The Omaha morning bee. [volume] (Omaha [Neb.]) 1922-1927, 1922-10-08
A Novel of Passion
With q Heroine of 90
Robert Hehens Turns From The Garden Of Allah 10 Tell
The Romance Of an Old Lady. in December Love-

The grim tragedy 81 old age,
bodily old age with the heart III
young painted ia realistic wore
by Robert HiehenH in "peeembe
Love-" hia latest book, published .
George n, Doran.
II is most unusual love story
winch woman Of 80 In the rival {
a woman Of 20 for the love of Il youb
man OF 80
Lady Adela ssllingworth ia a bri
liant woman. a figure In London y
clety. ahe has been "a famous beautl
twice widowed and, at 90, In ST
clinging 90 youth with outward con
posture aud inward fear. She II on
Of the "old Guard" OF London NJ
elsty ladies In their 40s and SOS who
by exsrcls. Of the arts OF mnHseur
and Swiss doctors. are striving to np
pear and act 80.
But nj 30 she no longer cares 10
the admiration and love 81 men .
her own age and older but longs 10
the love OF young men. Her feeling
are laid bare:
SHE considered the possibility Of
marrying again and Of marrying a
man many years younger than her.
self. Several women whom shs
knew had done this. Why should
she not do it7 Such marriages
seldom turned out well. seldom
lhsted very long. But there were
exceptions 10 every rule. Her
marriage. II she made n, might be
an exception. She was now only
~. tShe had reached the age when
that qualifying word is applied 10
the years.)
women older. much older than
herself had married mere boys.
She did not intend 10 do that. But
why should she not take n charm.
Ing man or say 30, into her life?"
One day she sees remarkabl,
handsome young fellow gazing ut he
with what she believes 10 be n long
Ing to know her. Delighted inwnrdIy
she is thereafter led through seriei
OF silent intrlgues. TO n point wber,
the unknown steals her Jewels worti
fJ0 900.
Then she takes the great ste,
which makes her the talk Of her no
cihl set. She abandons deliberatel,
the artificial youth which she has 81
jaboriously courted for years and al
lows nature TO take its course. Sh,
grows old IN n year.
But 40 charming does she becom.
that Allck Craven, man Of 80 II
tho Ffnratpgn La. ntt
and abandons the charms OF younr
Beryl Van Tuyn to be with Lady Sci
lIngworth. This is dozen year.
after'the affair OF the Jewels, and sh,
Is co.
Here lies the tragedy. Lady Sci
Iingworth, again striving 70 nppea,
young, growing older every day ant
in horror of-tlle abyss Of TO-" yet pas
sionately in love with Craven ant
feeling that he can never love her II
the way that she loves him.
The tortured heart OF the great
lady Is again analysed I'm this grin
situation with the remarkably sure
touch Of Mr.. Hichens:
ut had all come back; the old,
greedy love Of sympathy and ad.
miratlon, the old worship Of strength
nnd youth and hot blood and good
looks, the old longing for desire and
love, the old almost Irritating pas.
sion to possess, to dominate, TO be
first, TO submerge another human
being in her own personality. After
10 years she was In love again, des-
perately in love.
But she was an elderly woman
now. so elderly that many people
would, no doubt, think II was i'm.
possible that she should be in love.
How little such people knew about
human nature!
"And she was 60.
What was to be done7
"Craven was certainly fond OF her
already. Quietly she had triumphed
that night. Three women had seen
and had quite understood. But in
spite OF that triumph, Lady Selling.
worth felt almost desperately afraid
that night when she was alone. For
she knew how great the difference
was between her feeling for Craven
and his for her. And with greater In
terest, that difference, she felt sure.
must ever increase. For she would
want from him what he would never
want or even dream Of wanting
from her. He would be satisfied In
their friendship, while she would
be always starving. He would never
know that cruel longing to touch
which marks the difference between
what is love and what Is friendship
"She prayed that she might feel
old. so old that she might cease
from being attracted by youth,
from longing after youth in this
dreadful tormentlhg way"
Meantime Bervl Van Tuyn has been
fascinated by "a living bronze" a
strllsingly handsome young man. His
power over her becomes almost
hypnotic. Already rich. she inherits
$4,000 900 more, and then the young
man. Nicholas Arabian by name. pro
noses marriage after he has. apparent
" on purpose, compromised her In
the eyes Of her noble friends
One evening Lady Sellingworth
sees this man and recognized him as
the adventurer who. years before led
her into the intrigue which resulted
In the theft OF her jewels,
Then comes the battle Of good and
Ind In her heart. For she and
Beryl. having been rivals for Craven,
are polite enemies, Good wins Lady
Scllineworth. at the price ~ revealing
her affair 81 dozen years before, and
AZ the risk ~ losing the affection n
old Sir Seymour purtman, her faith,
5ul ndmireF for years, saves neryl
from the Vaccinations 81 Arabian.
The author ~ "rhs Garden II
Allah and "Relladnnna" has never
dome a better novel than December
Love lie hArdles the subject with
a power ana hrilrary ~ touch thHt
makes 1, ring true III every mage it's
great hdea ~ i.onaan snciegY talk
and act like vrelt iadea Anl his
painting ~ the seauudrel. Ar8bIau
ard ~ blck uaratin the RRnlHa