Evening star., 1925-01-18

JOHN PEREGRINE's WIFE. BY M.
Morgan Gibbon, author of "Jan,"
etc. New York: Doubleday, Page
Co.
This is n story of what is likely
to happen to married folks who make
believe. refuse to put theiir cards on
the table. Now since this withhold
ing, in one direction or another, hits
about every case of marital life in
the wworld, why, this may be called a
fairly universal story. To be sure
for the purpose OF drama there must
be an extra emphasis on the features
of this particular case of matrimonial
adjustment. And the early part of
the story goes into this disclosure. A
secret chapter In the life of John
Peregrine Is opened to the reader.
This is withheld from the girl till
after her marriage to John. The
secret involves nothing less than the
actual parentage OF a supposedly
fatherless little boy OF the neighbor-
hood. You readily see that the au-
thor has set himself a task here
since. among women, here is the un-'
forgiveable sin. This constitutes
the foundation for all the misunder-
standings, concealments, distrust and
growing dislike between the two. In
a theme OF this kind-so common. so
likely to be sordid and ugly--every-
thing depends on the authors skill
with the characters, on his construc-
tive ability. AS a story-teller Mr..
Gibbon ranks we'll here. AS maker
of men he is exceptionally sympa-
thetic and adroit. At this point one
stops TO wonder how two men, as real
as the two outstanding men OF this
romance are, came both of them to
love the one woman, the wife or
John Peregrlne and the woman be-
sides OF Dan Richards devotion. She
must have been all right, but from
where the reader sits she appears to
be q. poor thing shillying and shally-
ing back and forth betyeen these two
better folks than she seems to be.
SOCIAL USAGE IN AMERICA. BY
Margaret Wade. New York:
Thomas Y. Crowell Co.
More exciting and intricate even
than the ritual of the church, or that
of the most formal and elaborate
secret order-so we are told-is the
ritual of the world Of society. Just
what to do and when, and how
these have more than once proved to
be the hidden rocks-so the informa-
tion runs-upon which many bright
arEosy Of social aspiration has gone
down to doom and disaster. But in
this accommodating world every
reasonable need is bound, sooner or
later to open out upon opportunity
SO II is in this case OF social usage
Industrious investigators and compe-
tent writer's have gathered up a
library of information upon this sub
ject A case in point is the book in
hand. One, too, that bears evidence
of more than the usual sum OF
preparation for the work projected.
Margaret Wade has gained pro-
fession by way OF personal expert
ence as the social secretary Of women
IN Washington official life. Out Of
this experience she has gathered the
usages of official life at the Capital
These this author brings out here in
an orderly and organized whole that
gives to the book an easy and prac-
teal approach. While these matters
are of moment. things that must be-
long to the working equipment OF
any one within the social domain, and
while the author so considers them,
this fact does. not release her from
her native sense of humor, from her
own individual way of presenting
these momentous matters Of social.
life. To the general reader. this Is
the engaging aspect of Social Usage
In America" even though one realizes
o-E6 >
vital and serious intent. That lies in
an assured summary of the regula-
uons of. society, both in the Capital
and in the whole OF the United States
as we'll.
OFFICER! By Hubert Footner. au-
thor of "Ramshackle House." etc.
New York: George II. Doran Co.
The general pulchritude of the
policeman is a quite disregarded fact
peace. To be sure. IL is the Drawn
of the policeman that counts, nat
urally and fairly, since 1t is upon
this that. the public relies for safety
upon fieetness Of pursuit and readi-
ness Of attack, upon the arts Of
seizure and the taking of chances
against every sort Of physical odds.
Yet one often wonders why the up
standing comelin ness of the police
man. perfect byproduct of physical
fitness, does not more often enlist
him in the cause of romantic ad-
venture. 1t is clear that Mr. Hubert
Footner also has had these wonder
ings upon this subject. For here he
has drawn Larry Harker, No. X5667,
away from his tedious and unevent-
full beat to place him upon the high
way of romance. To be sure, Larry
still retains something of profess
sional front as he joins in the pur-
suit of a thief-a girl who in the
flying course Of escape registers with
Larry Harker an indelible picture Of
young lovelfness- But duty is duty,
| so Larry half-heartedly affirms. grow
ing ever more positive in this asser-
tion when he recalls the mocking
glance that this clever fugitive cast
upon him. Deep in the heart Of him
he is the primitive male, the pur-
suer who, in good time, will be the
possessor. SO Larry vaguely senses
as he grits his teeth in a fresh re-
solve to uphold the law. You know
the end of the story. The girl is in
nocent. Larry turns from lion to a
nuzzling lamb. Not so easy to make
hero Of romance out of this ma
terial. No real obstacle to such an
achievement. but plenty of prejudi-
cial ones. However, Mr.. Footner has
turned the trick by way OF really
lovable hero and an all-around fine
girl. Laughter goes along with
romance, not enough Of II, though, to
turn the comedy into farce.
THE LIFE AND DEATH of CLEO
PATRA. BY Claude Ferval Trans
lated by NJ +. Poindexter New
York: Doubleday, Page & Co.
There seems to be setting in just
now a movement whose object Is to
take away from certain celebrated
women some of the infamy impaired
to them by centuries of historic con-
sideration. A few weeks ago it was
Messalina. Now it Is Cleopatra
Crucial tests for the power of any
Rehabilitation, 1t must be conceded.
Yet the work of these students is
worth while. quite aside from the par
ticular individuals upon whom their
efforts are expended. By example