Evening star., 1927-10-23

III L0lS view OF a france tndL lS little
known. The study of cathedrals pre-
sented by the book Is Of exceptional
| interest and value--and, somehow, a
French cathedral is, unfailingly. a
! stirring thing, connoting past that
| Is of priceless significance. Pictures
in abundance amplify the text in this
| particl lar. and at other points be-
| sides. IL you are a real traveller
| going in person here and there about
| the earth, you will find undiscovered
France" an admirable guide-com-
plete. specific. practical and well
ordered.
GAY NECK. The Story of a Pigeon.
BY Dhan Gopal Mukerji, author of
Caste and Outcast," etc. Illus
trated by Boris Artzybasheff. New
York: e. p. Dutton C Co.
MAYBE this story of a pigeon--of
Ava Chitra -Griva, or Gay-Neck--was
written solely for children. do not
know, since in a poetical ana lovely
tale like this I am never able to draw
the line where childhood ends and
youth begins. nor even where age
itself sets in. Years few or many can
not fail to find Joy in this intimate
story Of a beautiful pigeon, whose
friend and owner is an Indian boy of
Calcutta. From the time when Gay.
Neck left the shell till his return from
service as carrier in the World War
he not for moment ceases to win in
terest from the reader in the role of
pupil to his master, in the role Of COM
panion as WELL Around the lower
heights Of the Himalayas these two,
with the great hunter, Ghond, learn
life lessons for both boy and bird;
learn to use their own bodies-arms
and legs and wings; learn the differ
enco between friends to welcome and
foes to shun; learn courage and the
terrible blight Of fear. This story of a
boy and pigeon, each trying life
after his own fashion, projects both a
philosophy and religion as the guide
Of these two in the best ways of meet.
ing both the world and ones own self.
A touching and beautiful tale of simple
and deep significance.
y y y
GRAY DAWN. BY Albert Payson
Terhune, author Of Lad" etc.
New York: Harper & Bros.
IF you already know the Terhune
= dogs you will be able to Judge for
yourself whether or not Gray Dawn,
the subject of this tale, is the best Of
them all, as the Terhune family ap-
pears to think he is. If you do not
know them, just take this collie and
his story as good enough for anybody
who loves the friendship Of the most
companionable creature that so far
has been made. Albert. Terhune tells
good story. Maybe he inherited
this gift from his mother. And, more
over, he has a constant theme that
cannot be beaten. This book proves it.,
as many another book Of his has al
ready done. So, through many pages
of adventure with this intelligent col
lie you go in undiminished delight.
And at the end you stand beside Mr..
Terhune as he says rather more to
himself than to you: within pitt
fully small handful of years at very
most he will be gone. That is the way
of dogs. All Of them die too soon;
though so many of us humans live too
long. While still he Is here I want
his stories to be read. Perhaps you
may not like the stories. But / know
you will like Dawn himself. Every
one does"
ZELDA MARSH. BY Charles G.. Nor
ris, author of Brass" etc. New
York: e. p. Dutton & Co.
THE face that launched a thousand
= ships had nothing at all on this
Zelda Marsh Of San Francisco and
New York. Mr.. Norris latest novel
stands in the nature of a fantasy of
fascination, men of every age, sta
tion and degree falling flat before this
girl, who in place OF any unusual in
telligence, education or training. is
clearly overstocked with that subtle
feminine essence which the male
finds as indescribable as it is irresist-
ible. The tumult runs along the line
of Zelda Marsh's ambition to be an
actress. The sudden ups and downs
of a stage career, or even of an at
tempt to break into a stage career.
serve the main purpose Of the action
which Is to provide material for the
superpowers of the young woman
having the matter in hand. Excess
here works the mischief that 1t always
does in any field. Too much of any
thing-seven the very best Of things
becomes wearing and as a whole un-
convincing. So 1t is here. One tires
of weakened men and an invincible
woman, not so very much of a woman
at that. An experienced and success
full author has, more than likely, set
out here to present one side of the
picture Of modern life. He has over
done it. overcomposed the sketch so
that 1t has lost proportion and signifi-
canoe. He has spread his colors too
lavishly and too thick. It is all too
much-much too much.
X n X y
LOVERS STAFF. BY Sibell vansit-
tart. New York: The Macmil.
Ian Co.
T DON'T know why authors Gull
= puzzling. book titles from Shake
speare or some other high source.
There must be some good reason,
since so many of them do it. 1t ap-
pears that the great William once
said, not so profoundly as he was in
the habit Of talking, "Hope is a
lovers staff" To be sure and of
course. Around this bit of wisdom
the author has built a love story
nothing else. No shade of Main
Street realism about it, no agonies of
morbid probings into subconscious
states. just a love tale set in Eng
land after war time. A very we'll
constructed romance. it is. too, with
its chief character, not heroine.
but a real man instead. Here is a
finely honest fellow. who knows ex-
getting it with intelligence. patience.
self control and ultimate success.
Lovers are not likely to be any of
these things, not likely, to possess
any of these qualities. This one did.
Occasionally in the course of the
matter the reader wonders il the
game is worth the candle to him, but
he thinks it is. So, after many de- |
lays and much vexation of spirit to
this suitor, the young woman in the |
case takes the right turn and the |
story is ended. Not a snowy book. |
not in any degree sensational. But |
there are here good structure. live |
characters, believabfe action, a sense |
of drama--on the whole an enjoyable |
and promising piece of work.