The Oroville weekly gazette. [volume] (Oroville, Wash.) 1905-19??, 1922-08-18

me III care OF the editor.)
BOOK CHAT
II. Bakers Christian Directory,
"e says: 1t is not the reading of man,
looks which is necessary to make :
man good or wise, but the wei, road.
ing OF a Few. could he be sure to have
the best. nave
mere are only two eternal things
iHe, rove. God and immortality are MOI
matters OF faith to me now; they are
matters OF consciousness. God is here
al the while: it is only our blindness
.ilat Keeps us from seeing Him." This
from man who had considered him.
sell an agnositc before the war. a moo,
chap sent away to die of mortal dis.
ease. But he was brought back to
health and strength after a chain nj
mysterious and exciting events that
constitute the movements in Joseph
bookings latest novel, a cracking
good story called The Passion of
Life (Revell, $1.75.) 1t is now in its
zoth thousand, third printing. l
could wish enough thousands could
oe printed so that every priest, min
ister, rector or clergyman Of any sect
or creed might have it and read IT
thoughtfully. 1t is a severe arraign-
ment, in the gentlest of terms. of the
failure of the church. frequently. to
give aid to those who go hungering for
the comfort of assurance that there is
life beyond the death of the body. A
girl friend of mine who has just died.
told me one day when | went to see
her, that the minister had been there.
and-"lt was just as you said about
your finding no strength and comfort
when you heard his sermon-'for
bread, stone'-he gave me nothing
nut that it was Gods will and | must
be resigned" How | wish | had then
read this book, so that | could tell
her some of the reassuring things in
1t. 1t shows the revivifying influence
OF wartime sufferings on the religious
life of the people of England. | be-
lieve that there was the same influ-
ence at work in this country among
all those wno really suffered as a re-
suit OF the war. OF course the prof.
teers and those who came through un-
scather and without opportunity for
close contact with the heart
searching anguish can not be expected
to get from the experience the same
spiritual values.
-
Hoax" the first novel of an an
OnymOus writer whom | suspect Of be-
ing New York newspaper man. is an
old story of a boy genius in a small
southern town, involved successfully
in promises to marry three different
women: the first out of quantity
chivalrOus sense of duty after a
school boy attention; the second be-
cause he was sure that he was in
love-more sure tnan he felt later on;
and the third with no intention what
ever of marrying her. When this third
one gives wedding -date-announce-
ment party, he "cleans" all the guests
in a crap game, takes the money to fl
nance a literary venture, makes a sue
cess Of proportions, and goes home to
the small town to marry-the first
girl But maybe he didn't keep the
town gossips busy while he was go
ing.
Those who have thought that they
would enjoy reporting for the big
New York dailies (and it is remark
able how many men and women have
dreamed that dream) will find his
lively pictures of his experiences most
And those who some
day" want to write a novel will gain
more than one servicable hint from
Eugene BENEFITS methods of building ::
retirement to country seclusion; the
first draft; the thorough revision;
polishing; the final clean-typed copy.
He was genius, and mis- life was err
ratio Ct almost wrote erotic as WELD {;
but he knew how to work in the liter
ary harvest fields. (Doran, $2)
A teacher who will have much
of the recreation and en-
tertainment programs of the schools
in his district asked me to recommend
a book that would be helpful. Among
those found for him was one in
which / think many teachers and
mothers would be interested-and
surely the children, also. 1t is new
one. "A Treasury of Plays for Chill
dren". edited by Montrose ]. Moses,
with clever illustrations by Tony
Sarg. of marionette fame. Uittle
Brown,$3.) 1t contains fourteen plays
including Frances Hodgson Burnetts
"The Little Princess; Alice Ger
stenberg's dramatization of Alice In
Wonderland" Lady Gregory's Irish
Christmas play, THE Travelling Man;
Christina Rosetti's pageant OF the
months and many others as notable
One that Immediately attracted my
attention is a dramatic setting OF
Master Skylark" Shakespere's little
nephew who, like Little Tommy
Tucker. sang for his supper in inns
and taverns. l notice, however, that
a new song has been subtituted 1or
~. obormipplv delicate air: