Evening star., 1922-04-16
Reviews Of New Books


growth besides. A man falls in love
with another mans wife. The wife falls
| In love with him. So time-worn q
theme must depend on fresh and origi-
nal treatment to deliver itsover into the
ready acceptance Of the average reader.
TIE particular situation in this case Is
that OF husband overabsorbed in his
profession and glad to have his friend
play around with the wife. These are
all excellent peone-no thought OF evil
to be found among the three. But the
inevitable comes along. And the young
see what he can do about drinking the
city dry. The woman stays with her
husband in San Francisco, engaging
herself in the same enterprise. A Gu
/ rlous turn, this. and one that the author
follows through the ups and downs of
a sordid and repellent realism. In the
course Of time the husband dies. The
two derelicts then come together and
set about the successful business OF re-
forming each other and taking again an
honorable place in the world. One hardly
knows whether this is study OF tenn
permanent or whether dt is study OF
social practices that in fifty years from
now Will be as extinct and interesting
as are the fossil signs of ancient plant
and animal existence. If it Is neither OF
degree of interest by virtue Of sin
cere handling.
THE KEY NOTE. By Clara Louise
Burnham, author of Jewel" ETC.
Boston: Houghton Miffiin Com
pany.
This novel has a purpose, one that
whole. to embody the authors gos-
pei OF love and comprehension as the
great remedial force of life. This
gospel exemplifies itself in the mis-
fortunes Of a lad whom chance has
placed in the hands of an unscruplu-
ious man and who becomes here the
special care Of a big-hearted and low
ing woman. Around this central
thought. however. a romance devel-
ops. 1t. too, has purpose-that or
showing the effect of the simple life.
for single summer. on rich and
aloof young woman. The setting Is
an island in Casco bay. The author
| Is familiar with this region. loving it
and interpreting it beautifully. In a
makeshift summer boarding house
| the matter in hand here develops.
There is an outstanding young island
er about the place, and the growing
romance between him and the rich
girl forms a substantial part of the
development. This Philip Barrison is
attractive and believable as human
being. One. however, has a grievance
against the author for making the
girl. Diana. SO little convincing.
When one meets her she is a ridic-
ulous and absurd piece of puIe ped
antry. That Is too bad. for, sat the
last, one would like to forget the
potential foolishness done up in her
| pretty skin. Priscilla Burridge, who
runs the boarding house. is a fine
creation. So is Diana's father, who
appears at the right moment. The
girls mother is fool and. as fool.
she is admirable. Maybe that is what
| is the matter with the girl. On the
| whole. this is good story. with a
I few shaky spots in it. 1t serves to
give a good account of the Maine
| coast. to deliver the authors unvary-
ing message, and to present few ad-
mirab1e types of character. And that
| is pretty good account.
| THE TRYsT. BY Grace Livingston
Hill, author of Marcia Schuyler"
etc. Frontispiece by Ralph p.
coleman. Philadelphia: ]. b. Lip
pincott Company.
! This is the story of a young girl
| who runs away from home and then
| runs strainght into the arms of a
| rich spinster who is out looking for
| exactly that kind of young woman
| to be her companion. And from this
] moment Patty Merrill keeps on NOV
| ing from one point of advantage to
another till at last she moves into
| the affections of an estimable man
| and becomes his wife-or is about
to do this when the story ends. The
! young man. and Patty. too. are mod
, ern folks. with high ideals and a de-
! sire to burnish up this rusty old
world with good deeds and out-reach-
(; ing hands of helpfulness. And they
| find plenty to do. Industry is not
what it should be. Even religion
! needs attention. So. in youthful
and ardent activity they work. grad
| ually toward each other. till gen.
| uine love story is drawn off from
this general plan of making the world
a nice place to live inA A very en-
gaging story. which young readers
| in particular. will like. Older read
ers realize that a special providence
| is working here, and that. in real
! life, these neat, but illogical. turns
of fortune do not wait upon the foot
steps of even beautiful and good
young girls like Patty Merrill and
/ the fine young man who helps to
complete the story.