Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-01-25

unable to keep from saying what Ludwig Levi
sohn in much of his own fervor and beauty
as my plainly uudramatic self can command.
Sad and beautiful is this prosecuted author.
Let us hope that he keeps that way for us,
however hard it may be for him.
West CT the Water Tower" etc. New York
Harper & Bros.
FAST COAST. West Coast, and all the way
between, there is recognized dear enchant-
ment about the Mississippi=-about "oIe Man
River jus rollin' along" The greatness of its
personality, the grandeur Of its achievements.
the audacity of its behaviors the various high
roles it has played in the history of the country,
its mergence with the sea through the pic
turesque gateway of New Orleans-these toll of
some of the powers of this magician of the mid
lands More and more are history and romantic
tale and personal "Reminiscences joining hands
to pay tribute here, where it is so manifestly
due.
And here is Homer Croys new novel of the
Mississippi Revived are the days Of the steam
boat trade with its rivalries, its contrasts, its
winnings and losngs. Two great boats and two
great captains that, while sufficing for traffic,
maybe, provide short measure for the gay fit
tings and odd behaviors of romance itself So
here is Odette the River Girl" A bit of a
spectacle, Odette, with the hamboyant Negress-
ln-WalLlng ana the gaudy parrot percned nlgn
on its gayly beribboned stick. Odette plies the
river, too first boat, then on another.
No, not strictly good girl I'm afraid this
river sprite. But Homer Croy likes her, and
so do I. So will you.
With that period of unrest over slavery; with
the growth of trade upon the big waterway; with
the crudely picturesque life along its banks;
with the prosperous boats and their competent
captains-and with Odette Homer Croy turns
over to us beautiful novel. The elements it
is true mostly in the rough as a part of
the time and place and circumstance. He
leaves them rough, certainly. But he is an
adept workman, so good craftsman that one,
reading feels the personal joy that always
comes in the presence of superior work-the
fine picture, the perfect lyric, the bit Of land
scape composed" so artfully by nature herself.
Incidents simple and true, personalities fit and
alive, action sturdy and fortnight, with the
medium of word and setting clear above the
common run Of adventures in print
This is romance to take in hand for the
texture of it, to look at for the delicacy and
beauty of its shaping and carvings of leaf and
bud An unpretentious work but 1 wouldn't
miss it if I were you.
READER, MARRIED HIM BY Ann Green,
author Of The Selbys," etc. New York:
E. P. Dutton e. Co.
ITO BE SURE she did. There was no escape
for the fellow Take that classic tale. the
rape VI Vie CdD4IS "OHlcH ABOUT
back to front making the female the true
marauder-reduce it in scale to a single pair
And there you have Anne Green's new comedy,
swift successor to her first brilliant triumph
THE Selbys" In essentials the second novel
openly declares its debt to the first one. Here
q Southern family, gaily and engagingly set
against the bright Partisan background, its
members destitute of care or thrift or fore
sight but positively opulent in wit and charm
and grace. You recall that Selby household.
Here it is again, changed not at all save in
certain little ways. And that is all right. Since
here Is a family that deserves perpetuation by
clever artist for the further delectation of
eager readers
The business of the story is the pursuit of
young man By the daughter of the house.
Catherine. In clearly hilarious undercurrent
OF mood this young woman is made to resort
in desperation, to the modern arts of capture
as these are set out in the folios of Paris in
the practices of its soothsayers and necroman-
GERS, in its hypnotic processes, even in the
revelations Of tea leaves and card shuf1ings
Naturally under such thoroughness of effort
the story ends with the young man in bond
One feels, quite as Anne Green intended him
to feel, as IL there was tremendous to-do over
finale a bit Debated, not quite up to the
measure of the enterprise expended upon it.
However, this Is a tale without deep moral
intent there is no call to step into any
serious discussion of the ifs and ands of the
great institution that holds the world together
BY now more immediate question is in the
open. Has Anne Green done it again? Has
she once more hit the high mark? Or has
she scaled off shade from that first fresh
outpouring? Has she been trihe repetitous
in her ways of wit and laughter? Or is she
now plainly on the open road as an artist in
the purveyance of social comedies of distinc-
tive quality? What do you think? For. having
read the two novels, you will not be able to
avoid such comparison. nor to eyade opinion
on the subject.