Evening star., 1921-10-23
Reviews of New Books

eral. John and Mary Thinker, how.
ever, interject the real thoughts that
these words conceal. Interpreting, IL
Eliminating, contradicting. That is the
substance of this snugly- built play. Or
will not have things true to nfe-that
IS, they will not have them let loose
into the open. "What an interesting
world this would be. for a minute at
least, If in that time everybody would
say right out just that he was think
ing" We recall this innocent remark.
and recall even more vividly the instant.
self-protective recoil that followed it
from all hands. That is what is the
natter with your play. Don MARQUIS.
The audience, not the play. is the trou-
BILE. Try sending it out some more.
That sort of jar can only be fine in its
, effects. provided it be given chance
to register effects.
B. Kyne, author Of kindred of the
Dust" etc. illustrated by H. r.
Ballinger and Dean Cornwell. New
York: Cosmopolitan Book Corpora
tion.
You will not be able to stand out
against Peter Kyne's new hero of ro-
Nance Spanish-Irish Americana CALI
, fornian hero. Don Mike" the folks of
the valley called him. in affection. First
Sergt. Michael Joseph Farrell. he stood
in the Army roster The old Mission of
the Mother Of Sorrows registered him
Miguel Jose Maria Federico Noriaga
Farrell. The pride and gayety and hard
sion of the native son, and Don Mike
became a crusader against the invasion
of California by an alien race. The
story is. in the main. that Of the fight
ative Of an eastern syndicate. The is
sue is Mikes miles Of land holdings.
| inherited from old Don Miguel and
mortgaged to the limit. BY hook or by
crook to lift the mortgage Is Mikes
part in the scrimmage. To prevent this.
to acquire the land. and to turn 1t into
small fruit farms for Japanese settlers
Is the other side of the contest. I'm
luckily for this side. the eastern mag
nate took his wife and daughter with
surmise. the issue grows mixed from
this infusion of feminity.. A love story
sets itself agoing beside the economic
question. A very pretty love story. too.
in which Don Mike comports himself
according to the best traditions of both
Spanish and Irish wooers The action
moves forward in an atmosphere of
California life touched with relics of
the Spanish occupation and in the actu-
alities. also. of the natural beauty of
through which the hero moves to ones
constant approval and delight. Don
Mike has but a single real rival here
and that Is his prospective mother-in-
law. Next to Mike himself she Is the
most enjoyable of these people. who. one
after another. come over to the side of
this passionate defender of his native
state. The definitely serious purpose OF
this romance is clear. but 1t is, above
everything else, good story.
THE OBSTACLE RACE. Rv Ethel NJ.
Dell. author of "The Way of an
Eagle" etc. New York: C. P. Put
namS Sons.
a coast hamlet of England, with
it's scant native population. provides
picturesque setting and novel human
surroundings for the romantic ad-
venture of the two chief persons of
this story. Thrown together. after
the casual fashion that fate employs
to produce, finally. the eternal twain.
these two, for many pages of this
book, give the reader good entertain
ment by way of an intelligent and
spirited friendship whose intimacy
and variety of incident are greatly
increased by the good offices of an
extremely knowing dog and by COM
sadly defective boy. When the situ-
alton warns to that of love and pur-
suit. then and then only does the
obstacle" named in the title of the
Dook, come into view ana get into
action. The obstacle. as 1t turns out
after loug course of obstructive
ingenuity. is nothing more than a
couple of lies-one for each-that en-
tirely conceal the true identity and
the actual status of both. Each. for
the time being. has run away from
himself. from herself. In this period
of temporary absence. the great ad-
venture. handicapped by a superficial
and impermanent Ananias. gets on
it's way. A purely romantic tale. in
the best manner of this incorrigible
romanticist.
THE ALTERNATIvE. By NJ. Morgan
Gibboh, author of Jan" New
York: Doubleday. Page & Co.
This novel throws into social drama
the old saying that one cannot eat
his cake and have it. too. One may
freely do this or that-have this or