Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-08-17

trained. I'm no judge OF art. But gnere Is
something great in pictures whose single effect
aloneness-moveS in and takes possession of any
one looking at them, reminding him of the eS-
sential solitude of every mans life. II no words
had been used here the body and essence OF this
matter would have been delivered by way of the
drawings alone. But there are words. There
Is story telling of little boy left to himself so
young of the friend found and lost quickly,
of the years of youth and manhood in the West
country, of the ways of life out there, of the
adventures of this particular man among the
various brands of rough experience that a new
country imposes upon its people. Getting into
trouble is the hourly program, not only with
James himself, but with everybody else. Gun
troubles, jail troubles elusive and sketchy legal
proceedings, short shrift In the administration
of justice. A great picture of the COW country,
Of the cowboy life. We've all read tales, truth
and fiction mixed, of the wild West. Dimly we
sense that its early phase is passing, has passed
But for such books of personal experience as this
one we should forget the picturesque and sig
niicant foundations Of the great region that is
so rapidly conforming TO the modes and man
ners Of older parts Of the country. This is not
to be forgotten. Therefore, the realism Of the
West in good story is as important as Is any
other chapter in the record of growth for the
entire country An honest, simple account,
completely personal in content, but most in
elusive in its implications. This is more than q
first-rate story. 1t Is saga of the cowboy and
the country. It is an essential part Of the
history of the West. Besides, coming closer,
1t Is deeply touching tale of the lone boy and
man, making his way against odds that, by
their very nature, are calculated either to break
to make any mere man. In this case, the
evidence points upon q double achievements
man made, and q true artist also.
THE LION AND THE LAMB. BY E. Phillips
Oppenheim. Boston: Little, Brown & Co.
POPULARITY, in the field of fiction. is CAD
III xIafwr -fnnI
way-word, smiling upon this author today,
beaming upon that one tomorrow. Wait min
ute! Wait minute! What about this novel;
ist Oppenheim, with more than hundred ro-
mances already to his account, each one, upon
its appearance, most welcome of all? How does
he do it-despite one here or there who sug-
gests that he doesn't do it? 1.-THE proof OF the
puddng'-you knowl
Mr. Oppenheim tells a good story. Each one
begins somewhere Its action, always stirring,
follows the line Sourced in that beginning, and
ends definitely in the sequence set by the OPEN
ing of the story and its supporting movement.
This means good structure-not so common
practice as may be specifically imagined. Them
too he is mystery dealer. and no one can re-
sist that For good reason, too All Of life Is
stepped in mystery. So any aspect OF 1t takes
hold upon the keenly passionate interest of all.
Moreover, ne works generously, in the large.
Hardly ever does one country suffice. To suit
this author best the problem must take on in
ternational scope. Besides. he gives that variety
which so spices life. The cultured the waywiSe,
living In the amplitudes of plenty are here.
Here, too. are the rough and crude, the down..
and-outers, the desperate. His blends OF such
disparate material epicurean so to speak
Here are some of the reasons which, it seems
to me, account for this mans perennial power
of entertainment.
This Is in the main, story of gangster life
in . great city 1t is of course, an account of
the ultimate triumph of order over lawleSsneSs-
thought 10 is in no sense a preachment on the
triumph of good over evil Not that at all.
tremendous adventure, instead, wherein ability
courage, an Unborn sense of honor the gifts OF
birth and training override. finally. the opposite
of all this as it is demonstrated in the slum life
OF cities. David NGyberry is the man of the
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS, down on his luck, taken to
the wrong path in his stress, betrayed by the
gang. You know pretty well what would follow
such q beginning. 1t does. I'm sure you will
find here q clear satisfaction in the charac-
terization of these people, high and low. that
VIII add TO the tempeStuous movement OF the
adventure. great criminal organization pays
tribute TO the brains of the gang, old Tottie
Green's gang. Desperate fellows. But not deS-
perate enough able enough to circumvent
David finally Two ladies widen and deepen
the interest of the tale-one a gang lady, q
gorgeous woman; the other girl of David's own
stripe-modern, fine, entirely worthwhile. With
such working material Mr.. Oppenheim purSues
his usual suave and confident way, delivering to
readers q romance which they are sure to re-
ceive in an undiminished enthusiasm for the
work Of this first-rate story teller.
THIRTEEN MEN. BY Tiffany Thayer. illus
Claude Kendall.
A NY jury trial is in itself sheer drama. T1f-
fanny Thayer here projects one of these in
a fireworks performance of AdrOitly blended