Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1924-04-13
Reviews of New Books

lenged birthright. Hopeless and pit
iful. And the author leaves il just
that way, with no false movement
toward overstress at any point. Inc
background itself, that of Japanese
daily life at the moment, is said Dy
those who know it through expert
ence to be that of an all-around re-
ality. Mr.. Kinney, the managing
editor of an English newspaper in
Japan. has done the good service or
holding himself in hand for the sake
of presenting a truth that, in itself,
Is so poignantly dramatic as to re-
quire only sympathetic literal pro-
lection for its best and most pointed
effect. The story, deeply interesting
as a story, is of even greater worth
as a well considered and convincing
picture of the most vital aspects OF
modern Japanese life.
THE GAY ONES. BY Charles Han
son Towne, author of "Ambling
Through Acadia" etc New York:
The Century Company.
The stage here is taken and held
by the smart set-as the rich loaf
ers, banded, appear to have named
themselves. Naturally. therefore,
this is a hectic performance. Auto
matically adjustable marriage bonds,
slipstitch engagements. open-work
firtations, gambling eScapades, dane
ing debauches, and so on, and so on,
tries to follow this social trantella
of the smart folks. Amazing en-
ergy. astonishing endurance, marvels
of inventive genius go into this en-
terprise of making the days and
nights go by on joyous wings. No
discontent-at least none to men
ton. Certainly none at all among
the women. A man or two may grow
bit FESTIVE under open demonstra-
ton of the fact that the daughter
of the horse leech had nothing at
all on his wife when it came to de-
more freedom. more play, more dis
play. Then the war. Nothing to
them. So they capered the more in
dustriously in denial of personal
obligation toward the war. Three
out of the whole gang-that's the
themselves into responsible human
beings and answered the call. The
end OF the story is a logical sequence
of the conditions set by these people.
that. The vital point OF sequence,
however, the one regen Grating ele-
ment of cause and effect brought out
here in respect to single rebel
against this group-My! My! With
what prompt and whole hearted con-
domination you will meet that.
JESNIFER LORN; A Sedate E;xtrnvs-
CANA. BY Elinor Wylie. New
York: George H. Doran Company.
Not story. Linked episodes. in
stead, out OF the marital adventure Of
the Hon. Gerald Ponyard and his
bride. Jennifer Lorn. Dead and gone
now. these two hundred years. both of
them. This gap in time offers no diff
Guilty 10 the reader, however. since
the author takes him back, bodily,
into the facts and fiavors of the
al q in a
fled atmosphere of elaborated nothings,
characteristic of this artificial period,
one goes along with the two on the
long and leisurely journey between
England and India. the India created
by the East India Company. However.
points of departure and arrival. along
with the ways in between, count here
only to give varied pictures for the
setting out, in Ii ceremonial elabora-
ton of the futile nonsense of exist
ence-of general existence. not only
that of the Hon. Gerald and his bride.
A clever invention. Comedy, in gay
garments all f1ounces and ribbons,
with curtsy and measured step moves
back here-moSt innocent, wise and
disarming-to give a good long light
on the great human game of make
believe. A treat, besides. to such
as find clear pleasure in an authors
manner, in his distinctive way with
words.
RICHMOND, It's People and Its
Story. BY Mary Newton Stanard,
author of Colonial Virginia: Its
People and Customs" etc. Illus
trated. Philadelphia: j. B. Lippin-
colt Company.
Not more than half a dozen spots
in the United States-pe rhaps not so
many even-possess the elusive but
potent charms of atmosphere" in
which the old world is so rich.
Boston has it, and Philadelphia, and
New OrleanH Richmond has it-that
blend of climate and people and
deeds of moment, all stepped in the
brew of their own years, many years
distilling something exclusively
their own, rich and ripe and fra
grant Judging Mrs. Stanar1's story
of Richmond by its effect its prime
purpose is to capture the atmos-
phere and spirit of this southern
city by way of the romance OF it's
history. the glamour OF its deeds.
From colonial day to the present