New-York tribune., 1920-02-13
Books

We generally finish all the novels
which begin, "She was a strangely,
fercely beautiful creature, made to
love and be loved" Particularly if her
eyes are clark with their slumberous
fires" Penelope Wells, in Cleveland
Moffett's Possessed" (McCann) full
fills these requirements and, moreover,
it is recorded that she wore green ear
rings (which reached down caressingly
over white neck" She had never in
jured her figure by the use of corsets
Early in the story it develops that
Mrs. Wells is somewhat afflicted with
what Tarkingtons Bobby called mere
sensuosity," but it is only fair to add
that the author does not neglect to add
Gosh, how she breads it," The fact
of the matter is that Penelope is pos
sessed by an evil spirit named Fau-
Vette, and every evening at 1890 o'clock
this demon gains the upper hand. At
such times curious change came
over Penelope Wells. She would begin
to drink and smoke cigarettes and
cling to people. The next day she
would be Penelope again and have for
gotten all about it. The arrangement
was by no means a satisfactory one,
for revelation usually came to her in a
vision of the things which she had
done, or voices would taunt her with
her iniquity. When she made in
quiries of Captain Christopher Herrick
whether it was really true that she
had behaved in this outrageous fash
ion the captain could not deny that
the visions were accurate in their
representation of actual events, and
that he had been able to repulse her
only with the greatest difficulty
Of course, things could not 60 on
like that forever, and Penelope went
to DR.. William Owen, famous nerve
specialist. The doctor knew that Pc
nelope had been in France as a Red
Cross nurse, and he diagnosed her con-
dition as shell shock. Unfortunately,
she made no progress under his treat
ment, and at last the doctor responded
to the pleadings of Seraphine, a trance
medium, and sent his patient to Dr.
Edgar Leroy, psychic healer.
DR.. Leroy discovers that Penelope is
literally possessed of an evil spirit
and when the voices announce to the
woman that the powers of evil are
coming on certain night at certain
time to kill her, he confesses that she
is in great danger He tells her that
the only way she can escape is to
cleanse her soul. Some monstrous sin
stands between her and the divine pro-
lection which she might otherwise rely
upon to save her from the forces Of
darkness. Confession alone will save
her. And so. at the appointed time.
Penelope confesses. We must admit
that we were somewhat disappointed
"hen this cardinal sin finally came to
hight. 1t would be possible to tell
"hat 1t was right here in the columns
ol daily newspaper, and we refrain
oi'y because it would give away one
oI the main cogs in the story. That
would not be fair, because Possessed"
IN spite of being overwritten and
somewhat muddled in it's attempt 70
omolne spiritualism and psvcbo-
analysis and faith healing and astrol-
ogy' is an interesting book. Whatever
'.s faults it is genuinely exciting. The
p''s IS ingenious enough to hold
.eaoer until the beginning of the last
s"apeer' which is sort of epilogue
ea,led The truth about women that
"ooody tells" Perhaps the reason that
A''00y tells 1t is much Of it isn't