Evening star., 1922-09-17

real picture of real life. One IL the
ultimate sense of resentment that a
successful man finally gets at the
grating propensity Of his own wife.
With greed and ingratitude she drains
him OF his earnings and acquisitions
say that this is his excuse. Maybe
SO. but 1t is also fact. Coupled with
this genuine grievance Is the mans
native infideiity, rooted partly In a
very human vanity. and partly In the
tacit sanction by mothers. and all
looseness is excusable in the male
These two elements create the situa-
tion in hand. Another outstanding
fact of the story Is that down among
the working girls-as this pampered
daughter fnds--there Is likely to be
fifty-ffty arrangement among the
girls and their male friends. These
girls know what it means to earn
money. II establishes a business mo-
rality among them. A realistic story
Of today with at least two social fea
lures OF profound Importance set out
In clear colors.
THE LAST HARVEST. BY John Bur
roughs. author of ways of Ma
ture." etc. Boston: Houghton Milf
fiin Company
To the common enthusiasm which
the writings of John Burroughs
the volume in hand adds a new in
terest and value This final collec-
tion of essays embodies the refiec-
tiOns of an old man. looking back
through many crowded years, set
ting fresh values by reason Of the
conclusions. restating old problems
and offering the whole in the mel
lowed light of long experience. The
most important and permanent OF
these papers deal with Emerson and
Thoreau. both of whom haye been in
innate sources of inspiration for John
Burroughs. Equally interesting, if
not SO substantial, Is the section of
"Sundown Papers" at the eHd OF
which is a personal note Of inquiry
terry is not word of triumph. Of
certainty. II is. at most, the logical
reinsurance born of the fact that
Something in the universe has
eventuated in man. and something
has prpfited by his ameliorations. We
triumph. and we must look upon
death also as a legitimate part of the
great cycle-an evil only from our
temporary and persona! point or
view. but good from the point of
view of the whole"
THE SHADOW OF THE EAST. BY
E. NJ Hull. author The Sheik. -
Boston: Small. Maynard Co.
The story opens out from foko-
hama. where young Barry Craven re-
wives the part of that other Engilsh :
man, Pinkerton. in Puccinls opera.
This 1t is that constitutes the "shad-
ow Of the east" under which Barry
Craven later goes back to England
to take over the obligations of his
fathers house. From this point the
story moves forward in the atm0s-
phere of English life. The center OF
this progression is the budding in
his own race and station. Because or
that sinister shadow of the east. how :
ever. he fights this feeling. and final-
ly runs away-this time into Africa,
where adventures multiply according
to the feeling and skill of this author
with the far places of the world. At
the last. OF course. scruples are over
come, and the romance reaches It's
climax. as proper romance should.
Swift action and mounting situations
characterize this story. just as these
qualities marked The Sheik.' Those
who liked the eXtravagancies of that
earlier romance will feel a bit let
down by this one. 1t is. however. a
better story. exactly to the degree in
which the author has tanned ii from
the wilderness and utter Inconsistency
Of that other adventure in fiction.
J. PoINDExTER, COLORED. BY Ir-
vim s. Cobb. author of "Old Judge
Priest" etc. New York: George II.
Doran Company.
Just for sheer diversion, take an
hour off with ]. Poindexter. You used
to know ]. p. who was then old Judge
Priests man. jeff down Paducah way.
IT. hi nrl-
for the time being. servingman to
Young Dallas Pulliam. pure-bred Ken
tuckian. At first-hand. solely on his
account. and at second hand through
the sheer Kentuckianism of his en-
ployer. j. Poindexter takes possession
Of the big city in way that Will de-
light any reader. J. Poindexter hits
the high points-fnance, business, the
films, the Volstead act and the sky
scrapers. At the last of this adven-
ture he is woefully hard-pressed in
the business Of saving Mr.. Dallas
Pulliam from being swallowed whole
by the male and female sharks of the
metropolis. Fun. from beginning to
end, genial fun mixed with a wisdom
that Is altogether enjoyable.
AT THE CROSSROADS. BY Harriet
T. Comstock. author of "Mam'selle
Jo," etc. Frontispiece by Walter
de Maris New York: Doubleday,
Page & Co.
A woman. her husband, and another
man. The husband is account
who trapped the girl into a marriage
based upon gratitude to his father,
who befriended her. She is fine
outstanding person. honest and clear
seeing The other man is a writer
who. on a tramp through the country.
is hunting for a new inspiration to
take the place of the old and worn
out one. The line Of action is. of
course. plain to every one. But the
girl is possessed Of high principles
and, besides. Mrs. Comstock does not