Evening star., 1925-02-08
Reviews of New Books

fortunes of this much sought treas
ure. All the dangers of the situa-
tion-and there is not much of any
thing but imminent hazard and re-
mark able escape here-converge upon
the hero of this robust adventure.
The outcome-of course, happy one
for this hero-is for you to enjoy at
first hand. One may say this much.
however, that all the events leading
TO 1T are of such quality of appeal
as a waywise spinner of yarns like
this one is able to provide in full
measure.
STILETTO. BY Ernest Goodwin. In
dianapolis: The Bobbs Merrill Co.
This romance provides an old set
ting to what we are pleased to call
a quite modern circumstance. This
circumstance is the new freedom OF
woman. Not new" freedom at
all. Rather, 8, a consequence more or
less marked of many a historic up
heaval in political and social insti-
tutions. For the purpose of this ro-
nance of the new woman" the au
thor selects the background of Venice
in it's decline, a propitious situation
for the age-old reach of the woman
for freedom and independence.
Within this historic setting, rich in
color and glamourous in event, Mr..
Goodwin places the never changing
story of an ever-changing love. The
young woman is beautiful, to he sure.
She is a delight to the eye Of many
another than her welded spouse.
Not many women seem able to with
stand advances that so clearly feed
their vanity. This one was of the
many, not of the few. No matter that
hnr rxyac oh, ta hAn
of the three. II never does matter in
a case of this kind. That is. it never
does matter, till the very devil him
self has had his way in about every
conceivable kind of mischief right up
to the jumping off place of complete
disaster. The romance is that of
beautiful woman with two lovers and
one perfectly good husband. The
usual course Of matter of this kind
takes it's way through the unusual
surroundings of an old and pictur-
esque place and time. Very inter-
esting in this particular, for this
background is worked out with intel
Hgence and care. AS for the outcome
take it or leave it, as you choose
The great majority of you will take
it with virtuous sigh of relief. A
few of you will say-"Never in the
world. 1t doesn't work that way
not outside of a madeup story"
THE PATH WHARTON FOUND. BY
Robert Quillen. New York: The
Macmillan Co.
The story of a young man of gifts
and attainments-and of final
crushing disappointment The story
goes on to tell how this man left
the atmosphere of sophistication
W 10 ~ hod
fortune popular preacher in a
fashionable CHURCH and how he be-
took himself to a small Southern
town. The story is one of adjust
ment. First there is the natural re-
coil from the simplicities and crud-
tiles of his new surroundings, and
here the author pictures. in good real
ism, the natural reaction of the
townspeople to this aloofness on the
part of the newcomer. Much of the
story, including the beginning of its
romance. deals with this phase
Gradually it moves out to a situation
which in its essence is calculated to
appeal to the substance of any man,
to the actual man that he is. 1t is
this situation that brings Wharton to
a sense of himself, of his obligation
as human being set down in the
midst of other men like him mself-all
much alike under the surface A
pleasant story, well conceived on a
theme of good appeal. and well con-
structed. If it lacks the robust quail
ity that such subject might COM
mand. this lack may be traced, legiti-
mately, to the soft atmosphere of its
Southern background.
THE SCARLET THREAD. BY Mary
Virginia Wulff. Louisville: John
=. Morton & Co.
Through every piece of rope made
for the English navy, there runs a red
thread to intimate that it belongs to
the crown; even so. there goes through
the human life, whether high or low,
an invisible thread which says we be-
long to Cod This quotation from
Hans Christian Andersen. explains the
title of the book in hand and indicates
its generally spiritual character The
clear purpose here is an effort to in
crease our realization of the bond be-
tween the seen and the unseen be-
tween the body and the spirit of life.
OF unquestionable sincerity the book is
the exposition of a personal belief along
lines not commonly accepted For ex-
ample belief in the second coming of
Christ and in the imminence of that
appearance. There are other departures
from the common thought in this lit
tie book of jealous and friendly intent.
OF sincere and ardent belief