The New York herald., 1922-02-12

Wt1EfeE THE RANEMENI ENDS
By John Russell. Alfred A. Knopf.
WILD JUSTICE. BY Lloyd Osbourne.
d. Appleton & Co.
|nERHAPs the most outstanding
fact about these two reprints
Of short stories of the South
Seas is that although the authors in
style and temperament are opposites,
both have produced narratives which
have in common situations of con-
siderable dramatic power. Perhaps
the South Seas, the chosen setting
for their tales, is responsible, perhaps
there is something in the idle, easy
life Of these already much storied
islands that nourishes the hectic dra-
matte Imagination.
Lloyd Osbourne may be remem-
bered as the man who collaborated
with Robert Louis Stevenson in the
writing Of the novel entitled "The
Wrecker." His style is the mellifiu-
Gus, rather leisurely narrative style
Of the last century. slightly out Of
keeping with the tense situations his
stories set forth. OSbOurne possesses
the further recommendation of long
Vile was captive and where Gaugin's
jaded fancy took on new being.
Russell has also dwelt for some
time on these islands, but relatively
his stay there was that of the bird
of passage. By profession a journal
ist he brought to his writing the
keen, highly trained eye of his call
ing. For the powerful narratives he
has written the impatient, brusque
American newspaper style is admira-
bly, suited far better than Osbourne's
sauntering periods.
Critics in England have compared
Russell to Kipling, but to an Amer
lean eye he resembles o. Henry more.
Certainly his lightning surprise end
ings jolt the reader and leave him
wrapt and penSive as only the author
OF the -Four Million could. 1t is be-
cause of these endings that many of
his stories will not bear retelling here.
The disclosure Of the ending would
rob the reader of much pleasure.
One might. however, tell the story
of the rum soaked beach comber who
found his soul. He was a red whis-
kered sot combing the beach at Fu-
futi. One day a black carried him
off in a proa and sailed 500 miles
across the sea with his cargo. There
was no liquor on board and the beach
comber, formerly q newspaper man,
gradually finds himself. When the
pair arrive at their journeys end the
white man discovers that he has been
saved because the black desires his
head, especially valuable because OF
the red whiskers.
Pellet saw all this in flash. u1i-
derstood it as far as any white
ould understand: the whole elemental
and stupendous simplicity OF it. And
standing there in his new strength
and sanity under the fair promise of
the morning he gave a laugh that
pealed across the waters and started
the sea birds from their cliffs, the
deep throated laugh of man who
fathoms and accepts the last great
jest.
Thou shouldst die as he dies,
For whom none sheddeth tears;
Filling thine eyes
And fulfilling thine ears
With the brilliance. the
bloom and the beauty.
Thus chanted Christopher Alex
ander Pellet over the waters of the
bay and then whirled, throwing wide
his arms:
"'Shoot, damn you! It's cheap at
the price!'"
Many of Osbourne's tales are al
most as effective. The story called
The Renegade" is a strong tale Of
sailor who deserted his ship to marry
O. little South Seas girl. The home
he built up and tended with care is
one destroyed by a detachment of
soldiery of one of the Powers. He
joins the islanders in fighting the in
vader and dies in battle. The story
has the ring of truth. In episode and
climax it is stirring, but somehow
1t never achieves the momentum of
Russelrs stories.
PERHAPS the comparison between
the two writer's is unfair. Mr.. Rus
sells stories are dark of hue and red.
Those of Mr.. Osbourne are pale and
lavender The pale always suffer nv