New-York tribune., 1922-10-22

ikxE HEARTS JUSTICE. 4y Aman6s
r OF for eng odious purposes
~ 1 but merely TO give the
- reader a handls wherswitt
conveniently to pick ar
Tools Hili,p 1t may be
classified az another sympa.hesically
humorous study of the troubles oi
Seventeen" With a dash OF "Psnrod'
tareyrn In. Or perhaps IL Ia more
renrly related to the basically serious
realism Of Mary Heaton vorso In her
treatmeHt of "The Prestons.p To say
thas ID Will brook such comparison Is
pfaiss enough for any book.
Young Paul Northrop is Miss
palrympls's misunderstood hero, bu,
bis numerous relatives actively psrtici-
pats In the narrowing drama OF his
adoleseencs. Savages, we are told,
formally induct their young into the
privileges Of naa.urity, sometimes with
details which appear rigorous when
set forth In cold print. but il civilized
peoples hays abandoned the practice it
is only because tho mera circum-
stances and trappings Of modern life
are about all that growing boys can
endure and live. Paul came Of Wig
orous and resistant stock, and his
struggles arc commensurate. sThe
family life Of Northrop." observed
eas akin to them by marriage, 'swaa
nevar monotonous."
Panl's difhcuities have bean syiAe-
Hissd by Wordsworth. The world was
too much with him, late and soon
much too much. Getting and spending
be laid waste his powers. The dizzy
repidity with which he was turned
from woman hater to squire Of
danes was sufficient of itself to ae-
count for certain strangeneBs in his
actions; but unfortunately his parents
we're not immediately aware Of that
nomentous event. Paul did not desire
that they should be, and the elaborate
and ostrieh-l!ke strategy he employed
TO keep the knowledge from them de-
served better success than it had.
After all, what can be more cruel than
to expose calf love to the unkind gaze
OF the world? Paul was right. He was
entitled to some privacy, as we all are,
but he did not yet know that mono OF
us get it.
Paul could NOT so much "a take the
girl Of his heart for motor ride with
out encountering his younger brother,
Teddy, riding an elephant In circus
parade. Teddy probably would have
said he couldn't even so for little
ride on an elephant without meeting
his brother Paul's disappearing eye.
Teddy was that kind of boy. II an
elephant were unavailable he made
shift to get about town in the Black
Maria. He was free spirit. Pau
said Of Teddy that walloping lasted
him about an hour. One feels for both
the brothers, but how is small planet
like our world to accommodate the
two of them comfortably? It is mere
straitiacket. Ishmacl was the typical
boy. Every mans hand was against
him. have no doubt he found the
wilderness welcome change from the
patriarchal tent.
but Byron is the apotheosis Of the
adolescent-"grand, gloomy and pecu-
liar" Teddy was not Paul's only exas-
perating relative. Even his grandmoth-
ers We're trying, to say the least. One
Of them. the Northrop one, had tan
trums, and used to run away 5son
home. The other. gentle Grandma
West, actually eloped and got married
which is probably the most atrocious
sitive descendants. This levity Of be
havior was reflected mildly IN Paul's
parents, who at the advanced age o.
forty took dancing lessons. Few adult:
realize that IL the youth of to-day are
IN. revolt it is because they find The
Srivolity Of their elders nothing lee.
than revolving. Scott Fitzgerald has
recently admitted as much In maga
slsie article What is the use Of try
ing 70 do anything with, or for, tht
cid folks? None; he has given up
Cocktails and jazz are mere nepenths
Tor that failure. Paul had not arrived
= az the Vine and song stage, but h,
might. He might even pass through
II tnsm Co the hther side, as some do not
= Miss Dalrympls enables US 60 under
stand that youthful harshness Sh,
presses upon the young. how 1t drive
them to despair, IL not to drink. He,
book should be really valuable t.
parents, as instruction. Others ma,
read 1t FOR amusement. It is yer;
easy TO read, anyhow. Tho style i
brisk and graphic. The form Of IL /
organic: series Of episodes, but NO
baASlatS0s tof tEcy tHQtCAte SktlINli
Paul's gradual progress toward a sc
phistication still considerably In tn
future when the last chapter enas.
ssT,HE suBcoNsc1ous COURT
SHIP" Is for. rather than abou
the adolescent mind. 1t Is literar
ice cream, soda, one OF those trifs
which older people find sickish and i,
6igestihle, but which their juniors ca
absorb in unlimited quantities Tt
plot, for instance, Is neither more nc
less than the dream of every fappe
What would young girl most like I
be? "A widow, certainly-but widow
hood without tears, the weeds to b
worn like an honorary degree. An
such was Glover Elphinstone, Mis-
Berta Ruck's heroine.
Glover had never loved her husban,
Their marriage had been on platoni
or business. hasis. She had sort
fairy-godmother gift of knowing whe
n business deal would be lucky, an
naturally he wanted to keep her aroun
As she cared nothing for men--thoug
she was radiantly beautiful--she ma
urally obliged her kind employer. Il
obliged her reeiproeaily by dying q
teen minutes after the wedding an
leaving her the business. Imagined
Such good fortune, of course. mn.
have some drawbacks. Clover had tt
fatsi weakness OF generosity. She ws
honeypot who attracted wasps. Sh