Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-01-01

RtCOT.LFCT1ONS GRAVE AND
GAY: The story Of Mediterra-
mean Consul. u George Horton.
Illustrated. India napolis: The
Bobbs- Merrill %.
A TfIENS, Saloniki, Smyrna
~ names packed with roma nee
II and history the places
i where for 80 years az consul
Mr.. Horton represented 1.-The
United States. This period led up TO
the World War and covered that
event. 1t involved any number Of
delicate international situations. call
ing for service OF experience and high
competency. However. the book in
hand has very little to do with the
grave activities of official life. Rather.
the work done, the office set aside.
does Mr. Horton lean back in his easy
chair, while his mind goes a-faring- on
the JOYOUS adventure of recollectinS,
remembering recalling a thousand and
one Of the lighter hours in long
procession OF strenuous official years.
A good story-teller. with whom mem.
DRY Is as keen as sight itself. this
man of many experiences chooses ana
selects from them rich store of i'm
pressions that include about every
phase Of life in the region where for
hand innumerable interesting facts.
All manner of people come to the
front at his bidding-the high and
the low. the rich and the poor, each
offering something of that most in
teresting theme in the world. huma n
nature. The ways of the people out
there, their outlook upon the things
around them. their notions concern
| ing the rest of the world, laughable
| incidents. amusing moments - all
these and host OF things besides
flow spontaneously from the ready
words and appreciative humor of this
most compa nionable man. Pages of
history. hours of plain description,
could not so fully deliver the locality
and it's people over to the reader as
does this easy flow Of reminiscence
from the author OF "Recollections
Grave and Gay"
SPLENDOR. BY Ben Ames Williams.
author OF Immortal Longings.
etc. New York: r.. T.. Dutton &
Co.
THE outer layer OF this romance is
OF everyday pattern. These are
the obvious happenings such as make
Against the background Of n news
paper office Henry Becker passes
slowly from office boy TO reporter.
from lad 10 grown man, In succeeding
sets Of unimportant circumstance,
like those through which we our
selves are moving along the road all
the way from Youth onward. Clearly.
therefore. the "splendor" that names
the tale and. presumably. that lies
within its substance. ~ not OF super
fetal quality. /, proves to he, in
deed. the splendor. so familiar To the
most of us, that stands waiting for
tomorrow. or the day after. or next
year. 1t is that elusive vision of good
things to come. II is the daily fresh
fronting OF hopeful and ina ginatiVe
minds upon the future. Such com.
mon besetment turns this story OF
Henry Becker into almost every
mans story, So. in sense. the
reader is following his own career in
the ever hopeful outlook OF Becker
himself The Illusion Is all the more
plausible by virtue of the plain and
unpretentious manner OF the record
itself.
The story IL set back in the time
of the Spanish War. Many marvellous
changes have taken place since then
and these are forecast here. They be
come. in prospect and sign. a part Of
the shining future that spreads he
fore this young newspap per man. The
career OF the reporter. the life of the
newspan per office are set out here as
they really existed at that time. in
large measure "a they now exist. BY
implication and example the history
III newspaper development within the
pass 30 years liz sketChed by way Of
the experiences OF Henry Becker and
his associates. An unsensat,onal
creation. ha upon certain outsta nd
ing facts ot the period that II covers.
from which energies most interest,
ing study Of personality and char
acter A sustained and steady inven,
ton Of extra fine effect.
TIE. REBEL EARL: And Other
Studies. Nv William Roughead.
author 81 "Glengarry'S Way" etc.
Illustrated New York: T.. Il.
Dutton \ Co.
TIE revival here of ten tales Of
i iawieS~neSS. ranging from murder
~ less heinous offenseS, appears 10
bring this author no end ~ enjoy.
meut, In part humorlst Of gloomy
grim in other part historian ri dnuv
viSaEe. he goes exploring the past for
crimes that, In Il measure at least
dispute the competition ot our own
! DAYS In this respect. Still. the grn~'
some volume received and given its
share Of attention. the fact remains
| that for variety, for strange motive,
| for finished execution. the present
| stands quite ahead ~ the stories III
mi~dccti~ that are herein set down.
| The one point Of value in the book
| hrS ia the opportunity that II E,Nrs
| 10 compare the legal procedure III the
| past aud the present IN respect Io
crime. Then the psychologists and the
| 1tirnis, were unknown in any ottir ial
| hearing upon the mental state ~ the
| ~rimluAi. Eases are cited IN this book
| that. today. would clearly ouet IN
/ sanity as the SiuEle motive AND. hN
/ way OF such plea, Would clear The a's
! cusrd ~ Responsible wrong doing
| constance Rents Conscience \ Mid
! Victorian Mystery" stands aS a case
| In point of the changes tina, have
come 10 the outlook upon certain
| crimes. Rlltheiy this author goes has
| way hunting for criminals ~ Hush
| estate, or NJ specially Ingenious
modes OF criminal satisfaction, An
admirable book of eases Tor the writer
| with a slant toward stories of mNssrlN
aud crime \ fair book upon which
IL hase comparisons ~ criminal l"Sa
procedure \ $3.50 hook FOR the
huuorist of certain stripe, Not q
hook FOR the aNrt0Ee reader, Who al
/ ready tinds too utVh of this Mind al
! stun ut the corner newsstand, tt
| however one ~ hound ~ take up =
story 1T this brand, ttN oscar Wilde =
| "i'en, Pencil and Folsom There a
| gtucsome theme Nietds Wit Without
| destroying the substance W the
| theme, II h not ~ heavy footed aS
| IL much uf this work through whkh
| Mr.. Eoughvad here ntAkeS hts hi'art,
| GUS way,
=