The Washington times., 1922-05-14


quenchable joyousness," with
beautiful heavy hair, and of
frank honesty of eye and Of
gesture"
The beginning of the story finds
the people Of the Lake 1t. John
region leaving church op an April
morning. Maria is the topic of
conversation. and the young men
are lamenting that she lived so far
Off that they had small opportu-
nifty to manage an evening at her
homo.
Then appears Francois ParadIs.
who has not seen Maria for some
years. and romance brushes the
pages with golden wings. Fran
co.'s and Maria feel the lure of
springtime, and summer ripens
their friendship into love Short
are the summers Of that desola
region, and all too soon Francois
leaves for a far country to work
in logging camp. with the promise
to return in the spring.
Maria has learned from her
mother a legend that to one who
will recite a thousand Aves on
Christmas Eve a wish will be
granted. She completes her tale
Of a thousand. with a few extra
to make the count certain, and her
wish Is for the safe return Of her
lover. But Paradis. impatient at
the slow passing of the months.
starts in the middle Of the winter
to make the long journey to see his
betrothed, and is overwhelmed In
a dreadful blizzard.
Eutrope Gagnon, a neighbort,rg
youth who has long loved M1ta.
brings to her the news of Francois
death. Though Eutrope knows
that in the death Of Paradis the
great obstacle to his love has been
removed, there Is naught but
honest sympathy in his manner
as he tells Maria Of the death Of
Francois, and he joins the IA c1ily
in their whispered five more
Paters and five more Aves for the
repose Of those who have b-en
overtaken In the woods"
Though Maria prays much for
her dead, youth is hers, and life
and youth stir within her until
eventually she thinks OF Franc Dis
as Of a sweet memory, an IN
spiration to things spiritual. Time
goes on, with Eutrope an unob-
trusive suitor, when comes Lorenz
Surprenant from the States. lie
lays ardent suit to Maria, ridtcules
the drabness and monotony OF
country life. and pictures the
glory Of existence in the mighty
cities of the United States.
The pictures he sets before
Maria cause her unrest and de-
sire Of escape from the restricted
life which is hers. Eutrope has
nothing to offer but a continuation
Of her present lot-Lorenz depicts
a beautiful vision Of emancipation.
Then Maria's mother dies. and
a new love wakens within her,
love of her ancestral land, its GUS
toms, its speech, it's simple and
kindly folk. Now II is her desire
ito dwell in this land as her
mother had dwelt, and dying thus.
to leave behind her a sorrowinS
husband and a record Of the
virtues Of her race"
f. P. DUTToN AND COMPANY
announce that they will shortly
publish a new novel by Miss l.. A.
r. wylie, called "The Dark House."
and also that they have taken over
from John Lane her other books.
"The Shining Heights" Towards
Morning." Children of Storm"
"Rogues and Company" and Holy
Fire"
TN the great gloomy forests,
where the pines cast their
fragrance. where the glorious
foliage famed, and the streams
sparkled under the sunny autumn
sky-no, we are not attempting
the lyrical but merely providing
a proper setting for the young
Delaware chief. Spotted Deer, as
he returns from a hunting ex-
pedition. burdened by a fat buck.
a few geese and an indeterminate
number of grouse.
Elmer Russell Gregor, in