Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-09-16


one. toward this stored stretch Of batHe
and conquest. or defeat. There are
lakes and hills and green sod to stow
away in the memory. There are easy
talks about the character of the sons
| of Erin, about their ambitions political
and otherwise, about their letters and
the revival of the ancient tongue. And
with the achievements there go along
very specific directions. though not OBJ
trusive ones, about routes and convey
anceS, and times and seasons, and the
gains that are to be gathered in from
this quarter or that one. A delightful
summering lies in this record Of travel
under the guidance of one who has
taken on the power of defining the
charm or spell of this place or that
one, through the warmth Of his
sympathy, the extent of his knowledge
and the gift of setting 1t all out in
lovely words and in spirit of deep
enthusiasm.
MAD FOLK OF THE THEATRE. BY
Otis Skinner, author of "Footlights
4 and Spptlights." Illustrated. In
dianapolis: The Bobbs-Merrill Co.
TEN studied In temperament" which
constitute an important and deep
ly interesting survey of period Of the
British stage. A history? Mr.. Skinner
denies the suggestion even. whenever
I have seen a date on the road ahead
I have lodged into hedge and hid
until the abhorred thing had passed by
certainly not history. Rather, as he
was going on his way, did this little
group of 10 step out hailing him as
friend and brother. And, gladly. did he
sit down to colleague with them about
&L.nE khA
heart. Thomas Betterton, Nell Gwinn
and others on up to Edmund Kean and
the elder Booth. Certainly mad COM
pany." GAS an actor I saw myself in
their company, intrigued by their vani-
ties, loving their weaknesses, glorying
in their successes" And the writer
marvels most of all at the modernity
of these remote play folks. Despite a
background ranging from Charles II,
through the 'macaronf period of the
Georges to the Victorian era, they are
not very different from the matinee
idols Of yesterday and the Hollywood
heroes and heroines Of today"
So, in an easy and charming manner,
Mr.. Skinner talks significantly and even
profoundly about these old actors in
the handling of their art. MY failure
to dignity my list by the inclusion of
the talented Garrick, the Sprightly
Sheridan, the ponderous Kemble and
the majestic Siddons, is an arbitrary
action. So much calculated observance
of good form enshrouds them that ]
could not find it in my heart to allow
their inclusion in the assembly OF
ne'er-do-wells already presented" For
instance, with Nell Gwinn, "the pro-
fame elf of Charles IFS court. No
figure IN the story OF the stage offers
| ~ ia Oh
vulgarity and common sense. She was
sunshine in dark days"-but no COM
pany for the Kembles and the Siddonses
and the Garricks. SO the heavy respec-
tables must give way. A beautifully
written book, just an easy gathering
from the opulent career Of otis Skinner
himself one Of the Mad Folk of the
Theatre"
THE STRANGER AT THE FEAST
BY George Agnew Chamberlain,
author of The Silver Cord" etc.
New York: G. P. Putnam's Sons.
INOT at all uncommon nowadays for
a child to have a string of STEP
fathers, or Stepmothers, or both. Not
a bit common, however, for two fathers
to be living amicably with their little
daughter and her mother in a family
combination Of complete harmony anc
unusual charm. To render so fantastic
a theme in the least degree believable
Mr.. Chamberlain was driven back tt
the hectic attitudes and behaviors Of
war time. Little Joan had her begin
nings at that date. When We come
upon her she is Of proper evidentia
age. about 10. In the meantime the
father has become myth, mere rec
| - - 10 ,hk
1t is upon such a situation that the
romance of new love and marriage
is founded. The appearance of the
blind stranger serves to complicate the
matter and to move it forward in a
tension of suspense, in uncertainty of
outcome, such as tie novel depends
upon for its bare existence. AS plot
and action the story strains the reader
way beyond happy acceptance. This
is Offset, however, by the quality of the
characters that carry on here. Not
only are these people of flesh and blood,
but they are finely human besides. The
two fathers are winners-both of them.
Little Joan is a joy. The woman
WELL there are moments, both in novels
and outside of them, when one marvels
that so small a matter can kindle so
fierce conf1agration. A Smooth-run-
ming story about whose implauSibility
one is inclined to be easy-going, espe-
cially when he looks out upon an &C
tuality that gives the romancer an al
most unbelievable amplitude for his use
in the creation of fiction. And, more
over, that splendid remuneration at the
last moment is thing to remember
and to have joy in recalling.
| * X X *
POOR LITTLE FOOL. BY Fulton
Oursler, author of "Step Child of
the Moon," etc. New York: Harper
e. Bros
THE spirit of investigation, scientific
in origin and general purpose,
appears to have moved out into every
department Of living. To search out,
to pry into. to find out for ones self,
these are the steps by way Of which
conclusions are reached. In the single
field of marriage, however, this method
does not apply. Indeed, in this field
it Is rejected with disgust and terror.
And that, no doubt, is exactly as it
should be. OF course 1t Is. There is
really no way at all to set aside the
profound ignorance required to meet
the most important of all Of lifes en-
gagements and undertakings. Mar
riage still holds to the old Pestalozzian
principle of schooling. 1--WE learn to do
by doing" or, we learn marriage by
marrying. But here is young man.
clearly Of scientific mind and manner,
who writes book on marriage in the
scientific vein. It Is book of expert
mentation. There is to be a marriage.
presumably, so the two agree. But. the
/ set time arrived, the girl will not be
! welded. She will not any more have
this young man in her life. Does she
hate him? Not at ALL On the con-
trary she, in a way, loves him. But
strange fact. the love is purely of the
maternal sort. He is her little boy.
to be mothered. to be soothed. The
story ends right there. No kind of a
does seem to be very important issue
from that experiment. No-bless your
| hearth I'm not advocating IL I'm