New-York tribune., 1919-04-26
Valley of Vision
Ncsc Novcl BIZ Sarah
(0mstoch Is Veil Dome

I'VE NAbttl Or VISION. NN Sarah
Comstock' Published by Doubleday.
Page 4 Go, 4sl pages. Price $3.50.
Sarah tomstock does not attempt to
deludc herself and the public into be
lieving that the girl of to-day. restless
and eager for an opportunity for self
development. will find it in a profes-
SION or business only. This is the dis
tnctiNe feature which lifts "The Val
ley of Vision" above the majority of
novels which attempt to portray the
so-caIled new woman. This, and the
fact that Sarah Comstock herself
served long and patient apprentice
snip IN studying her craft. her world.
and the people in il, and then has set
about in leisurely and unhurried way
to write book that shall have merit
IN character. structure. and presenta-
ton Of an idea which has grown from
her observation and thought
Only her second novel, this one is a
mile post along a road to real achieve
ment Laying her story in Banburv.
as narrow a New England village as
ever had main street and conducted
Itself precisely as it had for genera
tlons past, Sarah Comstock depicts
the desperate struggle a girl makes to
break away from tradition and conserv-
atlsm, and to live according to her own
IDEAS of greatest usefulness.
1t is significant that to Hachaliah
Warren, whose life has been devoted
to dreams of a son and an active cam
palgn to prevent any progress or
change which shall interrupt the Sc
date regularity of life in Banburv.
is born daughter at the precise mo
ment when the first locomotive tears
through Bandbury's conservatism.
FROM the moment that Hachaliah looks
down into "a pair of dark, defiant orbs
which seem to challenge him with a
dozen challenges, that dare him to
cnart path for his daughter. 70
hinder her. to impose Warren prece
dents upon her. and finally to question
ncr supreme right to be a girl" the
two clash-openly and aggressively.
Not only does Marcia meet with the
Notwithstanding of her mother and
lather,, but from childhood to woman
mood she faces the opposition of every
narrow mind of Elm Street-old resi-
hrst because she doesn't crv as
6oaby, then because she has a fellow
teeling for the factory workers in
Hill Hollow, and finally because she
wants to become Il nurse-this pirI in
whom Sarah Comstock embodies the
pest OF twentieth century womanhood
makes her fight, faces her disappoint
meh's' acknowledges her shortcom-
lngs and keeps an optimistic and
steady rem on her inclinations.
Against the early developed sex-
consciousness of Lola Dodswortb ubo
was taught to believe that babies
come IN the heart OF rose" Sarah
Comstock draws the pure immaturjtv
or Marcia Warren, whose awakening is
slow but whose vision is never dis9
tor'ed by false illusions Vaguely
conscious that Rich Goodrich is dearer
to her than any one else, yet failing to
realize the sweeping power of her love
until Rich has married Lola. Marcia
faces the biggest problem of her devel-
opment Rich himself has always loved
her, and this knowledge, coupled with
wrlngs from Marcia is untrue to him
Wring from Marcia the yearninp nlea
that she and Rich have right to
life her'-that there must surely
be some way to work this out
From this point on Sarah Comstock's q
writing is little short of a triumph in
honest, clear handling of fundamental
truths She makes no mistake Of
achieving a happy ending By allowing
circumstance to bring the two lives
and loves together. Marcia has had
to work out her own salvation TO this
point. Sarah Comstock makes her 90
on with it,
The book is one that deserves hieh
place in the modern novels of today
and the major characters in il are
skilfuily and truthfully drawn. n. NJ.