Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-11-03
EODsS COUNTERPOINT


EoD's C0UNTERP0INT. BY J. d.
Beresford. author OF House.
, Mates" etc. New York: George II.
Doran Company.
"HERE 10 no other self in the
world so absorbing. nor 50
elusive, as tho secret self
which every human being Gov.
ers and secretes by his outer mani.
festations Of gesture and behavior ana
pronouncement. 1t is not too much to
Say that novelist approaches great
ness In the degree to which he Is aple
to penetrate to tho clues Of ones &C.
tual being and to follow these. undl-
terted, to their logical and natural Is
sues. That is exactly what Mr.. Beres-
ford has done in this novel OF such re-
markable sincerity Of purpose. OF such
exclusive unity Of design and work.
Nanship. The ideal OF chastity is tho
guiding vision Of this dramatic In.
vestigation. The ideal grows natural
ly out of the parentage and early up
bringing Of Philip Naming. 1t Is signih-
cant to notice. too. that this parentage
and this training approach the rule at
present, rather than the exception.
Given certain sensitiveness OF tenn
foundings, and sex becomes q mysteri-
GUS and abhorrent monster, with
chastity as the shining star OF ones
guidance. This is the situation. Set.
ting out from this point IT,, Mr.; IT. Ber ss
dweller Of his soul, a watcher beside
his body, a companion and Interpreter
of his spirit--never swerving for a
moment from his purpose Of complete
comprehension and translation. 1t iy
sympathetic artistry Of soul that Is
under the dominion Of an idea and an
ideal. The externals of Maning's life
ARE much like those OF another-an
occupation, diversions. love OF the sub
Innate type, marriage Of the impossi-
BILE kind, and-as matter Of course
the catastrophe climax Of Develop
ment that Is constant battle between
irreconcilable elements. Tho Dook is
mastery In its dramatic treatment. A
great story, calculated to illuminate
the human soul and to bring an intel.
ligont attitude toward one aspect OF
human life.
HOME FIRES IN FRANCE. BY Doro.
thy Garfield, author Of 1.-THE Bent
Twig." etc. New York: Henry Holt
& Co.
Mrs. Garfield does not attempt q war
story here. She does better than that,
just now. From her work among the
men blinded In the war. she draws
away now and then to gather up
bits Of life In France-bits that are Of
a piece with the whole Of the French
outlook and spirit under the four
years Of French warfare. Here fs q
little sketch Of the pitiful makeshifts
of getting something to eat and places
to sleep, over there Is q fragment OF
undlsturbed village life-a touching
reminder Of happier days-yonder is
an incident. simple and homely; that
courage and the all-absorbing love
for France. These little pictures, In
the hands Of this tender and sympa..
thetic writer, multiply to q full
volume of pathetic views that make
for France and. the next. make one
lift proud spirit of joyousness that
people can be SO gallant and devoted
As these French people are for their
beloved country. Not to read this
book Is to miss one Of the avenues OF
meeting with these Incompatible
French men and women. sympathy,
delicacy, tenderness and comprehen-
sion are the means Of approach that
one Is offered here.
JOHN O'MAY, And Other Stories. BY
Maxwell Struthers Burt. 1llustrat-
ed. New York: Charles Scribner's
Sons.
Here are seven Of Mr.. Burt's short
stories, each Of which Is a man story.
Each rounds up a set Of circumstances
Or spreads line Of incidents that are
calculated to prove either the physical
or the moral sinew of the hero. Some
times the adventure Is In the open Of
wild spaces, and some times 1t Is in
one or another Of the centers of civili-
cation. In either case there Is. in
variably, sense Of roominess, free
responsiveness that, as a matter of fact,
enanates from the hero himself rather
than from any particular setting in
which he may be- For this man at the
center gives the sense Of bigness. He
IS, without exception, sophisticated,
Vaywise to the world and it's usages.
Always q compelltngly attractive man.
AN he turns his battles off with an
appearance Of ease, with touch of
WEAKNESS, a hint of cynicism that
,nakes him enviable for the finished
mastery that he has learned. These are
)lways a woman in the complex. But
The Is no more than some of the other
Elements In the game-just something
10 sharpen up the weapons of this male
Upon. Fine inventions whose founda-
hons Are Q really dramatic intel
lectt6A4y.
DRUMS AFFAIR. BY j. Murray Gibbon,
author of Hearts and Faces" New
TT n