Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-11-22
Fiction Form

tions, unseen except through the eyes of a
pen-thus the correspondence between Shaw
and Ellen Terry-a giant compendium OF two
giant personalities, incrusted with q warm
whimsical humor on her part and clever
juggling of an historically flexible mind on the
other. correspondence so totally unlike the
common fiber of most publicised epistles that
after the reading of them you are left with
an amazement tinged with q sense Of loss that
the end has been reached.
The end, too, is tragic, in that it seems to
suggest that after what these two had been
through together on paper, -hen they finally
met, their dread Of the event conformed to the
fears which had kept them apart for so long.
Shaw had written: IAN sorts of tendernesses
wiring my heart at the thought Of materializ-
ing this beautiful friendship Of ours by a meet
ing" And Miss Terry, although suggesting many,
many times that her greatest wish was to see
the famous playwright, yet limited Of the strong
possibility that such a thing might interrupt
the strange friendship which had sprung out
of admiration both sides. But it had to
happen. And when it did, at a performance
Of Shaw's Capt BraSSboundS Conversion"
that curious sense of disappointment appeared
which both had foreseen. Afterward their cor
respondence tapers on-and never again reaches
that complete accord and understanding which
up until then had distinguished these letters
as being vibrant with personality.
Some have said that the intimacies revealed
throughout; the dearest ducks and other
amiable salutes and references to something
which might have been a love affair, and, OF
course. wasn't (although Shaw says that no
love affair ever was love affair without being
on paper)-an these expressions Of endearment
annoy those who believe that emotions had
best be unspoken-before the public eye Yet
when Shaw begins, "Oh, my dear, dear, dearest
Ellen" you feel that it might be dearest"
any one-that Shaw is just being Shaw for
the fun of it, that his letter, although full Of
admiration for the great actress might yet
have been as personal to any other great
actress-if he had admired her much.
These letters are full of the theater as well
as fun of Shaw and Ellen Terry. Irving's row
with Shaw is painted colorfully; Shaw'S dis
like of Shakespeare; the difficulties with his
Capt Brassbounds Conversion" There isn't
a page that doesn't bristle with interest. And
then of course, the authors It Is the way
they say things that makes it totally delightful.
E. de S. M.
"UP": True Tale Of Aviation. BY "Jack"
Stearns Gray. Strasburg, Va: Shenandoah
Publishing House, Inc.
THE keynote of this story is enthusiasm Per-
sonal and at many a point partaking, it
Is, nevertheless held to an impersonal search
for the real facts of its accountings and re-
cordings An ardent flyer herself, Jack" Stearns
Gray goes back for well toward 20 years
in a search for every substantial advance in
the science and art Of aviation as that science
has developed so marvelously, within this Pc
Rod In this respect, in her faithful effort
to give the earlier years of aviation as she
has hunted these out and as she herself took
part in flying, Mrs Gray has rendered sub
stantial service. Not that the story, or one
like it IN general outline, has not been told.
But hardly could the recital, any recital, have
been given in the spirit, the truly exultant
spirit of this one
Not licensed pilot, but one Of "the veteran
women passenger flyers Of America; flying
trooper" of transforming days.; wife Of
George A. Gray, famous pioneer Wright avi-
ator, Mrs. Gray is able to go back in her story
to the days when flying was IS per cent man
and Is per cent machine"
Photographs Of great aviators are here, men
and To name one would command
naming them ALL But you know them. Pho
tographs of great machines are here Also and
of the inventors who made them and improved
upon them.
A most romantic story, naturally. Stin
it might maybe, have been a staid and sober
and unnviting account. Not bit of it In
this case. 1t is romance from start to finish
romance made of truth itself, and made also,
of telling the tale. Usefully informing With
out question, absorbing and delightful
THE DIARY OF SNUBS, OUR DOG. By
Carmack New York: George Sully & Co.
IT one time or another everybody keens a