Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-05-25


of one or more of the mans clear burden of
feminillity. The whole to-do is downfall, moral
deterioration, shady schemes, money make
shifts-under charm of manner, q dignity
of department that no internal processes Of
rascality could seem to deface. Why a story
OF this sort, story which, in one phase or
another Is quite commonplace and not at all
interesting? But you see, there are Jill and
Bill to put over a fealty Of friendship, a
loyalty OF service that nothing in the world
could jar from the initial stand of admira-
ton and love that Jill felt for her father and
that Bill felt for JILL This part of the story
is an idyl. The rest Is. no doubt, q good piece
of realism drawn OF from q corner of London
life in sort Of parody upon its sophisticate
attitudes and assumptions.
Fleet BY James d. Connolly, author of
THE Seiners," etc. New York: Charles
Scribner's Sons
A VALUABLE only. until now, in seven vol
unaes, here are the Connolly sea tales in
single book. And to men with still q trace
of the anphibian left within them, or upon
them, 'Gloucestermen. is sure to be a great
haul Here are 80 sea yarns-an true tales
besides, at least true I'M their fidelity to the
fishing partnership Of man and the sea- faith
full to sea moods and ways, to its facilities and
treacheries, to the enelamoring spells that 1t
casts over men, to the triumphs that 1t brings
to man, to the disasters also that 1t imposes
Whenever, nowadays, the highest of praise for
the sea story Is sought there comes promptly
to the front . comparison with Conrad Equal
to Conrad" More than suggests Conrad" and
50 on This Is q shade thoughtless, it seems to
me, unfair even. You've read sea stories by
other writers-by Connolly and Masefield and
Tomlinson and others, few others, who are
capital In their own right, without reference to
some one who may be different but who is not
unfailingH and infalliby superior, pattern to
be followed, q goal 10 be reached. Here are
corking sea tales, . whole book OF them, by
James Connolly, master hand in his own right
Theodore Roosevelt liked them and Mr.. Roose-
welt was great reader. "Best sea tales that
have ever been written was what he said in
. letter, once upon q time.
MURDER BACKsTAIRs. BY Anne Austin.
New York: The Macmillan Co.
A FAMILY in high life is here called upon
to bear the brunt Of finding out who killed
that pretty upper servant Of theirs. In order
to make the matter of unrayelng the mystery
not too easy the family itself presents an odd
assortment of Members somewhat vulgar
wife, highly cultured husband, a f1apper
daughter, even crazier than most of the tribe;
difficult son, an impoverished social secretary,
who had seen better days. That seems to be
good groundwork for involving the central in
terest-who killed this girl The usual ms and
outs of clue and trail the usual defeats and fall
ures before again setting out, this time on sure
thing. Genuine prestidigitators, these mystery
yarners are coming TO be, pulling rabbits out
OF hats and snakes out of pockets to the sur
prise and alarm Of the innocent bystander.
Wen, this writer is adroit with her hands and
her mind like the rest of the new sleuths The
note OF difference, the touch of personal origi-
nalty appears here in single character Of
the Jekyil-Hyde order. No, I'm not going to
tell you. Read it for yourself. It's good turn
and admirably managed.
THE HOUSE OF TEE DEFY: story Of
Algiers. BY Florence RiddeH author OF
"What Women Fear" etc. Philadelphia:
J. B. Lippincott Co.
THEY were looking at the portrait of Grand
mother Anne, they had done many a
time before, wondering as girls of every genera
ton do, how. their elders could possibly have
been so prim, correct, good as their
solemn and sacred portraits on the wall made
them out to be. Well this is q clear case OF
you never can tell" for the true story of
Grandmother Anne unfoids here it turns out
to be q hectic recital indeed. All by accident,
Of course, that Anne OF other days found her
self . captive 10 Algerian pirates and finally
sold by them to the Dey of Algiers. For three
whole years Anne lived in q Turkish harem
for two OF these favorite concubine Don't
ask me. I'm merely sketching out the story.
Anne wasn't a pretty girl and at first the dey
never looked her way. Nothing to see, really.
But in the course of time, and Anne being
something Of . philosopher, the girl took ON
curves in place Of angles, fair skin I'm place
Of . sallow one, bright eyes, shining locks and.
best Of all. D naughty Indifference to the pres
ence Of the lord Of the harem. So maniike
the Dey selected Anne. In the course OF time
an Engiishman came into the picture and it
was for him that Anne did murder. And TINS
Is tire story OF Anne. prim ancestress on the
we'll: stgry hlied with the circumstance Of