Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1922-04-17

against the interests OF such ambitious
negroes a. aspire sufficiently to come
In contact with Il. and. second. the
invctcrn,o lcvity with which the Mig
gers doinGs are viewed. The white
town was not deliberately cruel; III
was merely amused. An ambitious
negro In funny; he won't succeed IN
DOING anything anyhow--why take his
mishaps in a mood OF tragedy There
was no ill-will toward Peter. Buu what
did he want to mix up In the kind OF
AFFAIRS that belong to white men for?
Look at tho mess he makes OF It!
Thcn-hilsrity over his bunsling.
The story steadily develops, holding
one TO intent and even anxious inter-
est. yet II IL less significant than the
profound Implications OF the various
episodes tas when Peter Ii IA fellow
alumnus OF Harvard In tho library
but only "nigger" In the dining
room). Here il II sincere. unexcited.
very quietly and arttstically done
story OF an aspiring young Negro
not defiant and not lacking In COM
mon scnse--in his native environment.
the story written by a Southcrner who
]
! Received OF the publishers.
"Dayid, the Son Of jesse Ry Mar.
! jory S,ratchey, New York City: The
Century Co. 3sS Fourth avenue.
/ tl.76. nep.
Tho author is n sister of ISttou
Strschey. who wrote the Life that
made Queen Victoria famous @. aud
80 Is "a curious fact that she has done
her life OF the shepherd musician
king in a WAY az markedly uncXpect-
sd and original as is her brothers
handling of his theme.
\ life Of David that is modern In
tone. matter OF fact and imposed has
a pleasant shock OF surprise and nov
city in store for the reader. ono nat
urally expects tho historical novel
To be romantic: the subject of this
one In particular holds temptations
to the musical marchlns Of phrases
to "ane writing" 10 the piling up ot
picturesque scenery and accessories
like a million dollar spectacle
Rut nothing OF tho sort happens
Sometimes the phrasing Ia almost dry
IL might be concerned with the affairs
ot modern politician. often. very
often, there is an almost surreptitious
ltug at the sense of humor. Some
times the sense OF tremendously dra-
matte events il conveyed through the
small dagser-point Of personal anSi-
ETY. which 1, all that touches tbs
sreatest fgure in them: that is III,
way life itself stage manages things
it ir real. and powerfully carries con
viCtion The reader believes I'm this
man and king.
The tsle covers the whole 1ife oi
David. from the time when he was q
shepherd lad TO his death, Their IL
little evidence of the labor and re.
search which muet be behind th'
work. IT is ostensihly Just frank
straishtaway narrative. ~ simply
handled as any story ~ today foi
which an author has gathered con
temporary local color"
The inherently drama tic appeal ng
poetic facts OF the story do not suffer
the fascination iS strong. and tbs
ietrangeness ~ the semi barbariC Gus
tom. thought and background Is a.
centuated. rather. by the way IN which
Miss Strachey has devoted her re
inarkabie insight and power of re.
strained expression 20 vivifying th'
Great King simply as mana hu
man being motivated by the common
and eternal hopes. passions and de
sires OF man.
The book is. in ehort a novel.
brisk. energetic and strong one
stripped OF ornament and oratory
which gives what we feel 10 he NOV
ing and a more than probable inter
probation OF life whose every cir
Cumstsnce was romantic.
Received OF the publishers.