The New York herald., 1921-10-16
C. N. and A. M. Williamson.

princess, could not companion per-
son of the opposite sex. even If he
were hundred. But she might, from
discreet distance, be his Brightener
That is. she might brighten lonely
mans life without furnishing her own
reputation"
AS Brightener the Princess sue
ceeds in Frightening the lives of a
number of tragic young men who had
unfortunate affairs. early in life. In
cidentally she earns some fabulous
fees for her trouble. If book review
ing were not so profitable we would
take up Frightening too.
The Princess has some spirited ad-
ventures. These are set forth in the
form OF four separate novelettes. all
of them entertaining. We only quar-
rel with the book when il introduces
German spies and half the nobility of
Europe. We can stand an occasional
viscounr or earl. but when the land
scape is choked with noblemen we
want to get out our rifle and have
some target practice. one of these
noblemenr Sir Jim Courtenaye. for
merly an American cowboy--pU1zles
us. A title to n ranch is the only title
a cowboy would want. ii seems 10 us.
There are some good mysteries in
"The Brightener. One OF these. the
mystery of the floating coffin. is
handled with unusual skill
We found "Vision House." another
recent Williamson product. less enter
tanning than "The Brightener."
An English nobleman. the Earl of
Severance. and John Garth, an Amer
lean. who has won V. G. In the
English army. arc both in love
with Marise Sorel, internationally fa-
nous American actress. Who wins?
OF course, But Garth's vic
tory Is not an easy one. and the many
obstacles he encounters and the way
he overcomes them are graphically set
forth in "Vision House"
His methods. which involve every
thing from squirting ginger ale at his
rival through a cabin window to fash
ing Il revolver in his face. are always
diverting. Tho ginger ale scene will
appeal to Charlie Chaplin fans and the
revolver episode to devotees of William
s. Hart. md as there are millions OF
these vision House" should not ex-
perience my difficulty in finding an
audience.
The love story takes a unique turn,
and even the most implacable foes OF
novelistic sensation win be forced TO
admit that the authors have succeeded
I'm being sensational differently. They
have provided what Roi Cooper Me-
grue once called "a new angle on the
triangle" The result is one OF the
spiciest marital mixups that we have
encountered In a long time culmi-
mating in much trianguish for Sever-
ance, who has probably blown his
brains out-we mean killed himself
by now. Like most OF the other char
acters, he hasn't any brains to blow
out.
If you like fast moving. red blooded
Action. with a sprlnSling OF yellow
streaked blue olood. YOU will enjoy
"vision House" II won't Inspire YOU
but II will probably give you some
thrills. especially where the air Is thick
with cries Of you cadl" and you
vixen" and whore Garth grimly COM
mands the wretched earl who has i'm
prisoned the fair Marise. Unlock that
6oor, Severance" lie does. and the
EARLY bird loses the worm.
BY the way. lovers of pugiliym will
reve in some fisticuffs in which the
American destroys the, Englishman's
beauty by knocking out one Of his
front teeth. core another victory for
Unolc am in the realm OF interna-
tionil sport.
XAVIER LYNDON.