Evening star., 1918-07-21

bonds OF Its sworn inviolabiiity Why
did you write this novel. Mr. Hughes?
It another goad to US? Or Is it a dar-
ing literary chance for you? For our
life we are not able to say. II this
point were clear-and you should have
made 1t clear in this SO urgent case
the effect Of your novel would not be
divided and weakened through our in
voluntary speculattons as to your real
intent.
NINE TALES. BY Hugh De selin-
court. author Of IA Soldier OF
Life" etc Introduction by Harold
Child. New York: Dodd, Mead &
Co.
Back OF these stories, It is easy to
see. lies q well grounded confidence
in the general bepencence Of life as
a whole. provided only that one. with
the means at hand. takes advantage
to test and prove this good intent Of
the world. And By '3the means at
hand" the writer has reference to the
individual himself. to those things
his own devsiopment, for his own ad-
5ustment to tho general trend of life
In all Of its considerable aspects. So.
these tales have TO do with the SIM
pie occurrences that come to every
him. A satisfying characteristic Of
them all 10 that they begin right
where the man or woman under con-
sideration happens to be. That u.
they begin with the next obvious step
in ones daily iife-making thsse
may be, the way to lead up or down
along another level. Mr.. De Selin-
court looks ON the happier side Of the
way; He Is no pessimist- So. these
hopeful reaches Of existence. That 10.
as . whole. Tho first one, however.
and the unhappiest one in effect. goes
back to the ancient notion Of sacri-
fice rs q propitiatory rite A woman.
becomes possessed Of the idea that
her baby IL the very thing that God
wants as q sacrifice in order that the
war may come to an end Fine crafts
manship and very delicate way of
handling do not make this a pleas,
ing story. The same workmanly in
vention and the same delicate insight
make the remaining stories ON hap
pier themes delight to the lover
Of dne literary sense and art. Har-
old Child. by way of Introduction to
this volume. makes an admirably
sympathetic and discriminating es-
timate Of Mr., De Selincourt's work
as whole.
BARBARA PICKS A HUSBAND. By
Hermann Hagedorn, author of
Where Do You Standr' etc.
Frontispfece by J. Paul verrees.
New York: The Macmillan Com
pany.
This novel Is q bit Of the lightning
transit, capsuled food. speed-up spirit
of the moment Within a hands
breadth of space and two-day
stretch Of time Mr.. Hagedorn assem-
bles here with lavish hand the parts
people enough and incidents enough
for a five-act drama, the writer. In
a wizardry of handling and mastery
of fortuitous vanishings, condenses
this bewilderment of material into
a neat body of social to-do, that sits
in uncrowded ease within the borders
Of this hour Of reading. The whole
fuss centers around a girl who has
the pick Of three men to provide her
thereafter with food and clothes.
Spoiled. in the overself-appraisals
that that sa afiss SO many attractive girls,
placarding an entire city with "busi-
ness suspended" while she pursues
her devastating way of husband
choosing. However. the turmoil Is,
under good management. brought to
some bits of sardonic humor here
and there, and humor ofsthe gentler
sort all along its course. The ,peo-
pie are not only human beings, but
they are. in the, main, interesting
human beings each in his own way
1t is easy enough to be human-but
to be interesting! Oh, no! And this
difficult achievement Mr.. Hagedorn
has gained. Highly condensed as is
the substance Of this invention, It
is, after all. q recognizable picture Of
the great social game of husband
hunting under the gentle refinements
of polite procedure. An interesting
comedy of workmanly build and
CHEERFUL LETTERS. BY Torrey
Ford New York: Edward j.
Clode.
Here is a handful fof letters from
private with Gen. Pershing, q mem
ber of the ambulance service. In
addition to these honors is that of
being Sewell Ford's boy. This by
way of Introduction. The important
thing, however, IL to get to the let
ters, for the sake Of the sheer grit
and good nature and sense or fun
that bring them straight across into
ones hearty approval and enjoyment,
Understand-this boy knows he is
at war. There IL no pretense here
that he does not know this, nor that
he is trying TO edge Of the realities
simply, TO set down here little things
that come along every day with .
smile in them. And, II the smile u
not there: II, on the contrary, the
{ matter u soMtwhAt gftth, he {ef1S61