Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1923-05-20
Continued from Tenth Page1

would not pause over their too IA
miiiar troubles. Sir Ian Strangeway
Is eminently worth while, just as
man. AS husband his title is less
clear. And Clodagh Laidlaw, his wife,
IS a woman who thinks-rare., this, a
beautiful woman who has learned to
think. She behaves in a fine blend of
dignity and generosity. a real woman
or undeniable charm. Sir Ian Is, on
the other hand, an engaging budget
of lifelong indulgences. Not a bad
FELLOW, but too sure of himself, too
m mas Sf even for an EngtSSh1ma n
Clodagh at least from his arrogancies
and infdelities-just spoiled and
messing around in silly harem com
pick. Clodagh runs away. under a
perfectly plausible pretext. to an
island of the Mediterranean. The
really picturesque and delightful
aspect OF the romance develops at
This point She does finally go back
homc-but certainly not to stay. That
certainly makes the reason for read
ers wishing to know more about her.
THE BARB. BY William ]. McNally.
New York: G. p. Putnam's Sons.
IL you are not up on college lingo
YOU will need to know that a barb
is a barbarian. That is, he is a col
lego man who, nevertheless. is on the
outside of some one or another of
the college fraternities in which this
institution SO abounds. This is the
story of Bob Whitney's college career
in Il state university. BY setting, and
Incident. and implication. II appears
TO be about the sum of state univCr-
sity life. Education itself has, APP
parently. little to do with the matter
where the silly snobberics of half
baked young men and women are in
almost complete control The story
tells how Bob whitney. non-fratern-
ity man, makes Roadway with his
studies and his friends against this
fun tide Of damfoolishness in student
affairs Aside from this dominating
note the story concerns itself, in
keenly interesting fashion. with tho
character of Bob Whitney and one or
two others who have not succumbcd
to the autocratic demands of the
brotherhood A good story OF itself,
IT has. besides, tho value of present
ing, in restraint and fair dealing, the
ideas and practices of the fraterni-
ties that. at present, are calling at
tcntion Of sensible and capable peo-
pie 10 them by their usurpations OF
legitimate measures of education in
high schools. colleges and universi-
ties. However. this is first and fore
most a story, a love story at that in
fnalty, despite the fact that it en-
sphasiBes 50 strongly the use and the
abuse of the fraternity idea.
MISS MAPP. BY L. f. Benson. author
of Peter" etc. New York. George
III. Doran Company.
A neighborhood chronicle, in which
Miss Mapp. SpinStcr. is the center OF
the authors concern and of the
readers interest. y mildly amusing
account OF Miss Mapp In her rest
less curiosity. her tremendous &C
tivity in other peoples business. her
small social ambitions and the little
intriSues to meet these, her playful
coquetries-and all the rest of the
traditional treatment of the old maid
in literature 1t would be impossible
for Mr. Benson to be caustic, even If
he wished to be. However, in the
portrayal of Miss Mapp he is many
degrees. less genial than it is like
him to be. To be sure she is an alb
surd spinster. And these absurdities
he has brought out with the skill OF
tile practiced observer and writer
Old maids generally are absurd. and
bitter, and vinegary-why shouldn't
they be. Good caricature. this. fair