Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-12-11

possesses the fine art Of giving 10
realism the essence Of poetry which
it so certainly contains for those who
can see and feel II.
y y x
TIE MESSENGER or THE GODS.
BY Phyllis Bottomc, author Il
The Perfect Wife" etc New
York; George II. Doran Co
IT takes no more than half look
to discocer that The Girl Is Just
now in fun possession Of the WuHd
itself SO it is to be expected that the
novelist, as canny as the next ON,
should rush into the situation for mate.
rial of immediate and pressing appeal.
In pursuance of this rush novels ara
moving to the front in drOVcS, each
offering some phase Of the enormous
important matter Of this young fema
In the role Conquerur There is ono
thing to be said for the novelist WHO
has in the main, sought earnestly "a
interpret this fresh enigma of curreY 7
/ lite. To know her. rather than to eE-
plot her in sensational fiction, is tie
admirable aim of most of these writer's.
To get behind this girl to penetrate -
her own secret beWildCrmentS over
wholly uneQupped freedom. is the gen.
eTal purpose in the story of The New
Girl. Such Is the intent of PhyIl 4
| Bottome in the study of Imogen
Stubbs. Familiar situation--the mean
home packed with rules Of behavlor.
/ the reckoning world the new sense ot
power for release, an Unusually gifted
child-and such a beautiful world call.
ing out there This is the groundwork
OF the romance. From some far source
the girl has been given d courage that
few possess, And with this a manner
of straiehf thinking that cuts across
many Pic. which wisdom has set
down for guidance. You can see the
end of the matter even from this
point. That's right. That's the way
it does end. 1t comes to an end in an
act of courage and selfsaCrifice that
would have won the open merit II
heroism-but it couldn't, you see. be-.
cause 1t does run athWdrt the moral.
tiles. Instead of rewarded gallantry,
therefore. the sacrifice becomes pain
self-destruction. Frank, understanding,
fearless, sinCere-and compellin.
writer as well-Mss Bottome gives
| sweeping picture of Imogen Stubbs-
about q million Of her in these days
and of society as we'll in it's lack of
understanding. it's cruelty, its smu-
self-concealments under layers OF
smooth convention,
/ =
| THE PASSIONATE TREE. Rv
Beatrice Sheepshanks. author Of
The Laughing Heart" New York:
Harper q Bros
THIS Is, again, the story of the
girl who has so fully taken pos
session of modern life But there is
| none of the rebellion i'm this romance
| that supports the most of the current
girl stories. 4 story of misfortune
a lovely and tender story of a little
girl. d lonely ana Imaginative child
living out OF doors much of the time
| in wonderful companionship with
all manner of fascinating companions
shadows ON the grass, the singing
of a bird. her own happy retreat
away up in the copper beech in the
garden. Then the child grew Older
but remained just as lovely. And
| then there comes the familiar Stor.
of loving where it is forbidden so T..
do. After that. just unthinkins hap
piness. YOU know. till two little chill
dren brought the actualitieS of H..
case to this much-loving woman
What she did under such spur 10
sense of the rights of others brings
the story to an end that moody "
like, except those who 10 have
sense of square play and fair deal
ing, no matter how much it hurts. \
beautiful piece of WORK, this stor.
tull of the finest imagery, the muSi
human of qualities the sturdiest q
contests. the most pi.iful of ending.
or. maybe, the ending isn't puff
after all, Sjltca the other cndin
would have been il the long run IN
finitelV more 20.