Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1923-04-08

gives proof that Sir Philip
Gibbs, novelist, and Philip
Gibbs, war correspondent,
ate one and the same \ deeply seri-
obs man. We remember the quality
81 his war correspondence which was
Something other. than its accurate
aid brilliant reports of the move
rtents of war and the tiGA OF battle.
The hideous inhumanity of war took
possession of him. and the certainty
with which it might be averted IL
nations OF men would only try hon
estly to understand one another. This
conviction became gospel which Sir
Philip delivered in lectures and talk
and writings. Here the gospel be-
comes a novel, its message, as such,
hidden in the everyday preoccupa-
tons OF group of Londoners right
after the war. Discomfort and pas
sion are at their height Radical
Laborers are at their bitterest. The
landed folks. tho rich men, are no
less passionate, In an opposite diree-
tion. The hero of the story. a return
ed soldier, d thoughtful man, wish
ing the best for his country and the
world, urges. in season and out, the
need for understanding, the middle
course of judgment between these
two hostile elements around him. The
opening of the story finds him mar
ried. a bit out of his class. since
his wife is the Lady Joyce" while
he is plain Bertran Pollard Merely
another phase. this. OF the ultimate
need OF understanding to save
threatened household. Bertram
mikes freely with all classes of the
out just how these. clashing minds
are working. He goes to France and
Germany and Russia on this quest
of the human heart. no matter what
It's outer racial expression may be.
The story progresses by way of this
pilgrimage and the alienation of his
wife who. also. does not understand
There is nothing somber here. no OBJ
truslon of a mission. On the con-
trary there is happy companionship,
the lure of strange places. the stir
'of men and women thinking and
taIkt Qs together with intelligence
and personality and charm. However,
at the end of the seriously brilliant
story one realizes that il is the old
neepossession of war time turned to
the uses of a highly dramatic love
story.
THE HINGES OF CUSTOM. By Ed
nah Aiken. New York: Dodd,
Mead & Co
The theme is as old as marriage
Itself, as new as the most outspoken
modern announcements on the sub
lect Trapped into. marriage. That
IS the foundation of the matter. Then
what to do about 1t. What was done
about it provides the action. The
end" 1nconclusion. The basis of this
story is not uncommon in life. Many
people are trapped into marriage
not by some artful and designing
person. of necessity. But. instead. by
circumstance. by ones own nature
sE the urge of youth and the
courage of inexperience. Here,
young man away in Africa found
himself married before. he could
guess what was happening to him.
Everybody knows how large part
loneliness plays in the scheme. of
matrimony. On the other hand a girl in
england, shut in hateful surround
ings. from which there appeared to
De no escape. took the way of escape
that SO many girls do. marries the
hrst man who asks her to step out
and away with him 10 some place
that looks like heaven just because
II IS different. In the scheme of this
story, the young man from Africa
and the girl in England come to-
gether, each married to hateful
partner. What to do about it?
1hey love each other-about as
sincere and about as hopeless a case
OF love as one could imagine. They
are honest folks. OF the higher grade.
IL Is IKE both of them to do the right
thing. Well. they do that. A very
Gellcate and beautiful love story, this.
10 pc sure. II answers no questions
on the perplexing subject of mar
rage. There does not seem to be any
answer TO this multifarious question.
II does present love outside the law.
however, in way to let 1t be looked
INTO without storm of prejudice
breaking, even before the investiga
lion has commenced. This author has
a style. way of writing, that is so
unusual, so worth study and emula-
Gon. that this should be a book for
writers to read. Crisp, vigorous, pic
turesque. no padding, packed words
TO deliver theme of substance and
appeal, INV
Ai Tie LIFE STORIES. By Sir
harry Johnston. author of The
veneerings." etc. New York: The
, Macmillan Company.
Twenty little stories that Sir Harry
Johnston has lifted out from life in
his going up and down over the face
81 the earth. Some are set in Africa.
some in London some otherwhare
me most OF them have to do with
love, either in direct attack or in a
shirllng OF thu borders of this ire
mendous preoccupation. The author
turns them out in an easy informai-
NY mat makes them seem as real
as life-as they are. One can believe
even, under this smiling realism of
manner. that two young people can
be interested in the pituitary gland,
that this passion could have been the
means of bringing them together-
At least; one might have believed this
IL Sir Harry had not owned up that
the young man was just making be-
'lieye, In order to catch the attention
Of the maiden whose life was, appar-
emily, given up to the study of this
perriexing bit OF human Suatomy 1t
worked. the subterfuge did, and the
two were made one, much to the ad-
vantage Of the other one. as the lady
was millions rich. Good incidents,
good fun and hearty offhand way
of creating human action that one
accepts In a thorough enjoyment Of
the play-time occupa tion OF q great
traveller ard explorer
FAINT PERFUME. BY iona Gale. au-
thor of Miss Lulu Bett." New
York: D. Appleton & Co.
There is no reason why the
Crumbs should not become as well
known as Miss Lulu Betti'' They
sre created in the image of the folks