Evening star., 1925-01-11

author of "The Green X" etc
New York: George H. Doran Co.
@ FNDER the new alias of Ivor
Marlay, Michael Arlen here
again goes a-gallivantin
49, within the purlieus of Lon
don polite society. And as
one follows along-discreetly to rear
ward of the meetings and loiterings
and partings that mark the three So
cial forays covering the whole of
this adventure-he falls to pondering
the content Of that word, piracy"
DR.. Johnson in his immortal romance
OF words depicts piracy as open vio-
lence on the open seas with intent to
take over gold and goods belonging
to others. Transferred to solid earth,
the act becomes plain robbery-a
stodgy business. a plucked fowl, be-
side the winging flight, the free
spaces, the marauding swoop of its
kindred Of the seas. Clearly piracy
supplies to Arlen the keynote of poe
try and adventure that quite justifies
this transfer of usage. To be sure,
the open-work character of piracy,
so insisted upon by DIR. Johnson, has
TO give way in this particular out
1aring- But that is minor matter.
The great point of question that
arises, the full adventure in hand. is.
after all. just where the piracy lies
In this case. Is lvor Marlay the pi-
rate, taking over the martial goods
or other men, or is he himself the
one eespoiled at the hands of beauti-
ful buccaneers OF the female per-
Suasion? Hard TO say. Though the
evidence all in, all arranged and
weighed, the balance falls on the side
o1-well, you would better read this
FOR yourselves. For, along the way,
you will find yourself in the COM
n rfY,cr e,
young man who sets down in an as
tonishing frankness many things that
stand as the accepted retiCencies of
all maraudings. Incidentally, too, in
the reading of Arlen you will learn
lot about women-not because he
knows more about them, but be-
cause he talks more about them and
In vein that complacentIy accepts
facts about which women themselves
lie SO innocently and so gorgeously
THE GOLDEN JOURNEY OF MIR.
PARADYNE. BY William J. Locke
author of The Beloved Vagabond" :"
etc. Illustrations by Marcia Lane
Foster. New York: Dodd. Mead &
Co
dream. That is clear. Maybe of
the usual fast-asleep variety, more
likely of the half-awake brand. In
either case, a pleasant departure from
the humdrum road of making a liV-
Ing out Of life. So, gladly you accept it
as that reality which YOU yourself
are always hoping TO meet just
around the next corner. Now what
in this whirling world ask you
could be more beautiful than to WAKE
up some morning to find the pesky
load of daily care gone-vamoosed,
evanished! And, more than that, to
find VOnrSalf p1rt in, Aala 10
countryside, your shelter a venerable
van, your sole companion a s. ber-
minded and understanding horse of
years and experience. This actually
happens to Mr.. Paradyne-or il seems
here actually TO have happencd-and
more, much more, comes to pass out
OF this beautiful beginning. As the
horse and van get under way, you
catch what you are glad TO take as
an invitation from Mr.. Para6yne's
waving hand. With a running jump
you make back-door entrance TO
this moving domicile. And there you
are, with pots and pans and sketchy
household stuff, Chattering gayly un-
der the Jollity of the rocking van.
For, in the beginning, Mr.. Paradyne
appears to be in a good deal of a
hurry. What's the rush?" you ven
ture. One backward look from the
runaway Is eloquent of all that he
is trying to escape-the house, the
office, Mrs. Paradyne. -uh huh, even
Mrs. Paradyne. A wonderful journey
that proves TO be one wherein the
countryside, and the plain folks, and
the sun, and the breezes and the
flowers all contribute to the joy of
Mr.. Paradynes flight. And in the
tree-lined roads of France you realize
that the Beloved Vagabonl," too, has
Joined this fugitive band that is run
ming away from things and things.
And when do you get back? That rs
q point Of slight anxiety, for, when
every reason in the world would have
turned Mr.. Paradyne back to the
office and the house and the missus,
he keeps right straight ahead with
the shining eyes of one awakened to
life's promise, jogging southwark"
Beautiful! You, too, come on with US.
THE HEAVENLY LADDER. BY
Compton Mackenzie, author of
The Altar Steps" etc. New York:
George II. Doran Co.
This is the third book of Mark Lid
derdale-the three marking the
stages of his progress from the
average mans everyday life into the
paths of piety and ultimate consecra-
tion. 1t is therefore a pilgrims prog
ress, the story of heart and a con-
science, rather than a chronicle of
outer events. The story of a souls
growth Is bound to be a story for the
few readers. Its psychological and
spiritual content are of tremendous
importance to the writer-no doubt
by reason of certain autobiographic
havor-and to those interested in self
study. To these the story of Mark
Ldderdale gathered up in The AL
tar Steps" The Parsons Progress"
and the Heavenly Ladder" will prove
a momentous and absorbing record
OF the triumph of the spiritual life
over about every sort of worldly
appeal on the one hand and worldly
besetment on the other. The dynastic
novel, under the support of Gals
worthy, Marshall Mckenna, Johnston,
Mackenzie and others, appears to suit
the English Iitet ary taste. 1t is likely
that over here, In the multitudinous
rush of things, these drawnout vol
umes OF family and personal life will
be less carefully savored, less fully
appreciated.
THE LAW OF THE THRESHOLD.
BY Flora Annie Steel, author of
"On the Face of the Waters" New
York: The Macmillan Company.
A conscientious and manifestly ca
pable effort has gone into this por-
trayal of India as it stands today, a
gigantic stage, across which native
and alien pass in an ominous confu-
sion OF misunderstanding and unrest
on the one hand, Of short sight and
inept methods on the other. An elab-
crate development, this, remarkable
for a clarity of outline and effect that
under the multiplicity of details
n q a
sible achievement. But this story is
N Irnad. for SaI,e Of nrndncinr