New-York tribune., 1922-10-08

and j. Noel. Century Company,
CRYDER OF THE BIG WOODS. BY
Co.
III T is frequent lament of the cul-
n tured that America has no history,
IN and hence no atmosphere, no
glamour, no romance. The truth
is that no country ever compressed so
many stages of history within so brief
period, and so recently that we have
not yet got a perspective upon it.
What Europe took two thousand years
to accomplish, America jammed
through in two hundred. 1t passed
from the Stone Age by way
of the pastoral and agricultural
eras to the present day of hunlming
industrialsm within that short span,
not emitting the period of the strong
hand and every man for himself, equiv
alent to Europe's Dark Ages, or the
Age of Chivalry in the literal sense
of the term-which, indeed, is all the
sense it ever had And just as the
softening vista of the centuries trans
mutes that grim and bloody time of
the Men on Horseback into the Age OF
Romance for Europe, SO it IS happen
ing in America. What else is romance
ever made of but the memory of hot
and hazardous life and quick death
hardly encountered?
Hitherto the West lacked a Frois-
sart; contemporary chronicler whose
aim should be to set down the plain
facts. Soon it will be too late. The
two men best qualified for the task
are gone, for there were two who not
only saw and lived the life, but after
ward made writing their profession.
Alfred Henry Lewis for first choice,
whose personal adventures were more
strange and stirring than even his fc-
tion tales. And "Bat" Masterson, who
died only last year, ftly with his boots
on, but those boots peaceably reposing
upon an editorial desk in New York
And If these were not the last of the
men who knew the West when it was
really wild and had their part in tam
ing it, they must have been very nearly
| so. They did not choose to record it.
perhaps through reluctance to exploit
| themselves
Hence the effort of Frederick R.
Bechdolt, in writing "When the West
Was Young" is highly commendable
and has historical value far beyond
It's modest pretensions. Besides it is
| emlnently readable as pure entertain
ment.
! 1t deals only with the Southwest
thus leaving a considerable field fo1
| future historians. But the Southwest
] probably offered the greatest variety
and wealth of color for writer, since
1T was the battle ground of three races
and ultimately the connecting link b,
which the two empires of the East ane
1 the West were fused into one by the
coming of the railways.
Mr. Bechdolt has sensib1y chosen Il
! make his book a record of personAlities
illumlned by various episodes thrown
INTO something like short story form
| though adhering to fact as closely q.
possible. He properly allows himseI,
the same liberty as antique historian.
l In supplying conversation for his per
sonages: But his sense of fitness ant
ear Tor dialect are seldom at fault;
rarely does he lapse into melodrama
great as the temptation is. A bare re
cital Of the chapters shows how great,
the naming of Death Valley, for OK
ample, and of Tombstone; the wild oat
Of Tombstone C"Bat" Masterson was tn,
first sheriff of that lively town., ant
the Showdown which was their reaping
the exploits of Cochise, the Apach,
chief; John Slaughter's career, and III
antithesis, the life story of Joaquin
4 Murieta, king of the bandits. Grea
4 pity 1T was, as medieval writer woul
/ say, of Joaquin Murieta. In old Spa;1
ne might have been another Cid Cam
peador, inscribed forever upon 'lonor'
roll, for he was brave and skillful, an
was driven to wrong by sufferin,
4 wrong;' but the time was past Tor tn
making of mobiles out of able outlaws.
A All the elements of these storie,
4 are almost identical with those of oil
romance, if you strip them bare. Eve,
the terminoiogy has the same favor
4 What is the difference between
4 Pepin the Short and a Shorty? O
a Frederick Barbarossa, Red Beard. an,
4 4Curly" Bill? or Kettlebelly Johnso,
Il and Ferdinand Ell Cerda---he sof In
4 wart? King !" John Lakeland an,
4 Johnny Behind the Deuce are not 4
4 far apart. And did Richard Lionhear
ever fight more valiantly thar .sWild
Bill Hickock whenas he game
4 hig nickname hy s1ay;ne. oSnrJa 49,, :.