Evening star., 1926-01-24

closures of prime importance result
here from these many experiments
These the author relates in simple
and wholly untechnicai fashion, so
that the research reads like adven-
ture itself. The book IS abundantly
Illustrated to show processes, actions,
personality. situations. Almost HUI
man" is the exact title for this unique
book. an exact naming of the charac
ters here set down.
LETTERS TO A LADY IN THE
COUNTRY; Together With Her
Replies. BY Paul and Caroline
Edited by Stuart Sherman. New
York: Charles Scribner's Sons.
Washington: Brentano's.
THE foundation Of this correspond
ence is a long acquaintance and
a mutual discomfort. Paul, whose
very blood is tinged with the purple
Of the blue grass OF Kentucky, is ma
rooned In the arid district Of New
York, where by day he is writing ad
vertisements for q big go-getter bust
ness. and where by night he is writ
ing poems that nobody wants. Caro-
line, having married 1000 acres OF
ancestral blue grass, is, apparently
loafng on her job of rural wifehood
longings for the subway and the
white lights and the popular songfui
lyrics Of Irving Berlin.
Such is the fouuda ton, the condi-
tions, OF these letters TO and fro. Not
given TO grousing, neither Caroline
nor Paul Instead, they snip off bits
Of New York on the one hand, Of
Kentucky on the other. These they
rough handle in caustic terms of
satire and wit, through all Of which
a genuine homesickuess runs. But
one simply can't be miserable forever
SO gradually there creeps into the cor
respondence touch of resignation
from each, then d slow appreciation Of
a good point here or u momentary
charming touch there-a skyline over
the towers of New York, d span of
beauty in the Spring sunlight of the
south. And they talk OF themselves.
as all letter writer's do, of their feelings
and ambitions a nd desires; Of their souls
well, not SO much about their souls.
The two belong. clearly, to the pres
ent, where the soul is not a complete
preoccupation. One enjoys the read
ing tremendously-but all the time
with concern, with a growing concern.
as TO the state of mind Of the owner Of
those 1000 ancestral acres that Caro-
you suppose he IS all these months?
To be sure, at the last there is some
mention Of htm-high time, too.
RED LETTER DAYS IN EUROPE:
With Glimpse Of Northern Africa.
BY Niktor FIambeau. Illustrated.
New York: George SUlly & Co.
THE route of the tourist has. as
mater of fact, become standard
lied. It is now a formula. The coun-
tries OF Europe. It's high scenic and
historic points, still serve the full pur-
pose Of the average traveller, though to
the moro wayWise innumerable new
ways are opening out. For the Euro
pean tourist. however, there is moth
ing new. save the guide One is re
minded Of this fact by these Red
Letter Days" One is reminded here
that whatever freshness exists IN cur
rent books on European sightseeing
must come from the writer himself.
Upon the well equipped guide depends,
nowadays, the new angle OF historic
approach, the deep appreciation OF the
face Of the country-itS mountains
and valleys and plains. stepped each
in its own atmosphere Of nature and
in its own peculiar contact with man.
And appreciation alone is not enough
for this unspoiled and unworn survey
of Europe. The guide must be com.
muniCable one, able 10 translate and
to interpret these sights into words
that create pictures. and set out action
and re-embcly the characters that
made this point or that place memor-
able. Such q guide does this one seem
to be. A rapid worker who. going
from here to there, seizes the salient
~, I,nsv
colors in their own meanings. a
traveller that covers 4 great area-too
great. some Of you may say. But
this book is for the traveller that has
a great desire coupled with a limited
period of time. So it is right here to
move swiftly. The entire route is
covered with intelligence as we'll as
with speed, with feeling as well as
with fact. An interesting touch, one
that tells much about the human in
terest Of this guide, is that the return
voyage TO America. was made in the
steera sc, just to know how the other
fellow feels. 4 most satisfactory
book. that meets its comprehensive
purpose in a truly workmanly man.
ner as we'll as in a. most interesting
one.
BRAVE EARTH. BY Alfred Ire
sidder Sheppard, author Of Run
ming Horse Inn" etc. New York:
George II. Doran Co.
IN effect, Brave Earth" Is the ro-
nance of a period, that of the
sixteenth century England. under
Henry VIII. The romance comes TO
focus in the adventures Of Hum
phrey Arundel, adventures that in
part center around two women. and
in other part partake Of the political
turmoil following upon the Kings dis
solution of the religious houses, upon
the evils of ruinoUs civil wars. upon
a debaSed coinage, upon the harsh
ness of the vagrancy laws, the in