Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1922-04-16
ny The BOOK Worm.

name Harrington Hext, he had in
mind to puzzle rather than deceive.
Can you Imagine a man being named
Harrington Hext? OF course he
started something as he intended to
start something. II. J.. Pangbor,,.
the look can only have been writ
ten by II. q. Wells or Sir Arthur
Conan Doyle. Well. am willing TO
wager that IL. l. Pangborn has an
other guess coming. II. G. Wells
versatility l admit makes us grant
him capable of writing almost any
thing-except George Bernard Shaw's
plays. III. q. liz publishing three
new books tiiis season besides n new
editiQn or two. still his capacity for
work at times seems almost limit.
Icss. SIR Arthur Conan Doyle on
The other hand. Is rather busy pag-
ing ghosts Just now. 1 think VIC
may grant that in his present mood
ne would scarcely have swept asid o
as Harrington Hext does. the possi-
bility OF these strange happenings
having causes outside our world. 1t
- less easy 10 eradicate II. G. Wells,
only why drag him in, when there
10 another Macmillan author who Ats
the case easily?
We arc thinking OF an English au-
thor OF considerable versatility who
'"ancs ~ Haoit OF writing three
very distinct types of novels and
sometimes to publish ono OF each
type In single season. whose name
~ very definitely connected with a
certain section OF the English coun-
try. who has written charming fan
tasieH dealing with NEUROLOGICAL
characters. and this Is the special
point-who wrote one OF tho best
mystery stories OF last year "a much
story. however. based as thiB one Is
based upon knowledge OF chemis-
Try. We cast our vote most emphat-
ically that Harrington Hexts ini-
tails are really Il. p. and that Mum
DOR u" Ia his third book this season.
Up-te-sho-Minutc Novel.
We fear. we greatly fear. that our
American ambassador to Italy will
not BIO very popular with Italian
ladies with whom no may dino. II
they should hrst happen to read the
dsHcription OF tho dinner in his nov
novel. Tho Hands OF Nara" where
his hero sits between powdered ex-
we should expect a tendency to cover
anything but tho most perfect
shouldsrs when Mr.. Child appears
Mt. Child Is living in the Orsini pai.
acc. which was built In 1876 for the
Savclli. 200 years ago. was acquired
by tho Orsini. Ia owned now by tho
Colonna family and Ia at present
housing the American embassy. It
aurmounts the ruins OF the Theater
OF Marcelus. begun by Julius Caesar
and completed by Augustus, which
uas ono Of the architectural glories
OF Imperial Rome II Ia rather an
amusing fact that Mr.. Child. who Ia
living In SO ancient a house, should
have written so up-to- the-minute a
"a
man who has studied more deeply
'han any man living into the theory
Of tho ductless glands.
f.. Phillips Opponheim'z last mes
sage TO America came by radio from
tho steamer. and wac. az most fare
well messages to US seem to be.
concerned with our Great Expert
tended us to find touch Of humor
in his assertion that prohibition SIS
at least n law born OF the desire for
greater spirituality" AT last we
have furnished our English visitors
something more absorbing to talk
about than the way we heat our
house, wear our cIothes and treat
our women.
A Heroine With Real Charm.
Since no ono literary or unliterary.
highbrow or lowbrow, Is likely to
have forgotten The Book of Susan"
tho fact that Lee Wilson Dodd has
2 new novel which the buttons have
just published. Lila Chenoworth,"
cannot fail to arouse interest. Once
again Mr.. Dodd has surprised US by
the real charm OF his heroine and
by tho originality of his handling OF
the story. More than that. once again
he has made us love other characters
as we'll as Lila. His woman's col
lego may not te the most convinc-
t~I
paper, but II will be hard to fnd
his rival at creating charming. mag
netic, lovable women. Lila Cheno-
worth" is going to be read and treas
ured by many.
An interesting story is told OF G.
Is. Storm whose last novel. '~rhe
china Shop" was JOY to the dis
tied with her books to an unusual
extent. for her friends call her Pc
ter" after one OF her heroines and
because she SO violently dislikes the
names her parents thrust upon her.
Moreover It was through the same
book, 'Twos and Threes," that she
met her husband. He read the book
in a hospital and objected so strongly
TO the hero that he wrote to tho
author and complained Utterly. In
her reply In defense she aske ed him
to come to see her. He went-and
threo months later they were mar
lied.
New Novel by Mrs. Hull.
News comes of n new novel by
Mrs Hull. author OF 1.-THE Sheik,"
who has. we understand. been wide
~ popular with publishers since she
furnished Small, Maynard with a
miniature gold mine. THE Sheik" is
a notable example OF n book which
has been sold almost entirely by
word OF mouth. The neat conserva
two hninspircd advertisements Of the
book can have had little to do with
It's success. 1t was read because of
the whispered rumor which always
preceded IL The best advertisement
Of the book we heard was commit
ed Ky college professor friend of
ours. She does not LOOK in the least
like the traditional woman college
professor. however. being very, very
easy to look at. 1--WE had heard how
easy to look at she was long before
we knew her.) She read The Shcik"
last summer while crossing to Eng
and, and when she had finished the
last page I'm mortal disgust" and
she says because she would not in
suit any one by giving them that
book to read" she rose and, walking
IN the rail flung tho bonls into ~,