Evening star., 1929-07-28
IDA GILBERT MYERS.

JOf1N WILKES BOOTh, FdcG ana f1c.
ton Of Lincoln's Assassination. BY
Francis Wilson. illustrated. Bos-
ton: Houghton- -Mifflin Co.
"A a YTH wears better than truth.
M The deeply ingrained hues and
va tints OF myth are more dura-
4 1 BILE than the hard primary coll
ors Of fact. Its outlines, too,
are more yielding. opening to the vast
credulities Of man in way that Cast
iron reality never comedies. So, myth
lasts while truth perishes. The fable
part Of any event, OF any tale, lives long.
Take, as case in point, the story of the
man whose name gives title TO this
book. Long after the sharp edge of
the assassination of Lincoln had dulled
there remained still a keenly believing
that he hved-here, or there, or over
yonder-for long years after the event
that lifted him into the limelight OF
worlds execration. II must be some
thing inside us, some yearning for big
climaxes In place Of ignominious re-
treats-no matter what the occasion IT
self may be. Some delight in the mag
ical, some Joy In the miracle that can
circumvent even the criminal-this
ings OF morality and the upholding OF
retributive justice. So, the most lasting
part of John Wilkes Booth was the pure
legend that he escaped justice to live
long in the land. Way over toward the
end Of his story of Booth. Francis Will
son gives in circumstantial detail the
taking off Of the foolish and fiery youth
who in some high-sounding name or
,ther did the deed that in prospect. lift
To 60 back. It is a finely hitting thing
that Francis Wilson undertook the story
Of Booth, undertook by study and re-
search into many obscure corners, by
selection and organization, to round into
true spectacle the personality and
tragic outcome of this one life. Fran
els Wilson Is an actor Of distinguished
experience, Of intimacy with the other
stage folks OF his time. Booth was an
actor, many OF whose native and pro-
fessional qualities must read like an
open book to this writer Moreover, in
the way of story structure alone, Fran
els Wilson has the great advantage OF
that ingrained sense Of dramatic Sc
quence, suspense and climax, all OF
which operate so potently in this story
OF Booth. Here is a man who has
lived widely and kindly"-what fine
tribute that is!-who has taken upon
himself the task of hunting out the
truth about the subject in his mind, the
sistent and plausible Interpretation of
this character. So Mr.. Wilson goes
back to the boyhood Of Booth. to the
mother who adored the beautiful crea-
ture that was her son. To the agen-
cies that, without such intent, fed the
self-esteem Of the lad, that rendered
him unwelcoming to talent and ability
in others of his age. He portrays here
the rampant spirit of adventure. the
IN h
The cause" came with the war and its
heritage of suffering and hurt pride and
hatred. No great surprise that the core
Of this cause should appear TO be the
President Of the United States. And
here the conspiracy is formed, its lead
ers set, its course defined. its action ripe
in the assassination of Lincoln in the
old Ford Theater in the Capital. It is
q story of swift action, riding hard upon
the facts themselves. A story Of breath
ess adventure, story wherein the trag-
time being by the spectacular swiftness
of its approach, of its accomplishment,
Of the flight that followed upon the
event itself. A remarkable analysis Of
character is, perhaps. the outstanding
excellence Of this book. Standing next
comes the aim for authentic fact that
guided the author in this undertaking.
The outcome is a brilliant and Under
standing record Of q crime that stands,
litical tragedies of this country. Of eny
country. If it would do bit of good
but it will not-Td like to have moth
ers of adored sons read this book for
admonitior. for danger signal, In their
own foolish prostrations before these
male prodigies of their nurture and
care. Not bit of good-we are so ex-
pert In passing the lessons and warn
inRs Of life on to the other woman. or
nan-those across the street or down
the road bit. However-here is
highly dramatic study Of one Of the
truths Of American history in the trou-
bled days after the Civil War.
FRANZ SCHUBERT. The Man and
His Circle. BY Newman Flower,
author Of "Georg Friedrich Handel"
etc. Illustrated. New York: Fred
erick A. Stokes Co.
THE radio is inviting more than one
musical genius to leave the exclu-
sions of the limited circle for the open
reaches of a quite general pleasure and
to hear something finely beautiful from
one or another of these gifted ones.
To be sure. these visitations come in
the between-whiles Of much jazzing, Of
much lovelorn grooming from young
men and women of more or less talent
for entertainment. But the fact is that
they do come. And by way Of them
there is growing wider interest In
good music, in the makers of such
music. This is the time, therefore,
when more readers want to know about
4 nA ~ i,1c
is the time when the life" of q great
musician will pass out from the narrow
circle of the pure music lovers into O
wide area Of general interest. Here Is
O good book TO meet such expansion.
Schubert comes often nowadays to the
listener-in. There is q growing desire
to know about this man who can still
delight the soul with harponies OF
earlier day. Newman Flower
knows the genius in music. He knows
the world, too, seemingly. So here he
has put these vital knowings together,
to make the story Of Franz Schubert.
And first he revives, revitaliZes, the
matcfless city Of Vienna as 1t was in
that day Of the Schuberts. He makes
one acquainted with the schoolmaster
and his sons-one of them, quite un-
beknown to his father, already headed
upon SuCn lnmOICdilty AS BcnluS VIC
slows. In an easy portrayal OF home
life and neighborhood life, Mr.. Flower
the boy Franz with the ele-
ments Of influence that the immediate
contacts Of youth provide. Then the
story goes on to accomplishment, to
disaster, to illness, to more Of effort, to
women and their part in the fulfillment
of art. It gives the story Of the "Un-
finished Symphony" to which you
listen often in these days Of sheer
magic. 1t is not q happy story that
this author has to tell-work and more
work. Poverty and lack of support.