Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-10-13

of the earth and the people who dwell
therein. No need to remind you OF
the Mahlon Blaine drawings that go
along with the print. They are chal-
lenge to the admiration of any one for
their peculiar beauty and force. The
Mahlon Blaine drawings are always
that.
DIANA DAUNTIESS: A Romance of
the Eighteenth Century. BY Paul
try" etc. Philadelphia: J. B. Lip
pincott Co.
DAUL KESTER'S second novel goes
L back to the days OF the Pretender
in England when in support of that
already lost cause Sir John Dauntless
lost both title and property. Assisted
by his lovely granddaughter, Diana.
Sir John sought to regain his lost
estate. Such is the background Of
enmity intrigue and inspired cunning
against which the clever Diana Daunt-
less made Roadway in her grandfather s
fight for restitution. AT one hour
among the gypsies partaking Of the
Romany ways, at another playing her
brilliant role at the royal court, Diana
in either situation more than fills the
uIIICukC TOIe o. SUCH Shilling SA1SlenCc-
In the rapid swing OF events Mr.. Kester
has not neglected to include within
the action many an historical custom,
now long forgotten, Of the ways and
methods Of life at the period Of which
he writes. While one naturally leans
toward the grand doings Of grand folks,
here these are quite eclipsed by the
free Romany life Of that time and that
place. vestiges of this wandering life
remain in England-as George Borrow
so happily recalls to us-and to this
Paul Hester himself has paid devoted
attention and enthusiastic partaking
This part Of the romance is a joy, both
on its own account and by virtue of The
beautiful Diana's share in its free
modes of action and feeling. While
reading, one is reminded, over and over
again, that Diana Dauntless" is in
essence material for the play, where
Paul Hester has already gained fame
with when Knighthood Was in
Flower" and other clearly popular plays
I should like to see Diana" on the
stage. I'm thinking that you would, too
4 X
A NATIVE ARGOSY. BY Morley CAL
laghan, author of Strange Fugi-
tive" New York; Charles Scrib-
ner's Sons.
MO "argosy of portly SAIL this.
Rather, a little craft--home made,
so to speak-cruising about in the conf
mon currents of everyday life 10 dis
cover the adventure that hides in even
the pla.nest sailing. To find the cour-
age needed for even the dreariest pad
ding along through main stream and
branching river, or weariest work with
worrying rapids or with deep and ter
rifying canyons. Just all around and
about American life does THE Native
Argosy" make its way. To US, readers
1t delivers a group Of short adventures
romantic in a hcmely way, snappy
In any sort of way. Besides, there are
two long stories, of greater moment
maybe. All of them are told with the
vigor and life of going concerns and
moving events. Having read them all
one wakes up to the fact that this
young man commands a wide variety
of interests; commands also, the ability
to turn each Of these to the account
Of vivid and impressive storytelling
An American accepts these tales as part
of his own observation or experience.
The man from otherwhere does not.
He forgets that this big country IS
chock full of variety. So he agrees
that some of them may be drawn of
straight from life, but not all Of them.
And there's where he Is all wrong. Fine,
outstanding stuff, true In essence, told
with gusto and delivered in the spirit
of good fellowship.
\ \ 4
TRANSPORT. BY lisa Glenn, author
of Heat" etc. New York: Alfred
A. Knopf.
EOR the last four years a novel a
Il kNfT Zen y are fHo
latest. A news item tells us that this
author is the wife of an Army of1icer
for many years stationed in the Phil
ippines" and thereabout. Therefore, In
matters pertaining to the social side
of military life lisa Glenn may be taken
as authority The tale in hand calls for
authority. 1t is the story of ship pas
sage to the Philippines by Army ofiicers
and their families. It must have been
the heat. 1t must have been the I'M
reality of the Pacific In lieu Of the Sc
curity Of solid land that so played the
devil with that transport load of hu-
mainly. Or is this rather a fair pic
ture of human beings anywhere con-
fined as these we're to the close and
steady contacts of that long period OF
passage? If by the chances of expert
ence you find yourself out of love with
the man animal why, then, pass this
book up. For here Is an unlovely lot
To be sure, they are presented with wit.
the wry kind: with insight keen for
folly alone; with quick turns of speech
for the use of malicious gossip--all very
adroit for this kind of thing. Poor
kind. This author would do we'll tc
change her glasses. Either that or the
MISUNDERSTANDING to the measure of
fair dealing in this exposure-should
begin to clean house We are a poor
lot, we humans, no doubtful not 100
per cent a NOR lot