Evening star., 1926-03-09
NEW BOOKS
'15*t<I AT RANDOM
YES, LADY SAHEB." Grace Thomp
son Seton. Harper 4 Bros.
I. G. M.


while ago would have been incon
ceivable. impossible. A striking mark
OF this new freedom for women IL the
joyous ease with which so many or
them are sweepink into the bin OF dis
carded things their sole exclusive
possession. the cherished home.keep-
ing Tradition. Going alonk with this
gesture OF dismissal IA an eager sally
ing out In clear thrall to that wan.
derlust which In the true instinct ui
life, regardless Of accidental ecQuisi.
tions, such as sex. for instance.
Nowadays IL 10 O. common thing to
hear treble feminine voices joining
Justify in the masculine basso and
baritone responses to the coll Of the
Red Gods
S s': otter "a. q ;S:' *: '~oa sS
Send y: I'D sr ess:: :: az ses you r''"
And the Red Gods call for you
And so--we have lady globe trot-
ters and explorers, woman mountain
climbers and desert trailers, hunters
and sdventurers. A. matter of fact.
they are all AdvAnturers. This, In
the sense that they are not In an ex-
elusive pursuit Of knowledge a. such.
Nor are they absorbed primarily in
information. They are not on bust
ness as business IL generally under.
stood. No. they are just stretching
the era mp Of age-old restrictions, from
an endless pitter- -pattering around the
kitchen--stOve to table and back
again, world without end. They are
hunting their dreams. They are chas
ing their rainbows. They are MAX
ing their long dres ms come true.
They are feeling the pride Of living
as. faring out by themselves, they
force life to hand over the rewards of
courage and Independence and indi-
vidual attack. Just adventurers. these
impressive their labels may be. But
men are adventurers. too. SO. in fact,
IL everybody. For surely It 10 moth
ing less than a. high emprise to chal-
lenge at any point. however small. n
thing so unknown a. the great world
Ia: a thing no terrifying a. all life il.
SO. as well as our natural jealousy
will permit. let us lift our glasses
Of water-high to these enviably dar-
ing and independent women.
"A womanx Adventurinss With
| Mysterious India" is. in substa nee,
the title OF Grace Thompson seton's
travel book. Its more colloquiAl nam
ing. Yes, Lady Saheb." is the writer =
tribute to Hakim, the indispensable,
turba ned bearer Of bedding, procurer
Of food, magic master OF smooth
TRANSPORTATION, preparer Of the bath
watch dog sleeping on mat outsioe
the door Of his amazing employer
who was always going somewhere
always on the move. An Astonish-
ment, this, to the static nature OF
the passive Hindu. This Ia the place
to say that Hakim In his various ac-
tivities as well a. In his unvaryina
heipfulness provides q perma nently
pleasing picture not only OF himself.
but in a truly representative sense
of much OF the Indian nature as a
whole. And Hakim was right about
the fitting habit of his employer.
First Bombay. then north to Delhi
and Gwalior and Jaipur and MysOre.
A sudden swoop southward to Madras
and Ceylon, then q flight to the
north again. This free lance Of trav-
elers appears to f1aunt her whimsi.
cslity Of procedure in the faces OF
sober and systematic travellers. But.
erratic in seeming, it served the good
purpose OF laying out the whole man
to the leader at the start. 1t spreads
the entire picture Of the East India n
peninsula and then picks out here in
high light this point OF history, that
center OF special activity, this city of
famous industry. this monument or
temple. this palace and government
house OF one native prince or another.
| A handmade country where carvings
| in marble and ivory rear themselves
| in palace and temple, where fabrics
| In silver and gold bespeak time that
| Is endless and unfailing millions of
| patient hands to carry the stupendous
| tasks forward
The adventurings Of Mrs. Seton in
India partake of the glamour of the
| fairy tale. Frequently alluding to
herself as Cinderella. she too feels this
| fairy element. Here are waiting
coaches and shining outriders of re.
| moved and mysterious princes. Pre-
pared programs for her visit are OBJ
seQuiously submitted for the approval
OF this American woman. Days pass
in the glamour Of q life that 10 world
away from that OF any American cit
vious delight, the goods that these
eastern gods and potentates provide
the traveller makes the most of them
-jots them down in her mind and
her notebook for your later enjoyment
and mine. Amusing incidents crop out
in the midst of this elaborate ritual
of princely living. For instance, the
| lady in her strolling about tho town
comes upon COW. Now this in Amer
lea would signify nothing more than a
right Of way. But in India a cow il
quite another matter-sacred the COW.
with the possibilities Of international
complications tied up in careless be-
havior toward divine Implications
Shot throughout with lightness and
brightness is this competent record of
the facts of India as these translate
themselves to the Western mind. Out
OF the plea surings and gOings about in
so buOyant spirit Mrs. Seton gath
ers many of the obvious facts Of an
cient India facing upon a modern
world. The restless and protesting
millions under enlightened and kindly
British rule. the lack Of co-operat ton,
the population broken into bits of ma
tive principalities, the progress in ed.
ucatiOn and the common ways OF life.
the advance Of the women. their ef.
forts toward common welfare-all Of
this is gathered up in the large BY
this animated and intelligent woman
travelling de luxe through India. ad.
venturing gayly and returning compe.
tently with fine outlook upon the
country as whole In it's common as
poets. And this outlook is at your
hand In "Yes, Lady, Saheb."
X
1
THE LITTLE WORLD. Stella Zen.
son. The Macmillan Company.
Another woman gone to India-eope
all around the world, for that matter.
In a brisk sightseeing that ia filled
with both wit and wisdom. A pointed.
pithy series of sketches backed by
high intelligence, keen observation.