Evening star., 1924-04-06
Reviews of New Books

workmanship here that is distinctly a
refreshment to the reader.
SIEGE. BY Samuel Hopkins Adams,
author of Common Cause" etc.
New York: Boni & Liveright.
Mr.. Adams secures e clear feTaai
effect to this story of modern life.
Mrs. Augusta Ruyland is the befated
overload of the situation. A despot-
benevolent at times, but a despot all
the time-w'ho, at the head OF the
great Ruyland business, dominates
its directorate, controls its policies
and subjects its workmen to strict
paternalism. The business of the
story is the breaking of Augusta
Ruyland-seYenty-y -year-old autocrat
and rather splendid at that-through
the tnexorabie force Of the. new spirit
of the new time. Set off against this
embodied tradition is a young woman,
who encroaches upon the royal de-
mesne of Augusta Ruyland by the
simple process of falling in love with
nephew, who, thereafter, finds him
self between the devil of his august
aunts exactions and the deep sea of
his wife's wholly modern independ-
ence. poor stick, who gives way
under the pressure, the fate of all
poor sticks that can find no place to
Older ways of life and the present
ones. Mr.. Adams works out a highly
dramatic love story to keep step with
the intensified movement of the more
comprehensive purpose that the story
holds as its real essence and it's true
significance. The whole is pitched to
high key, which, almost at once,
tunes the reader to a responsive and
ABSORBED interest in its intense dra-
matte appeal.
JUDD Il JUDD. BY Nalbro RvartIey.
author of up and Coming" New
York: G. p. Putnam's Sons.
A common experience gives ground
TO this novel. 1t is the usual thing.
one takes it, for engaged people TO
forecast the program of married life.
These two did. Being equally intel
Ileeht and educated and bilious,
ana both more or less imbued with
the modern spirit of new freedom, this
program projected a partnership,
iaughlngly named, Judd & Judd"
from this point on almost anybody
with experience could finish the story
though not with the skill and in
terest and sympathy of the author.
AS 10 its rough outline, however,
tnere is but single line TO follow
that or the gradual drift from the op-
timistic Judd & Judd" status to
lures continue 10 be those of hustling
IN the opening. Hers gradually
slipped into the. less stirring business
OF keeping house. An old story re-
peating itself here in the acceptable
dress of fiction. AS such il is most
readable. 1t ends with new start
readlustment that lifts the spirit of
the reader with hope. Away down
AT the bottom of the matter there is
long stretch of habit-about a mil
non years lonE-convincing the reader
| that If Judd had not found himself in
the tghtest possible corner he would
never nave owned up, and that. as
soon as he can wriggle clear of il.
ne VIII continue to consider himself
as both sides of the partnership of
Judd & Judd" That. however has
nothlng to do with the good quality
OF TINS realistic and competent story.
even II one does feel that at the end
II Veers toward the fairy-taie ending.
ACDACITS. BY Ben Ames williams.
WHO othor or Evered," etc. New
story calculated, clearly. to shine
thoush For. the villain of the tale
is 80 daring, SO adroit and So sue-
cessf ui-for long time. at least
thAt TINS, in connection with his en-
saglng personality, may mark him
as a menace to the morals of Youth
ful male onlookers, perverter of
youth generally. The story itself is
FOUNDED on the familiar case Of mis-
taken identity. The two, the real
man and his impersonator, provide
an entertainment 80 clever and spar
KING as to divide honors between
them FOR the entire success of the ad-
venture. Just a shade of diff erence
however. gives the final right turn
10 the matter, much TO the readers
relief, for he had become positjyely
anxious lest that, audacious "a I,saaj-
lion beat the real Perry Dantong out
or MS blrthright and his ladylove and
everything. Once taken up the book
VIII stick to your hand till it is fin
ished' bedtime or no bedtime.
GOOD HUNTING. BY Norman Davev
author of The Pilgrim of a
Smile" etc. New York: George II.
Doran Company
The iadoor-and /outdoor-spor+ of
man hunting tax es up the time and
attention of this sprightly tale. The
hunters, of the female persuasion. are
panoplied in the immemorial arts and
artifices of their kind. In turn here
chapter by chapter, each appears mar
shallng her best and deadliest in q
Whole-hearted effort to reduce, by one.
the score OF 1,s97,20S superfiuous
women in this Unbalanced world.
more interested in idle dallianee or
bland indifference than he is in lend
ing hand of correction to one-sided
census reports. Each chapter, pur-
porIs 10 De study IN the great game
of man hunting, according to special
equipment and opportunity. This is,
at its best, d slow and time-eating
business. So it comes about that
young Julian Carr, a personable fell
low at this distance, is not getting
any younger and, by this token, not
adding to his stock of masculine
charms. AS a matter of fact, Julian
Carr is falling off. This, of course.
he does not suspect. They never do.
And time is at her slow, and often
clumsy, job of evening up things.
The last moment finds Julian Carr,
around fifty, secure 60 in the adora-
tion of a beautiful young girl. And
the eyes of Julian Carr are holden, for
he does not see the inevitable hatred
of this girl for Julian Carr in the
role of husband. At the altar steps
she is saying, IT hate hfmi Oh,
hate hint" He is driyeling some
thing to the effect that it frightens
him, positively frghtens me-the
way that child loves me-" Very well
DONE though it will be freely desig-
mated as faroical and extraVagant
1t would be, too, were not its essential
psychology as sound as a crisp ripe
apple. It's surface is comedy of the