The Washington herald., 1922-02-05


Page & Coz
This lonsish short story written
some ten years ago is one of the
most delicious yarns about tempera-
ment-in this case a stars tempera-
ment-that has ever been written.
There isn't much plot. but plot is
entirely superiuo1s when there are
so many delightfully."- drawn char
acters as this story contains. Talbot
Potter. whose we'll known express
sion as he majestically parade down
Fifth avenue. lifted him above the
crowd to such a high serenity his
face might have been that Of .
young Pope borne along in n.s
chair-an incredibly handsome
young Pope. with a dash of sidney
Carton" He pauses a moment be-
fore the public library with its two
annoyed pet lions. typifying learn
ing" and then passes on to the
theater for the rehearsal of his new
play. That rehearsal is an extra
ordinarily amusing affair-but not
to young Candy, the harassed au-
thor. nor to Packer. the pathetic
ally obsequious stage manager, nor
10 Ine Cast. Inc Only pcTSoH not
visibly affected is old Tinker, the
stars manager. who had the def
mite appearance of having long ago
learned that after a little while life
will beat anybody's game. no mat
ter how good" Then there -
Wanda Malone, who innocentIy
enough nearly wrecks the whole
show. Mr.. Tarkington's satire is
keen, but not in the least bitter. He
knows how to make US laugh at his
Talbot Potters without letting US
lose all our respect for them. They
are ridiculous, but not so ridiculous
that they are caricatures.
''The Hidden Force by Louis Cou-
perus. (Dodd. Meal & Coz
1t doesn't require so many other
qualities to make a novel ably
good if the scene is laid in some of
the islands of the East, IL the au-
thor has first-hand knowledge of
the places of which he writes and
il he makes a good use of the mys-
terry, the insidious forces, and the
subtle influences, which we are told,
play such important parts in the
lives of the men from the North.
Couperus' novel of Java has these
qualities in addition to a plot we'll
thickened with intrigue, and yet irI
Is not an engrossing story. It
gives unquestionably an excellent
picture of the life Of Dutch off,
cials in remote stations and much
OF the picture is unpleasant. 1t is
the story Of Van Oudijk, the Resi-
dent of Labuwangi, his wife, Leo
ME. who Is very completely de-
scrioed-"Hers was a silent, correct
depravity, both physical and moral"
of Doodle, his daughter, and of
Theo, his son who has An affair
with his stepmother. Things look
bad for Van Oudijk from the first
and they get steadily worse until
the final blowup. One thing which
annoyed US was the necessity of be-
ing forever obliged to refer to the
tootnotes for translations of the
text. We see no particular advan-
tase in driving the reader to a
tootnote to find out that kali"
means river" or that "tida" means
mo"
he Man in Gray by Thomas
Dixon 20. Appleton and Com
pany).
Regardless OF what one NAV
think OF Thomas Dixon's style and
ssIoe from ones opinions regard
ing the historical events upon
which most of his novels are based
tnere is no getting around the fact
mat ne can tell a story. Robert E.
Lee. that great man and gallant
leader is the central figure of this
romance. although General Jeb
stuart, Phil Sheridan and John
Brown play important roles in the
narrative. One of the most vivid
parts OF the novel deals with the
Kansas troubles in which John
Brown played such a prominent
part. The novel has many of the
Iauits OF historical romances
which are necessarily written from
a more or less partisan point of
view despite an authors intention
TO be unbiased. but in spite of those
FAULTS this novel holds the interest.
and that Is really the important
consideration.
"The sheriff of Silver Bow, by
Berton Braley (Bobbs-MerrilD.
This is. indeed. a thriller, ex-
tremely well worked out by Mr.,
Braley. The scene Is Butte, Mont,
not only the visible Butte, but the
Invisible (from above ground) which
lives and moves and carries on
crime and intrigue apparently in
the deserted mines which have bur-
rowed in and out under the city.
There are really two heroes, the
sheriff Of Silver Bow himself, and
an amateur detective and news
paper man, besides a whole flock of
very satisfactory villains. running
all the way from the State and
county attorneys down to one
Dopey Benny and his squad of
thugs. As We have said, 1t is all
very we'll worked out, and answers
all the requirements of a detective
and adventure story. besides being
pleasantly written.
''rhe Sheridan Road Mystery by
Paul and Mabel Thorne (Dodd,
Mead and Company.
There are plenty of thrills and
mysteries here, but unfortunately
very little else. That Is. the au-
thors have gone to a great deal of
trouble to work out their intricate
plot. but have neglected to trouble
themselves very much about the
style in which they write il. Conse-
quently. with conversations that
sound artificial. and a style barred 90.
most graces. the story creaks and
-roans although II is really lnEe-
NOUS enough to go on creased
wheels. The scenesis Chicago. and
the plot concerns. gang of counter
feiters. Federal detective. the Chi.