Evening star., 1924-08-17

THE DON JUANEs. By Marcel Pre-
vost, author of Les Demi-
Eierges". etc. Translated by Jenny
Covan. New York: Brentano's.
~ ON JUAN Is not always Of the
male persuasion. Marcel
Provost here admits it. The
II qualities that go into the
making of this particularly
devastating brand of human are
sometimes dealt out to the female OF
the species. 1t is of these-of the
Don Juanes"-that this outspoken
and cleverly analytical writer deals
in this novel. The female Don Juans
Of the world are war product; that
is TO say. the war definitely COM
1nenced the process of knocking down
tae artificial barriers that custom and
tradition had built around women on
the false assumption that they were
of fundamental nature different
from men. The difference is, as a
matter of fact, hardly skin deep. 1t
IL no more than matter of denial
and concealment. In the liberaliZed
atmosphere created by the war NJ.
Provost depicts the different reac-
tions of four highly individualized
women to this new era of personal
freedom. This author is straight,
both in his seeing and in his words.
g There is not a doubt in the world as
to the Soundness of his psychology,
as this is objectified in the acts and
attitudes Of one or another of the
women with whom he is at the mo-
ment concerned. The four in their
contrasted feelings and urges and be-
haviors project, in sum, certain char
acteristics of the general social con-
,k.- h@
rest of Europe but of the world it.
self, wherein women are stepping de-
liberately and freely out into the
open. The peculiar French clarity of
mind and precision of expression are
at their highest in this study by a
French writer of acknowledged dis
tinction.
MY BOOK AND HEART. BY Cora
Harris. author of "The Circuit
Riders Wife," etc. Illustrations
by Frederic r. Gruger. Boston:
Houghton, Miff1in Company.
This autobiographic account is in
reality but an expansion and elabora-
tion of THE Circuit Riders Wife" and
the other Cora Harris novels. which.
one now sees, are but single designs
picked out of the full pattern of life
disclosed by my Book and Heart"
That which made direct appeal in the
novels makes the same appeal in the
autobiography. In both one sees the
same gallant heart in command. In
both one feels that sense of humor
that, instead Of slamming the door in
the face of hardship. invites it in to
talk matters over. until finally hard
ship walks away, ashamed of itself
under the smiling ridicule with which
In
Heart" we find more of fact and cir
cumstance than in the novels. but no
other difference, since all are sourced
in the same hopeful and smiling
philosophy. Here is the story of
childhood in the South during the
hard years of reconstruction. Not
long after it becomes the story of
early marriage to a youth of serious
bent-one temperamentally leaning
toward a mission that found fruition
in the career of a Methodist preacher.
1t is from this period that the
stories grew. One catches significant
phrases-a sick husband. attendance
upon him from morn till midnight
writing from then till dawn, and SO
on through years of equal stress and
strain. THERE'S a daughter, her mar
riage, the death of the Circuit rider"
himself-all woven into an account
whose courage never lags nor fall
ters. This is probably the best of the
Cora Harris stories. That is saying
a good deal 1t especially like the
last Of it, because it reaches a beau
tisul climax of rich deservings. Down
built 100 years ago by a Cherokee
chief. Deep woods surround 1t.
There Cora Harris lives. There she
wrote "My Book and Heart" There
we leave her, happy in her happiness,
and grateful to her besides.
THE sHORELESS SEA. By Mollie
Panter-Downes. New York: G. p.
Putnam's Sons.
They meet, the boy and girl, just
rs boys and girls have been meeting
since the world began to go round.
They love, of course. The accident
that brought them together then
sends them apart, but only after the
seed of affection had grown to q beau
tiful blossoming. Later the girl is
married. Still later she again meets
the boy of those lovely young days.
There the real strength of the story
begins. For there the girl for the
first time finds out what life is really
about. There Is no doubt about her
love for the boy nor of his for her.
But fine fellow of a husband stands
in between. And what is one to do?
That is the question for this girl to
settle, and anybody will be both in
terested and impressed with the an
swer that she finds as its solution.
So much for the story itself. But
there is a good deal to be said for
the qualities that forward it on it's
way. In the first place, it is a story
of youth. Not young story. There
Is much difference between the two.
Here is the buoyancy of young days
with hope and beauty and innocence
and grace as its handmaidens. There
is that out-reaching of youth after a
world of wonder and invitation-here
all on the side of aspiration and
achievement. These natural yearn-
ings come out here in descriptions Of
great beauty. in meditations that are
poetic and rare. Then. too. there is
the courage of youth here, daring to
attack artificial conventions. For in
stance, one Of these which the writer
opens up Is the delusion of family
affection and loyalty. Sometimes
these no not exist. There are family
antagonisms and disloyalties. There
are such in the family of this girl
The author is frank and open about
the situation. Wholesomely so, too,
since 1t is truth with which she is
dealing. There are other evidences
of youth and courage in the writer
of this book. And it turns out that
this novelist is only about 16. One
wonders what she will do next.
Rather If she can do it again. If she
can, this is genius. Let's wait in
hope for so great an outcome.
EPITHALAMUM. BY jacques Char
donne. New York: George H. Do
ran Co.
The Northcliffe prize story, brought
over from the French into English
for a more general circulat ton Of the