The Washington times., 1922-07-23
FOUR GOOD BOOKS
RESTORE FAITH
INLITERATURE
''Nene," 'Pierre and Luce,
"Way of Revelation" and
THE House of Adventure"
All Novels of Merit.
By AMES KENDRICK.

simistic about the whole
O business of literature, owing
TO the unprecedented success
of works of sheikanery.. the
diatribes Of the learned and au.
thentic fellows, the vagaries OF
Washington climate. Elinor Glyn's
latest physico-chemicai treatise
dallying with the innocence Of love,
and the apprehension by the forces
OF rigorous aridity Of our milk.
man; In short, just as we were
contemplating a swan-like end
ing, fading in music. there came
to hand four works of merit and
achievement. and we decided to
stick around a while longer.
The four books are Meme"
translated from the French of
Ernest Perochon Doran); Pierre
and Luce" by Romain Rolla I'd
Henry Holt & Coz; Way of Rev.
elation," by Wilfrid Ewart ZAP.
pleton). and "The House of Ad.
d venture" by Warwick Deeping
4 CMacmillan).
Two of these books are stories of
the war, one is a novel of recon-
struction in the devastated re-
gions of France, and the other,
"Nene." the moving tragedy OF a
French peasant girl who gives all,
asks nothing, and. of course. gets
just that.
Meme" we understand, has
had remarkable success in
France, where the author is a
teacher in the region where the
story is located. And as soon as
It's merits are noised about a bit. 1t
should be a widely-read book in
this country also.
The story begins with Made.
Ieine, or Meme" as she is called,
E coming TO the Corbier farm as
housekeeper.. Corbier's wife has
died. leaving him two small chill
dren and. though the farmer re-
sents the presence of another
woman in his house he realizes it
is necessary for the children's
sake.
Meme soon transforms the run
down household. Her heart goes
out to the motherless children.
and they quickly learn to- love her.
She works day and night about the
place. and Corbier grudg!ngly ad-
mits that the house has never be.
fore been so we'll ordered. Though
Meme, in the simplicity of her
heart, contemplates in time becom-
ing the wife of Corbier. the farm
er seems never to realize that she
Z is a woman. To him she is mere.
iy- the person who keeps the house
In order and the children COM
Portable and we'll Often he Is un.
hu'u anu IOuSu W iicI
IN the course of her stay at the
farm. Meme has ocCas sion to de.
fend herself against the advances
Of one of the hands. Enraged by
his repulse, he circulates a story
that Meme is the mistress of Cor.
bier. He fails in his attempt to dis
credit the girl with the other
farm hands, and is turned out Of
the place by Corbier. But he
does not cease to circulate evil
tales about Meme.
In this campaign of slander he is
assisted by Violette. the village
dressriaker. who Is ambitious TO
become mistress OF the Corbier
household. She, too. hates Meme.
and exercises every art at her com.
mand to entice Corbier into a pro-
posal. She boasts to Meme Of the
day when she will turn her out of
the house. Corbier himself be.
comes more brusk to his house.
keeper. And she. who has become
q second mother to the children
and is in love with their father,
goes on her course of sacrifice,
more devoted. more motherly. more
helpless to defend herself against
the lies OF her detractors.
4. At last the day comes when Cor.
bier marries Viol"tte. and Meme
leaves the house forever. Terrible
her grief at the parting with the
children. But fate reserves the
worst blow for the last. Meeting
Lalie and little 10 some months