Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-03-10

THE LIFE OF SIR MARTIN FRO
BISHER. BY William McFee. New
York: Harper d Brothers.
//Y TIE was very valiant"-such is
~ - the epitaph of Sir Martin
Frobisher, sailorman and
l. i explorer in the days of
Elizabeth. Now valor Is a
quality worthy to keep any man alive
for mere, 400 years or thereabout.
Valor is an ideal, goal-one that in
these later days appears to have had
a revival along the very lines that dis
glished the doughty explorer Of the six
tenth century. The Byrds and the
LindberghS are of the company Of
Drake and Hawkins and Sir Martin
himself-Save that the aims and ambi-
lions of the world have changed. Those
old mariners were looking for treasure,
treasure by way Of the northwest, were
dealing in loot and often in piracy, a
not dishonorable occupation In the days
when kings and queens encouraged and
highway, nowadays science is the object
sought, peace and good will the pilots
In these far flights. That Is about the
only difference between the two periods.
No one could be better primed to tell
the story of Frobisher than William
McFee. Sailors both, the sea is their
element. So, one is able to translate
It's hazards for the other. He does. In
an interesting and most effective way.
McFee has seized upon the spirit Of
this old explorer, this rough. indom-
table, unlovable man, who was as res
tive as the sea itself under restraint,
even the restraint of a queen. The
record spreads to an inclusion of the
period in Its special character, to
sketches Of some of the outstanding
contemporaries of Frobisher-Shake-
speare, for instance, as well as the great
seamen of that day. Drake and Hawkins
and others. In clear outline, too, is
there q comparison of the science of
navigation of today with the relatively
rude art of this preoccupation in that
other time. It Is for this comprehensive
as valuable as for the picture Of its great
hero and his fellow men. AS history
by way of biography, understanding and
sympathetic biography, the story of Sir
Martin Frobisher stands vivid and dis
corning as an interpreter OF a great
period.
THE CHESAPEAKE AND POTOMAC
COUNTRY. BY Oliver Martin.
Illustrations by E. l.. Florence, jr.
Washington; The Chesapeake &
Potomac Telephone Co.
0GTEP lively, pleased" Make it
~ snappyl" Such must have been
the guidance and monition under which
Oliver Martin produced 1.-THE Chesa-
peake and Potomac Country" It Is
that sort Of book. It is, moreover, the
plain by-product Of pure business
enterprise. To spread the telephone
service all up and down the Potomac
country and roundabout Chesapeake
Bay-that was the business In hand.
This done, there was found to be in
and settlement, of Colonial relic and
Civil War reminder, Of leisure and be-
lated growth. In hand were picture
and fact, romance and history, the
glamour Of other days stepped in their
own mellowing years. Interesting stuff
for any one to come upon. And Oliver
Martin fell to upon 1t. First as authors
do. he set up before himself the three
little gods whom writer's seek to serve
accuracy. economy, interest. These in
cooperation with very special gift
Of his own have worked to the end
that readers have In hand here a sort
of glorifed fguidebook to the region COW
cred by that enterprise Of setting up the
telephone service within it. This proves
to be a most companionable journeying
up and down. to and from, for In an
easy way with words the writer, the
traveller, points out this and that OF
importance and interest to the ones
going along beside him. A charming
stretch Of country, this-Washingto
Baltimore, Richmond, and up the
mountain ways to the West-and to its
beauty end charm Mr.. Martin pays full
due. Here is book to make the pro-
fessional guide-writer pause for lessons,
not only in giving facts and directions,
but In presenting the facts alive In their
real flesh and blood, facts that. SEEM
ingly by their own volition, walk In
orderly fashion before the reader.
The sum of the matter is that, having
gone along here, one holds IN memory
q very beautiful and interesting picture
of truly historic corner Of the Eastern
seaboard and its immediate neighbor-
hood.
oliver Martin Is editor Of "The
Transmitter," the employees magazine
of the Chesapeake g. Potomac Telephone
Co. It Is out Of the experiences Of this
ONCE that the material OF the book
kIEW. ~ - Out "a ekAC SAAsSA
competency and art that this useful
and beautiful book comes to readers.
THE LOVERS OF THE MARKET
PLACE. BY Richard Dehar1, author
Of 1.-THE Sewer Of the Wind" etc.
Boston: Little, Brown 81 Co.
THE honored tradition of the family
i Is that of selfless love, devotion,
harmony. Yet, Sometimes-but this IS
Richard Dehan's story. A novelist OF
experience and worth, this one, VINO mas
not built herself into favor by way OF
fairy tale and plain fabrication. There
must be a reason for the theme OF this
novel, reason more substantial than
q writer's not unnatural desire for
change. However, here Is the story IN
its foundation. Here Is the drama OF
father, who, in apparent enmity,
pursues his son. Even as little boy
Stephen Brady came under his fathers
dislike. And when, in later years, WI.
frid Brady Inherited money made in old
slave trading his hatred became intensl-
fed because both the boy and his
mother refused to accept comfort de-
rived from that source. Such Is the
starting point of the romance. In its
course 1t Is the story of Stephen and
his mother. Malvina, happy In their
market gardening, even though this con-
tentment was sorely and often broken
by the intrigues of the father to dis
possess them of the little homestead
upon which they lived. BY and by
a love story enlivens the plain tale Of
hard work. Stephens love story. The
chief concern Of the novel Is, however,
that Of Wilfred Braby's persecution OF
his wife and son, coupled with the
dauntlesS heroism of Malvina and
Stephen in meeting this unnatural
oehavior-or, is it unnatural, after all?
The narration Is cast In the lower walks
OF English life, cryptic at times In the
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