Evening star., 1925-08-23
REVIEWS OF NEW BOOKS

! North of the huntet and explorer--he
draws pure romance, surrounded by
world of rough realisms. That Is to
say that Rex Beach is a realist, pure
and simple, right up to the point
where the fate of true love Is con-
cerned. At that point he, IL need be,
sets himself up as a special provis
dence to see that no niggardly real
life shall interfere with the final frui-
ton of loves requirements. Devoted
to the happy ending, Rex Beach up
to that last moment, however, devotes
himself in good hdelity TO the pictur-
esque medium that he has chosen as
his literary stamping ground. The
Goose Woman" the longest and best
Of the group. is g. story that has
good deal behind its striking and dra-
matte externals. Here is a study of
temperament, of genius. Now despised
and neglected, this woman could re-
member the time when all the world
came to pay homage to her art--a
secret that nobody in this rough place
guessed. All by herself, this old wom-
an found her only joy in throwing
features of this crude life into acting,
with herself both actor and audience.
The story turns upon her exercise Of
this gift in a situation that involved
question that concerned the goose
woman not at all. if II inteBfered with
the way she had selected to project
the matter from her old standpoint of
the stage-just. to gather in only one
more moment of power!
Gave Stuff Is laughable comedy,
not all for laughter, since it enlists
warm sympathy for the goat" OF the
situation, and equal joy over his tri-
,trriN
all of these. OF course, they would
be-
THE DEDUCTIONS OF COL. GORE.
BY Lynn Brock. New York: Har
per & Brothers.
The fascinating Darlington was a
professional blackmailer. Not a doubt
in the world about 1t. His sudden
and mysterious taking off, therefore,
pointed upon this bad practice as its
inspiration and cause. Col. Gore be-
came keen to the case of Darlington
as it seemed likely to threaten the
security of an indiscreet young woman
upon whom from her childhood the
colonel had lavished the affection of
a father or elder brother. His inter
est was to protect the girl rather than
to discover the murderer of Barring
ton. Yet the one seemed to include
the other. Therefore. Gore became
self-constituted detective. 1t Is at
this point that the reader also be-
comes deeply concerned over the
death of Darlington. Unlike the ma
jority of super-sleuths who have re
Gently taken charge of the fiction OF
crime. Col. Gore is the frapkest and
most modest of men. Admitting that
clues are more.er less of gamble,
likely TO set false trails, he neverthe
los tolr o1n x4.ifh VI
a whiff of circumstance veers In the
slightest degree toward Darlington s
shady career. He opens his mind as
IL ii were a workshop, picking up
point after point. each of which he in
turn throws down as worthless be-
cause it fails 70 support itself by hu-
man logic or because II withers away
to dust upon being brought into the
light Not only is this openwork plan
of detection a fascinating game of Sc
quences. but it turns out to be com
mentary as we'll upon our own powers
in common daily life to see things at
all as they really are or to follow out
lines of consistency to any worth
while objective. This demonstration
would be dry and didactic perform
ance projected as a demonstration.
But as the main support of a story
deeply engrossed in discovering the
be an exciting mental adventure on
the part of readers themselves.
THE JUDGMENT OF PARIS. BY
Carleton Kemp Allen, author of
"Oh, Mr.. Leacock," etc. New
York: Dodd, Mead & Co.
4 porous-knit. Summer-weight novel
built upon the ready susceptibility of
"A youth with nothing but time on his
hands and In his purse enough Of the
wherewithal to make him fair game in
the general man-hunt of his particu
lar neighborhood. Ensnarement and
escape-this Is the formula that in
crescendo of complications gives
special portrayal of the complete pa
ralysis of the male when the eye of
the female is set upon him in desire
and design. An enjoyable comedy. with
enough of truth under its frank ex-
travagance to carry it over into ones
delighted acceptance. Good fun from
start to finish in familiar field. This
modern Paris is lovable fellow who
quite believes in the guilelessness OF
the beautiful and busy ladies around
him. AS a matter of fact he exercised
no Judgment" He made no choice.
That was all done for him by the clev
crest and the incest of the ladies at
hand. II is no doubt true that this
holds for the original Paris also. But
man made myth has covered his
frailty with a spurious strength-such
as no man. modern or mythic. really
possesses when under. the spell of fe-
male arts and persuasivenesS. Good
comedy, with no end of actual fact
supporting it.