Evening star., 1924-04-20

ground cultivated after no set fash
ion" Primarily it is an expression
PriSchard brings togsxher about thir-
ty modern essayists b'y way of an ex-
ample of the work Of each, together
with a geographic paraga aph for each
One runs down the list looking for
acquaintances-Kenneth Grahame
Chesterton, George GissiNg, George
Santayana, Alice Meynell. and an
other and another From these he
goes to the less intimate ones, glad
to know them better. An orderly
work classified in easy gEdups for
son. 1t is a delightful book. Useful,
too. For from it the reader ds able
to gather somewhat broadenes1 out
look upon this most engagingfy per-
sonal form of letters.
ARE PARENTS PEOPLEs BY Alioe
Duer Miller, author OF Come A)uf
of the Kitchen" etc New Yop k:
Dodd, Mead & Co.
A group OF short stories, for tiA
gathering of whose themes the au-
thor stepped out from the beaten
path. Once 'out" in search of fresh
things to write about she stayed out,
projecting these themes in manner
as different from the tread-mill man
ner as are the subjects themselves
different from the usual ones. Are
Parents People?"--a young girl be-
tween the devil and the deep sea of
divorced parents. The American
Husband"-well known, but taking a
quite new turn here. Devoted WON
en"-a wife and several ex-wiveS ny
a many-sided man of easy affections.
Humor and good psychology make
many a quick and diverting turn here
in novel situation and ready expe-
dent and plausible outcome Thls
volume is the best OF good company,
with a distinction of its own that is
the source of real pleasure.
THE THIRTEENTH LETTER. By
Natalie Sumner Lincoln, author or
The Meredith Mystery" etc
New York: D. Appleton & Co.
So you think you've got the hang
of Miss Lincoln's formula for the
mystery tale and through this the
almost immediate solution of the
mystery itself. All right. Go ahead
with it. Yes, a crime, of course
usually murder. Yes, in Washington,
as a rule. That's right-a definite
realism of local setting. Yes, good
ly number of people coming and go
ing. either through a direct interest
indirect concern in the matter. Some
acceptable to-do-social. political,
diplomatic, of clear Washington
stripe. The rest is easy-simply to
select out of this group the one least
likely of all TO possess any motive
whatever for doing away with the
victim. And that's the answer to the
mystery. That's the end of the trail.
That's not bad-except that by paying
little closer attention you will find
into two parts. On the one hand are
two or three colorless and remote
characters. generally negligible in re-
spect to the solution of the mystery.
On the other hand are those, nearer
to the victim. about whom the crime
group grows to be disturbing. From
it this one emerges today with the
stamp of unusual things upon him
Yesterday it was that other one, and
count is kept in sight. though still
in negligible role. 1t is in this sepa-
ration, in this expert handling of
proportions, in this careful projection
of possible symptoms of guilt, that the
quality of the whole formula lies
seized upon Miss Lincolns method OF
mystification. But in this exception
lies the whole point of the work.
EIGHT PANES OF GLASS. BY Rob
crt Simpson, author OF The Gray
C'harteris." etc New York: Fred
erick A. Stokes Company.
The power of personality that's
one of the things you will gather out
of this story. Not cleaning it by dull
rule and rote, however. but finding it
at expected turns in the fit thing done
or said. the unfit thing forborne. At
the heart OF the story is old Janet
Cromarty. bedridden, seeing not only
all of Scotland. but pretty much all
of life besides, through her eight
named yrjndntxy
old Janet. through her wise and
knowing outlook, her good appraisals
OF this or that in the human land
scape. as we'll as in that of the me re
arrangement of highland and heather,
of loch and glen, is clear evidence
that the most Of us see through no
more than a single pane of glass. The
joys and sorrpws of the whole neigh
borhood sooner or later find their way
to this free fountain OF friendliness
and shrewd insight and good sense
and dry humor. A very providence is
Janet Cromarty in sorting and sitting
and settling the mixed love matters
OF all the youth roundabout. Within
the limits of this romance such is her
chief engagement. And around it all
highlands and the people whom these
have shaped to their own pattern.
Robert Simpson, in a good conscience
OF artistry, has here produced an ad
mirabie romance of local color and
action. -,s
FTDELIA. By Edwin Ealn,e-. an.
thor of "A Wild Goose Chase. p
etc New York: Dodd, Mead & Co
A love story drawn across the back
ground Of university life. The aca-
demic atmosphere is in this situation
by no means obtrusfve. Rather doe.
the institution serve chiefly as a point
OF departure for neatly assorted pairs
of co-eds bent upon a project vastly
more appealing than the mere gather
ing in of knowledge. Fidelia is the
newcomer. A girl of beauty and poise
quite calculated TO stir up, uncon.
sciousiy and without intent, commo.
ton and confusion within the student
group. Out of this energies a stor,
OF tragic import on the one hand, O,
near-tragic quality on the other, boti
sourced in the equal fidelity Of TIVE
women. One faithful to the love-
whom Fidelia has won away. Ffdeli;
faithful to an earlier bond that sh,
had honestly believed to be a broker
one One wins happiness out of thi,
common virtue. The other wins-well
Doth cannot get happiness out of thi:
, particular situation. If one had I,
classify this story he would be likel,
to place 1t among those that posses,
interest and entertainment, but tina
fall just short of clear distinction.
I, THE KING. BY ". w. Williams
author of Family" etc New
York: Frederick A. Stokes Com
pany.
The story of "'Kit" Newell. al
dressed up and no place to go. Or, tn,
same thing. loads of money withou
the ghost of a notion of what to dc
with it So, the story follows the
young man from nursery days on til
just "Kit' becomes Kit and Mary
with no end of adventure accompany
ing this big change Change of place
from one beckoning point to anothe,
more auuring. Change of mind, from
one state to another, each shift max
ing progress, really. no matter wha
its outer seeming might be. A seriou.
fellow at heart despite some rather
hectic signs to the contrary, Kit Ne