The Washington times., 1927-01-24
Washington ''Pldyed Up in NeIU Volumes; But
Great Washington NOUeI" Remains UnWritten
Miss Wilson Qualities for
HAL of Fame;;" Mrs.
Colby's Book
y JEAN ELIOT

rs Washington develo pin &
romantic aspects? Or are
writers turning more and more to
realism for inspiration
1t was o. Henry, I think. who
said that one could find romance
IN only three cities in the United
Gtates---New York. New Orleans
and San Francisco But more and
more stories are appearing with
Washington as a locale, although
the great Washington novel" has
vet to be published.
Sinclair Lewis. now a resident of
picturesque old Georgetown. denies
that he is writing 1t and says that
he isn't in the least inspired to 10
for r street what he did Tor
Main Street" Certainly "Revelry''
cant be described as great" the
much discussed novel by Samuel
Hopkins Adams. although best
seller" depending for It's appeal
upon its scandal content rather
than upon intrinsic interest or
literary merit,
Hot From The GriddIe
There remain. hot from the grid
die, two books that are likely to
have special interest here-Mrs.
cambridge Colby's Green Forest
and The Painted City" a collec-
ton of short stories by Mary Bad,
ger Wilson.
Miss Wilson, a girl of is. Is
qualified for the Hall of Fame fer
one reason If no other. She re.
fused to have strip" of pictures
of herself used in a local paper on
the plea that she disliked publicity
ana wanted her book to sell on its
own merits.
Is described as clever and 'colorful,
if not always complimentary to the
city of which she is writing.
Only One Politician
Mrs. Colby. the wife of President
Wilson's Secretary of State. has
written book with only one poll.
tician in it. But he is scheduled
to be our next President. Wash
ington figures considerably in the
story and a Peruvian diplomat is
'played up as a. successful for.
composite picture.
However, readers OF Green For
est are engaged in a guessing
game. trying to place the hero,
Punderson. He is big and imposing
and given to making platitudinous
speeches in a moving voice. He has
been a State governor.
His wife had just died. She was
q little bit of woman who were
old-fashioned clothes and a black
bonnet, and killed herself trailing
after him and taking care Of him.
He's a secret drinker. He got
"soused" on a ship just before he
was to make a speech, and the ships
doctor had to fix him. up.
Beyond these two characters, the
book is apparently guiItless Uf any
under-surface stuff. It is an excel
lenty written and delightful story.
aboutsa brilliant woman who marries
n stodgy man and a brilliant man who
narries a stodgy woman. and the
second generation results Of the two
marriages.
lisa Glenn Again
Another new book to be received
with interest here is lisa Glenns
Little Pitchers" In private life lisa
Glenn is Mrs. j. s. Bayard Schindel
widow of General Schindel, and she
was a resident of Washington off
and on during her husbands life
time. Her first novel. Heat was
successful, but Little Pitchers Is
described as a much better piece Of
work. AS a girl lisa Glenn worke1
in Paris with her cousin, Whistler,
the artist. For years she was sta.
toned in the Philippines. and her
travels in the Orient and remote co.,
ners Of the world have given her a
wealth of material to draw upon.
She is now living in New York.