New-York tribune., 1921-01-22
Books u.yv,s$ sS B,,..

BY this time, of course, we ought to
know the danger signals in a novel
and realize the exact spot at which to
come to full stop. On page 81 of
The Next Corner, by Kate Jordan, we
found the situation in which Robert,
husband, came to face to face with
Elsie, wife, after a separation of three
years. Mining interests had called him
to Burma, and she, being given the
world to choose from, had decided to
1--we in Paris. He was punctual at
the end of his three years in arriving
at his wife's apartment, but she was
not there. The maid informed him
that she had gone to. a tea at the
nome of the Countess Longueval. With
out stopping to wait for an invitation
John hurried after her. He entered
the huge and garish reception room
and there, yes there, was Elsie. But
perhaps Miss Jordan had better tell it:
"The effect she produced on him. in
her yellow gauze, that though fash
Toned for afternoon wear was so trans
parent it left good deal of her bodv
visible, with her face undisguisedly
tricked out and her cleaning cigarette
poised, was harsh one marionette
with whom fashion was an idolatry;
an over-decorated empty eggshell. She
could feel this, and in desperate way
persisted in the affectation which sus-
Roberts earnest gaze feeling of guilt
made her hideously uncomfortable.
""Throw that away Robert said
quietly with scant look at the cigar
ette"
1t seemed strange to us that Rob
er had been so little Influenced toward
liberalism during his three years in
Burma, for that was the spot where
Kipling's soldier found the little Bur-
mese girl "a smokn' of a whackin' big
cheeroot"
Still, Robert carried his point. Elsie,
our heroine, gave a laugh. What sort
of laugh, do you suppose? Quite so,
IAN empty laugh" and "she turned to
flick it from her fingers" that is, the
cigarette. Perhaps we should add that
she f1icked it to "a table that held the
smokers service" Elsie, undoubtedly.
had degenerated during Roberts abb
sence, but she was still too much the
lady to put ashes on the carpet. And
yet she did use cosmetics. This was the
second thing which Robert took up with
her. In the cab he wanted to know
why she put call that stuff" on her face.
Perhaps her answer was a little per-
picking, for she said, Establishment,
mon cher. Pour la beaute, pour la
charmed"
"1'm quite of the world in my toler-
ance," he explained to her. "If you
needed help of this sort and applied it
delicatey to your face I'd not mind.
In fact, if delicately done, probably I'd
not know Of it,"
This, of course, seems to us an inn
moral attitude. Things are right or
wrong, whether one notices them or not.
After all, the recording angel would
know. Elsie could use paint and pow
der with such delicacy as to deceive him.
However. we are interruptng Robert,
who went on, and "His voice grew
kinder, although his eyes remained
sternly grave"
ITS been from Che beginning of the
world" he said, "and it is in the East,
wherever there are women. But-and
makes note of it-they are always
women Of certain sort"
Seemingly, Robert got away with
this statement, although it is not true.
Manchu women of the highest degree
paint great scarlet circle on either
side of the face in spite of the fact
that there is native proverb which,
freely translated, may be rendered
Discretion is the better part Of
pallor."
1t is only fair to add that the in
disczptions Of Elsie went beyond pow