Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-08-05
IDA GILBERT MYEES.

" ERE Philip Gueoalla goes OF
holiday. For the time heine
he is the play boy, not me
historian. the biographer, the
whatnot Of learned and serious
investigation and record, instead ne
Is romping around America IN eres,
eoos hurSor That word 'ronlping
Soesr,t sound exactly right-but no
matter. Let Mr. Gue6alls decide anou.
Il from what he himself has To say OF
the expedition on this side. JoyouslN
he se0icates the book TO My Charm
inr Guardians, the Pullman Poriers Of
America. showing fine gratitude for
tbs kindness of this tribe. But MI.
C;t,edalla has many things To say ABOUT
n,sces and people whom he met before
the period Of the porters. Listen to
him for s minute. How few oil us
confess the rich romance with which
EngliShnien regard the United States.
The lure is not In C,oir vide horizons
for We have wide horizons OF our
cw-nl nor in those bright financial
prospects which Anglo-SaXons have
agreed to term opportunity Latins.
sunk in their Mediterranean slunloerS,
NAV Weld themselves 10 the Illusion
that new countries throb with romance.
E,lf EncliShnlen, whose dismal tate II
Is to settle them. know that new coun-
tries are least romantic. Why other
wise. the annual pilgrimage Of New
World in systematic search Of romance
II, the Ol6s" The American
appeal owes little to Its newness. 1t
grows, for Englishmen. on the far
richer soil of genuine romance. Some
where beyond the sunset owells to our
heated fancy. a fsirylan6 Of incredible
thingS"-and we take it from this that
Air
the sea to SAVIOR the romance Of the
New World And he does SAVIOR it,
obviously. In kindly mood he observes
places. people, institutions and con-
ventions. In a word. he takes in the
country, seeing it pretty much as it is,
q bic and sometimes faulty growth,
but stimulating nevertheless. A most
enjoyable part OF this travellers COM
ment is that there is nowhere about
1t the touch of superiority that is cal
culate6 to Offset the value OF the opin-
ION. Mr.. Guedalla sees much to admire.
He sees things that are not admirable,
Discreet, friendly. and substantial are
the expressions of this man as he goes
about the country seeing America.
The book as a whole is, TO be sure. a
delight to readers who may count it a
privilege to look at even their own land
through the wisdom and the compe-
tency of his English writer so, this
man Of achievement. this shrewd and
kindly critic.
DACNY. BY Louise Redfeld Peattie.
New YORK: Doubleday, Coran a. Co.
THIS lovely story runs only from
4 morning 10 morning again. Here
Is . mere 24-hour circle OF focus and
ed F<fr.r1 {a hn If fJo
dozen people. This is truly the family
circle, brothers and a sister with her
baby, old "unkie" and the little serving
maid. Dagnv. The high points OF the
tale are love and tragedy. Yet il is not
By any means a story of sorrow. With
only Dagnv herself does the unhappi-
ness deepen past relief A curious child
elusive as a shadow. beautiful as a
bright dream that runs away at the
moment Of Weakening, the carrying
spirit of the story throughout. Since
this is a family of young folks. save old
'tUnkie" its prime prepossesSicn Is.
very naturally that Of love. Some OF ii
runs criss-cross some Of 1t goes wrong
entirely Just one case is that OF full
fllYnent. But. in this respect, the story
closes In distinct promise Since there
Is here so much TO do so little time. the
action is Of necessity. deeply concen-
trste This is an advantage that many
q novelist might study with profit. In
any event the effect Of the story is not
derived from its happenings 80 much as
from its essence. It's charm comes
from the tonic air that supports it,
from the robust spirit that sustains it.
Br1mned with life, II is projected in a
6eIicacy OF feeling that is simply cap
tiyating. To speak Ike this of a novel
Is 70 take the chance OF being mis-
iszdiuR. To be strictly clean in writing
these DAYS carries the suspicion of be-
ing futile, too good To be true and the
rest Of it. But here Is a writer who is
clean all through--snd deeply interest
ing There is fresh air in this romance
There are trees and gardens and the
sea. Yet. IL runs deep with human
emotion and human desires. On. II Is
quite different from the bulk of current
ncticn. And this difference, coupled
with q genuine ability In story telling.
is the thing that sets "Dagny" high in
a place Of its own. Readers are bound
70 love this story.
TIMERS LEAVE. BY Maurice Bar
ing. author Of Cats Cradle" etc.
Nav York Doubleday. Dorsn 4, Co.
YOU can see that nov and then Mr..
Barring takes on a slack story title.
a loose and roomy one. for such ease
of adventure as o moment may pie
eent In any uncharted outfaring. Such
e the free situation that. In this novel.
he sets around Miles consterdine.
Here Is young man who had right
I'D TO mans estate been tied To the
apron strings Of female relative.
But, one day. there came short holi-
dav 10 Paris IT was enough, however
70 loosen those strings Tor good and
al. The next step took Consterd.ne
0seY into Russia and from that tcun-
try into the var itself. What begsn
In q mere trusncy became real liberia
ton. Under this accommodating title
Of free action Mr.. Barring has gathered
an engrossins story OF many associa-
lions and adventures. The refrcshHlens
nf the novel lies In the quality of the
individuals who see IL through just
as the engrossn1ent and fascination Of
life itself depends largely on the in
diligence and culture and personality
Of those who are testing II as they
mass along. Here In many strange places
and unusual situations are meetings,
accidental and otherwise, of those vf1o
speak the same language see win
the same insight and appreciation. feel
w1fh equal sympathy and understand
Sne. 50. here are long talks upon sub
ierts that are really n1omentous. Talks
fyu1n art and books. upon men IN theif
silccesees and in their defeats upon
events that aDpeay % 'isYe meanings
Aeere~ s..Sft sycesg upon the surface.
ne noL foY 5 minute imagine mat
tness talks. 80 free and frequent, are
~ Inc type known As Informing Not
~ an. Here is spontansity. tossing
~ and fro in lighiness that proves
70 be Of the very spirit Of these COM
uanlons and friends One II the most
Selightful NJ books for that hour OF
ease that comes now and then when
the mind is open 70 = richer BOOK than
the average ever proves 10 be- Here
Is the grace Of culture, the charm OF
YneIlowec wisdom. You Will not oftfn