Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-09-21
% IDA GILBERT MYERT
The Life Story Of q DipIomat-Fulton
Oursler W/,1teS a Thoroughly Entertaining
Nozel-Oher Autumn Books.
Fulton


things generally. Did they know each other?
Most certainly they did, as only chosen
friendS-man friends-can. Then one day, the
poet found dead-murdered, past doubt
When Pollock, his comrade, took hold of the
caSe-there was nothing to take hold of. In
all these confidential hours there had been no
personal disclosures on either side. A family?
Home folks? Social contacts? Nothing-save
pocket notebook and in this there were three
addresses that might open some little door of
information. The story goes with the pur-
suit of these names, their owners, all women.
very scantily and gradually adding word
here, a line there, respecting the life Of this
poet Bellamy, for the guidance Of the friend,
Pollock. 1t hardly matters how the pursuit
endS-and yet it does It is the slow opening
up of the hidden man to the eyes of his friend
and confdant that counts so tremendously So
open and yet so subtle is this disclosure so
concerned with externals and yet so engrossed
with hidden depths Is it that, in effect the
story can be turned outward upon any reader,
upon any human in existence. For every
life is private life" Every man Is a COM
plete stranger to the world, and often to him.
self. universal story that does not sustain
any considerable diminution in its projection.
Clearly fine work, to produce such effect. How
ever. if you are story bent go with the read
ing Of this strange tale whose ending finally
involves the other man, Pollock, questing the
sources Of his friends violent death. Not a
detective story in any sense, though it hints of
one at the outset. Material for pursuit here,
without question. But the aim Is far bigger
than that 1t does distinct damage to the
theory Of the private life' and its "sanctity"
and the rest OF the words. tenacious story
that stays by long after its reading is over.
THE WALKING STICK. BY C. E. Scoggins,
author of THE Red Gods Call" ETC. Indian
apolis The Bobbs-Msrrin Co.
FRED HARPER was the single non-conformist
of that little near-East village where he
was born. The open evidence OF such errancy
was nothing more than the freak habit of
carrying a cane as he moved about the streets
Deeper proof even than this was Fred's queer
drift toward an artists life. Didn't seem to
take to business and trade as his father did as
all the rest of the folks did. Not to conform, to
be different, is ever suspect, whether such
divergence lies in the matter of neckties or in
the overturning of dynasty and the discovery
OF world However the point here is that
Fred Harper was not bit like the rest of the
hamlet. And this is the story-the story of
the four corners agitated by the fact that it
had an odd duck to deal with. Under such
impulse Mr.. Scoggns adds another Main street
to current American fiction. SUMMER street
than that other familiar one. Milder weathers
sustain it. kindlier genius presides over it.
Not only understanding makes it's way here
but genuine warmth Of partaking also goes into
this blended picture and chronicle of the small
community And the story-that too familiar
The misflt youngster getting out and away
looking Tor some place where he would fit.
New York, of course. And by way of this out
fartng comes the adventure which every story
by this author is and must be. It Is a story
OF winning out on the part of the llsty Ameri-
can youth-millions of him. not uncommon
story in these wide-open days of good luck and
good grit The unusual part, that which gives
this romance a special place, derives directly
from the quality of G. E. Scroggins himself
Here is first of ALL adventurer of romantic
stripe, whose artistry is CT a lenient line and
soft colorings whose studies of any subject
bring out the common human traits that we
all share. No angels, no devils. No tremen-
dous heights and depths A good story a fin
ished story, always about the rest of u.s.
whether we chance to live in Muncie, Ind, or
in some Magyar tangle of a forgotten civiliza-
ton. And this brings to mind again that lone
OF the best stories I ever came upon"-"The
Red Gods Call" by c. E. Scroggns. Born in
Mexico, traveller, adventurer-a novelist
of gifts and art, most persuasive story teller.
THE RAKE AND THE HUSSY. BY Robert w.
Chambers, author of THE Sun Hawk" etc.
New York: D. Appleton g. Co.
THE year, 1912 and thereabout The back
ground broadly spread our war with Eng
land The field of actual action, New Orleans
and its outlying waters The great figure OF
time and event. Andrew Jackson But TINS Is
not designed to be history. Rather is it pure
romance adventuring greatly under the inspira-
ton of national conflict Robert Chambers likes
that medium for imparting to fiction the effect
of fact. Not only likes it but devotes himself
to it in an earnest and competent study of
historic settings for the frequently famboyant
behaviors of young love. Here is merely another
example of the Chambers practice in novel
structure. Privateers busy at sea, armies max
ing war ashore down the New Orleans way
these supply the heightened excitement and
strenuous action of in its large and de-