Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-02-23
Joaquin Miller Is the Subject Of Another
IoIHme-A Wide Tariety Of No0eIs
Arri0e for the Spring Bookshel0es.

The writer shows how this single idea dominates
the art Of China and its literature-this honor
able and venerable idea Of the concubine
From the street comes the voice of the blind
singer. He Is chanting long narrative ballad
OF the bright and Incompatible concubine given
over 70 the barbar1ans to perish in the
desert. The cooks small hoy sings Of
her, too. "An Of Chinese art invites to q study
OF the part women have played In the long
history Of China" And so here In a half
dozen stories this writer tells Of one and another
OF these sirens-of 1.-THE Fox Favorite," THE
Boat Girl" "Fei Yen the Flight OF the swal-
low" THE Peasant Who Knitted Her Brows."
and 30 on In poetic naming do these historic
women pass before US. Charming stories. which
Miss Wtmsatt has buttressed by research and
study and evidence with . complete authenticity
which does not i'm any manner of hard scholar
ship take from the fluid beauty OF the stories
themselves. delightful book I'm sorry I
was 80 negdgent-but, yet this note does step
on with the visiting Chinese actors: Mel Ian
Fang mentioned here "the idol Of the Picking
stage" with US at this minute In the interest
OF good understanding Of his own art.
ISLE OF ILLUSION. by George Gibbs, author
Of The Joyous Conspirator." New York:
J. H. Sears q Co.
MY grandmother used to say to me: Don't
jump in 50 hardl Begin as you can hold
out" Now, II George Gibbs had had that kind
OF grandmother and had minded her words,
why, then, he would have made better novel
than isle Of Illusion" seems to me to be.
The isle ID q real one nose Of land
thrusting up above the destruction Of the Mis-
sissippi on q rampage. To it, for safety, swan
man, rescuing strange young woman on the
way. There, for couple of days, the two were
marooned. Then, rescue. But the mischief was
DONE primarily, by way Of the thorougheoing
method OF George Gibbs In creating an Illusion
warranted not to fade, nor shrink, nor wear
rough nor do any other Of the things to which
shoddy fabrication Is subject. He made . fine
fellow out Of the man, Phil Hepburn. And that
short sojourn ON the makeShift island is q
truly engaging piece Of work. But so deep
seated did he make the Illusion" that the man,
like besotted thing, never could shake il, not
even under the shattering effects Of fool
womans pure womanliness." In his devotion
to the cause Of illusion Mr.. Gibbs messes up
his plot with melodrama. even in spots with
farce. But. himself obviously carried away he
moves the matter on 10 the goal Of most novel
readers-marriage and the happy ending"
However, why blame George Gibbs for q iiawed
artiStryl Life often goes him one better Yet
we expected, from that fine beginning an i'm
provement upon the patent errors Of real life.
One does not always read for truth you know
Sometimes he uses this occupation as fight
and retreat Not with George Gibbs, however
Some kinder genius must serve US in this
respect.
THE MAN WITH THE sQUEAKY VOICE. BY
r. A. ]. Walling, author of That Dinner
at Bardolph's," etc. New York: william
Morrow & Co.
lust an exclamation in q curiously shrill
voice Is the man hastily left the dining
room. Nothing to think about. So John Mas
tiers forgot all about 1t, or thought he did In
stead, the trtfiDg incident had dropped down
into the subconScious of Masters perhaps
never to come to the top, and then again sure
to emerge If occasion called to it. For John
Masters was professional in the pursuit Of
crime. That was in q Western city Soon Mas.
tiers went over to England on business It was
ct that time that. out In a country cnEner n