New-York tribune., 1920-03-03
Books u.,.,ss ss s,...

The preliminary testimony which
Maurice weyr introduces In his new
novel. "The Happy Woman" (Kennet-
ley), as evidence that Fred Pemberton
is super-eff1cient person failed to con-
vince lis. "As Hardwick was shown
into Mr.. Pemberton's ofiice," writes
Weyl, "he was much impressed by the
quality of exact Appropriateness which
marked its every feature. Tho room was
bare Of ornament. Not even calendar
was to ba SEEM"
But our own Office is like that, and
before we can send this copy down.
stairs we will have to get hold Of the
city editor, or somebody else in author
ity, and find out what day the day
after tomorrow IS going to be. That
doesn't seem efficient to us. Somebody
sent US "The Good Cheer Calendar-A
Happy Thought for Every Day in the
Year" at Christmas. but, like Pember-
ton, we hate ornament In an office. and
80 we hung it in the living room at
home. Even calendar fails somewhat
in efficiency because, unless you are
pretty sure of the month, 1t isn't easy
to work out the day and date. We
were not much impressed, either, when
Hardwick looked at the great mans
desk and observed that ION this desk
were telephone, an inkwell and pen
holder. and a blotting pad. There were
no loose papers of any kind"
Again we were inclined to convict
pemberton Of inef1ciency. What good
would the penholder and tho ink we'll
bo to him when he wanted to light
a cigarette? Show me the man who is
never without matches, stamps, collar
buttons. sharp pencils and shoe laces
and will show you coming captain
Of industry. AS for the absence Of
loose papers on Pemberton's desk, we
know that trick, too. He simply swept
everything into tho lower right hand
drawer and said to himself, "I'll
straighten these things out and answer
them on Saturday" Perhaps he did, but
the chances are that If he had no cal
sndar he never knew when Saturday
came.
Yet, after no had formed 30 Ill an
opinion Of Fred Pemberton, Maurice
Weyl swept 1t aside with a single
stroke. In two short sentences he
convinced us that his character was
indeed all that he implied in point
Of efficiency. We we're won on Page
IL, on which the first luncheon of
Pemberton and Hardwick Is described:
when they were seated in q room in
which there was minimum Of hustle
and maximum OF service, Pemberton
asked:
"'Shall I order for your and fol-
lowed 1t Immediately with:
"T don't suppose you eat a heavy
lunch.'"
Nor does the author leave us in any
doubt as to the success Of the ruse,
for he adds, "He turned to tho waiter
and gave his order without allowing
Hardwick time to answer. Hardwick
was much impressed. Never before
had he met SO masterful a man."
In one respect "The Happy Woman"
represents an advance over Weyl's In
teresting first novel, 1.-THE Choice" He
has a more distinct feeling for mar
rative values. His theme is Of more
interest and he tells it better. The
Characterization is not as uniformly
good nor are we as much Impressed
with his talent for setting down true
talk. We feel that for all his SYM
pathy ana, more than that, his en-
thusiasm, for his heroine, Ruth Bern
stein, he understands her imperfectly.
At any rate, the impressionable Mr.
Hardwick does not understand her. "He
was again impressed by the imper-
sonality of her manner; there was not
the least vestigs Of coquetry; she
seemed to be interested solely in her
function as part Of the advertising de-
partment. Her tone was pleasant, but
her look was altogether serious. He
felt that she was quite an unusual kind
of girl"
And again, "She answered all Of his
questions to his complete satisfaction,
showing the most intimate knowledge
Of the business In every detail within
the scope Of his questions. Again he