New-York tribune., 1922-10-08
Four Books by Women
By Kathleen Field

party, i'll assorted but drawn together
by q common epeechs
The reader becomes more grateful
than eyer to Vasco da Cana for finding
route to India Sinbad does not
splash her letters. with polychrome de-
scriptions Of these isles of spice. In
stead this girlish Marco Polo lures
with. the peace of coral islands: "There
was q guest in my cabin this morning
visitant imaginable. Can you guess
who or what it was? I will tell you,
Hinbad? 1t was perfume 1t came
shortly after the break of day, over
powering gently but surely the stronger
odors of the sea and ship, and the first
thing knew + was ,inhaling its subtle
compounds, suggesting somehow the
odor from brown bodies, such as | had
never yet seen, but all permeated by
finer odor as fresh as the smell of
honey in the bud. ] vas almost afraid
| to look from my port, for fear the ISL
and without would not be beautiful and
j so shame its .amba ssador.'
| Sinbad loses her money, all Of itex-
| cept $50. Misunderstanding multiply
between Sinbad and the explorer until
there seems little chance of reconcilia-
| tion. Sinbad has touch of tropical
fever, but leaves her companions at
Singapore to go after the sick Mrs.
Shepley.
Mrs. shepleyis dead Her husband,
drug fiend, proposes that Sinbad live
with him. Sick, penniless and alone
/ is this youthful adventurer when, with
almost movie hero timeliness, the pro.
| fessor appears. There is gayety and
elusiveS charm about these letters
! which will delight every reader.
e
An English Judge who tries to save
theme Of "Riehard," by Marguerite
Bryant. The book Is absorbing and
unconvincing. At a dinner party Mr.
Justice Garven meets man named
Hood, whom he recognizes as his sor
Richard. Long ago it was given ou
that Richard was dead, The judge
I insists on Hood, for Richard use.
many aliases, accompanying him to hi:
home. There he tells him that ht
knows him to be Saunders, the roto
riousS swindler, who escaped aftel
serving two years Of seven-year sen
4 tence. The judge, who is about to b,
promoted, declines further honor
rather than be in the hypocritical posi-
ton Of an administrator of the Law
, and the father of a criminal.
Several alternatives are suggeste,
to Richard, i giving himself up to th'
, authorities or placing his future il
! his fathers hands. Choosing the lat
, ter he begins hve-year term of vol
II untary imprisonment at the home .
! q Mr.. Dunster in Somerset.
When Mr.. Dunster's daughter, Joan
comes home the end can be readil,
, guessed. The author attempts to prov,
I that possessive love is redemptive. Blu
. as she fails to establish sympathy TO
Z this fippant young crook, no time vii
5 be wasted in wondering if the happy
5 eyer-after ending is but the beginnin,
: ofgtragedy for Joan.
The reader will not have to hun
:. through either Shelley or Brownin
: for the title Of @. Douglass new bool
Ann and Her Mother" The coupie
is not misleading nor has it hidde
e poetical Significance. Ann Douglas j
writing her mothers "Lifena She ask
! her motherkin, that s'worrit-lookir
: wumman." if she remembers-and tn
7 talk of "auld lang syne" flows on fs
I hours uninterrupted. except for the al
Z rival of tea.
Through these conversations the bug
days of a Scotch minister's wife ar
. revealed. One by one her late hus
!, bands parishioners are picked up an
: their idiosyncrasies kindly commente
!, upon. Ann helps the progress Of tn
! Life By adding her memories o
!, childhood and Of the five ether childre
to her mothers inexhaustible stor.
Births, misdemeanors, illnesses an
: joys follow in repetitious enthusiasm.
AS the long wrestle on the "Life
. comes to an end we read:
Il x wonder who you think could pos
, sibly be interested in such an unevent
. full record All about nothing, and NO
s even an end dn-
i wonder, said Ann.
We wonder. toe. = 1 sssIE sEzsSi