Evening star., 1925-01-04
Reviews of New Books

ter. A young woman lends both mo-
tive and lure to the situation. These
diverse elements are here blended
adroitly and sympathetically to the
making of a first-rate adventure in a
field that is, from its very inaccessi- :
hllity, bound to remain fresh and ap-
pealing under the hand OF good
story teller like this one.
THE FINGER-PosT. BY Mrs. Henry
Dudeney. New York: Milton, Balch
Co.
Mrs. Dudeneys novel is built around
one of those odd members OF q family
or community, a person marked for
special curiosity and interest by vfr-
tue of his unlikeness to his surround
ings. This 10 the story OF Joseph
Durrant, second son OF James Dur
rant-those Durrants who for many
generations have been thatchers in
the pleasant lands of south England.
Very proud OF their calling and its
long tenure, these simple Durrants.
All but Joseph--a slckly lad with
feelings SO different from those of his
family, with an outlook so startling,
for a Durrant, that he becomes an
outstanding figure, toward whom
much of speculation runs. The story
Is that of the growth of Joseph, a
growth that Is fed by ambition and
hurtured on many scheme miles
away from the simple lives OF his
own kind. Good work in its synpa-
thetic seizure OF the theme and ex-
ceptionally good in its mode OF de-
yelopment. In manner, too, Mrs.
Dudeney is unusual, since she deals
almost not at all with the common
descriptive paddings of most writer's,
holding herself instead to the solid
stuff OF concrete personal reaction to
the situations set down for the bring
ing out of the human equation Itself.
MIR. AND MRS. HADDOCK ABROAD.
BY Donald Ogden Stewart. author
of "a Parody Outline of History"
etc illustrations by Herb Roth.
New York: George II. Doran
Co.
They did il together-Donald Ogden
Stewart with the text and Herb Roth
with the pictures. And there we are,
as natural as life, going abroad
father and mother and little Mildred.
Not only are we going abroad, but
we have already arrived. to be fol-
lowed about by this inspired pair. who
take US OFF, first and last. just about
as we are. Oh, yes. enormous fun
yet gone abroad" For those who
have II is not quite so much fun---to
find themselves caught right in the
act, over and over again, doing those
nur1berless untraveled things that
they hoped TO goodness nobody saw.
But, never mind, read the uproarious
thing. Learn to laugh at yourselves.
which, by the way, once the hang Of
II is caught, is about the most enjoy
able of all laughter.
OBLIGATIONS. BY Elizabeth York
Miller. New York: The Century
Co.
Pretty soon after entering upon
this story you would better make UP
your mind that the author has chosen
for Its chief figure a girl of morbid
mind. Having accepted this, you will
then read on, not only in enjoyment
of the story itself, but in that finer
appreciation that responds TO excel
lence of workmanship. II you do not
make this initial concession, how
ever, you will read in the irritation
of constant protest and denial. You
do not believe that the common run
of girl, at the age of I. takes on a
sense of lasting obligation simply
because the swing that she was push
ing broke down. crippitng hopelessly
the boy. who was thrown violently
from its upleaping thrust. This is
the foundation OF romance that
causes the girl, years later. 10 give
up love and her young life and bright
prospects In order to obey the com
nand Of this crippled fellow to fol-
low him into the obscurity of an un-
successful artists life. No normal
girl could, or would, fool herself Into
the acceptance of so monstrous an
obligation. Having done it, no girl
that you or l know would enslave
herself meekly to the tempers OF an
embittered egoist. This girl does
more. She finally comes to love the
fellow. But, If you decide at once
that the girl Is OF the morbid and
hysterical stripe, then you have an
admirably conducted study OF this
special kind of malady. And there
are other fine features about the
story-its .capably projected back
grounds Of Paris. London, America
The believable qualities of all the
other characters, the appeal OF its
various episodes, it's straight move
ment forward. its deepening suspense
around the strange behaviors OF the
girl herself. All OF it all right, un-
commonly good, in fact-provided only
that you get the right start in read
Ing it