Evening star., 1929-10-06

rights" beckoned. So, reached out
for another book, any book less task
weighted than the one in hand. The
Vale Of Aragon." Inviting call. Where
Is "Aragon"? No matter. It's a long
way of somewhere and I'm on the
road to it. New Orleans. Moonlight.
A bench facing the old Csbildo. Seated
there, giant of youth-fair, tow
haired, Nordic. moved into his mind
for the pictures that I knew were there.
1t was a pageant of more than CEN
tury of the history of this region.
French, Spanish. African, with innu-
merable strains of blood in between-ad-
venture, war, and, finally, the struggle
to overthrow Spanish dominion through
out the New World.
Just then there stood before him-a
king and queen of old Spain. And
Loren Garde brushed away what he
surmised were the lingering fumes OF
the wine of old Didier-but there they
still stood. And the king growled at
him as kings are said to do now and
then. The sudden flame of anger The
challenge, the combat. Confusion in
the streets, flight a Shipboard, the hur-
ricane, shipwreck. self-rescue off the
coast of Venezuela by Loren Garde-
and the adventure Is on. Here is the
vale of Aragon." Here are the fight
ing forces of Bolivar. Here the passion
for liberty Is at high tide. Here the
banners of freedom are calling patriot
and adventurer.
You see. something, OF the drift of
this romance set against background
of history, that Of the wars OF liberation
from Spain which, finally, resulted in
events that you can read out of the
history book any day. It is the ad-
venture of this tale that proves to be
its clear captivation. 1t reads like
truth, as it should. A gallant adven-
turer should win out in both war and
love. This one does after enormous
undertakings and many a last-minute
escape. For a couple of hours, more or
less, the reader is of and away to the
Vale of Aragon and its engrossments.
When he gets back his first question is
about the author of this novel. Who,
today, can hold and entertain the spirit
of this book? He is some sort of work.
ingman, for this is workman's book
orderly, restrained, cumulative in its
advance, exacting in its facts where
these are required, fine piece OF liter
ary construction. Well, he iS-soine
sort Of workman. Much as Maurice
Hewlett was, and few other writer's
have been-engaged in omcial activities
and recordings. Yet, one day in the
week, here is another mana romantic
adventurer lingering on out of another
era to fight wars and make love and to
laugh in a rare humor over the wonder
full ways of the world. A man TO make
enchantment for the duller folks around
about. Not great book, if you are
locking for ponderous themes and use
full lessons. Yet a delightful romance
as skillfully constructed as the very best
of them. A JOY of a book-n you ask
me. Try 1t.
PICTURESQUE OLD FRANCE. By
Herbert B. Turner. Illustrated.
Boston: Little, Brown g. Co.
HERE is an author who for 20 years
has been roaming the world.
camera in hand hunting for picture
points in his own country, Canada to
the north of it. Mexico to the south,
Japan, Hawaii, Europe, North Africa.
With thousands of negatives made
through these areas, with nuinberless
mlts for the entertainment OF readers
a book on out-of-the-way places in
France. No, this is not picture book.
as you might expect it to be from the
preoccupation of this Mr.. Turner with
photography. Pictures there are, but
it is a word book in the main. I'm
thinking that the habitual making OF
pictures must have clear influence on
the powers of verbal description. 1t
ought to have that effect. And certain
ly something in this case has given
lucidity, composition, color, even mo-
ton, to these views of France in its un-
usual aspects and moods and effects.
Beginning at Havre and going through
Normandy, Mr.. Turner moves in leisure
ly way down toward the Mediterranean,
gathering along the way innumerable
little Tiews-natural beauties, retiring
corners, characteristic behaviors of the