight Mr.. Chambers satirzes
all sorts of modern moods and faddists,
and very cleverly, though occasionally with
cynical touch that is not quite agree
able to those who believe sincerely in some
SuCn Things as ltnaBlSHl, SLlITdBlSH, oCHOtI-
bergism and other isms which characterize
the waning second decade of the nineteenth
century
The social life Of Pittsburgh was not al
ways conglomerate OF luxurious linn
cuisines, Lucullan menus and eXtravagances
of steel and iron mllionares. Something
of the earlier manners and customs of the
fort of Duquesne and the borough of Pitt
Is recounted Interestingly in pittsburgh:
a T aTatf
Putnam's Sons New York;, by Charles w.
Dahlinger Mr.. Dahlinger Is evidently well
posted on his subject. and he has made
some interesting finds in the course of
his antiquarian researches
Unhappy in Their Daring" Putnams
Sons, New York; by MarIus Lyle, Is most
unpleasant tale, told in highly artistic
fashion. It's chief value is its picture of the
higher strata of Irish county society. The
plot revolves around the efforts OF queer
stick OF a girl. homely but brilliant. to Sc
duce the husband of her beautiful but con-
ventional half.sister, who is likewise the
moneyed member of the family. The man
in the case has all the defects OF his class
and his qualities, He is esthetlc and tenn
peramental He is really in love with his
wife, yet his allegiance succumbs TO the
systematic campaign of his sister-in-law.
The characterization of the erring man and
fetal in its subtle psychology. The wife is
rather puppet and the other characters
are merely sketched in.
Among the solder books OF early sum-
mer-the kind that will assuredIy not find
their way into summer resort armchairs
worse luck-is ALFRED Russell Wallace
Letters and "reminiscences" by James Mar
chant (Harper & Bros, New York;. 1t is
a remarkable document for just one thing
it's record of the many years OF warm inter-
course between two great scientists who
were bent upon the same course of re-
search. The flavor, of the volume Is admir-
ably caught in this single quotation:
MY Dear Wallace have received your
book ('Natural Selection) and read the
preface There never has been passed on
me or, indeed. on any one, a higher eulogium
than yours. l wish that I fully deserved IT,
Your modesty and candor are very far
from new TO me. / hope II is a satisfaction
to you to rehect-and very few things In
my life have been more satisfactory TO me
that we have never felt any jealousy toward
each other, though in one sense rivals
believe that can say this OF myself with
truth and I am absolutely sure that 1t is
true OF you. CHARLES DARWIN"