Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-07-26

one and another add some flower of happiness
to this questng man who going on his way
finds, soon, nothing in his hand but a W1thered
petal q shrunken blossom.
Sudden money coming. or SO the record ran,
Simon determined to prove life, the love life
for what it was worth. In the South Of France
most of this evidence was lgathefed-and
scattered. You'll begin the story In skeptic
mood, If you a woman. That old man..
you will say. But Simon Is not an old man,
not in a genial kindly fascination that any man
might envy and willv when he reads this tale.
No. not Don--e.ther Lothario or Juan-in even
the slightest likeness. Kindly, understanding,
beautifully agreeable in spirit and manner
Simon Betherley was of the order to win
women. And he did, up TO the point when NE
himself discovered that the bird in hand had
lost, say wing or song tone, or some other
promise of the bird Of happiness. Then Simon
opened his hand for the bird to ny away.
A sharp surprise of most ingenious turn
waits the reader at the end Of the romance, or
the series of romances coming the way OF
Simon. The story itself as a finely woven
fabric is of an unusual workmanship. OF an
unacceptable charm. Nobody but woman, a
very clever woman at that could have written
so revealingly of a man as Ursula Bloom has
here written of Simon Betherley. man could
not have done it, would not have done It, And
vet in this disclosure of Simon-So true in Its
mannishness-there is no patronage, no
feminine superiority, nothing at all but under
standing OF Simon and the gift TO put that INTO
words, words which pass Simon right along into
the friendship and love of every reader coming
his way. Not for long and long have read
q romance, with so much Of sheer artistry about
it, artistry so firmly abased and so competently
wrought to life as The Secret Lover"
OUR AMERICAN MUSIC: Three Hundred
Years of 1t. BY John Tasker Howard. New
York: Thomas Y Crowell Co.
\ Ar HOWARD'S contribution to the musical
WI shelf of literature is exceedingly impor-
tant In writing more than 600 pages on Our
American Music he has not only touched upon
the highlights Of our musical Renaissance, but
he has written it in such q way as to please
the outsider" as well as the layman. Few
who take up this spacious volume will want to
put it down before the end is reached 1t Is
an intricate and at the same time entertain
ing history Of the shambling growth OF our
national music.
There are not many who would care TO admit
that the progress of American music has been
volcanic. Subdued at first by the rigorous de-
NAL Of secular music by the Pilgrim fathers,
SHE'D away from by some OF the quaker
brethren, certainly not bolstered by any bril-
liant Indian composers, music has fought for
national recognition through its short but tur-
bulent career with industry but not until this
generation, with any remarkable results. In
Washington's day there was a gentleman and
statesman, Francis Hopkinson, who dabbled in
music and who when he sent one Of his COM
positions to the President wrote: However
small the reputation may be that shall derive
from this work. cannot believe, be refused
the credit of being the first native OF the United
States who has produced a musical composition"
This in 1888. So that Mr.. Towards must
cal history-"three hundred years If it-would
seem to be rather short on the side Of native
composers.
However, there is nothing that the author has
left undone. Under his comprehensive treat
ment musical names and faces and the signifi-
canoe Of their works are presented with clarity
and placed in their little inches Of fame with
singular honesty Among the various headings
and departments which form separate fields Of
study and which are admirable starting points
for the investigator afe: Our First Composers
Our First National Airs The Foreign Inva-
sion of 1848," Songs of the Civil War" THE
Boston Group" Latter Century and Present.
Day Church Music" Our Folk Music" (this
is an exceptionally well handled treatise on one
of the most vital phases of our musical develop
menD and Our Contemporary Composers" And
just because the author realizes that jazz must
be included as a symptom OF what is going on
right under our noses today there is a final
chapter on "Our Lighter Musical Moments"
with the composers who have risen for the most
part right out of the theaterS orchestra pit
receiving their due
What should most please the average reader
of things musical is that Mr. Howard has not
insisted on being eternally technical, after the
fashion of many musicians, but has written
his long and comprehensive history straight
from the shoulder, Incorporating therein some
of the most delightful anecdotes seen or heard
or read about in print in long, long time.
E. de S. NJ
SON OF THE FORESTS: An Autobiography.
BY James Oliver Curwood, author Of Green
Timber" etc. Completed by Dorothea A.
Bryant. New York: Doubleday, Doran
g. Co.
h lot a great writer Better than that, a
~ good writer who won and held many
Of average readers to the pleasure
Of his own particular way Of story telling.