Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1932-07-17

patton. real tribute of gratitude should be
given this writer for making up such good talk
natural, rarely dull, often quite the contrary,
with intelligence and even wit of common, but
not too common, occur. ence. Knowing human
nature in the most of its behaviors, the author
does not turn a cynic loose here, nor Is she
one herself, save only now and then, quite
deliciously.
very interesting novel. To provide such
from shut-in oircling of the earth is an
achievement. But, a ready writer, a waywise
observer, good builder consistent in purpose
and action, Ishbel Ross has given us a dramatic
and highly interesting outlook of the world, in
little, and under circumstances of deep general
and personal, concern.
THE MARRIAGE RITE, BY Evans Wall,
author of The No-Nation Girl" ETC. New
York: Alfred H. King, Inc
STRAIGHTFORWARD and vigorous with no
y Ifs nor butts about it. A problem novel, the
marital state serving the X plus equals
for this male writer to settle for good and all.
To be sure
Well, he does not settle it, Following the
pattern of life rather strictly he, nevertheless
messes the matter. fumbles it and fools with
n-and then, like all the other wise guys lust
gives it up.
But here is the story. Whatever you may
feel about the fellows failure to make any sort
OF case However strongly you may suspect him
of not trying really to pull the matter off even
had he been able. however much the coul-
edy, as such, may not suit your TASTE you are
bound beyond all question to like the masculine
Drawn of workmanship, the short cuts to desired
ends, the plunge in and down where many
fiddle around the edges and then scamper away.
Married people, with theories about wedlock.
A few unmarried girls in the company, pre-
sumably to instruct their elders "in life" At
the center OF the matter is Lois Kittredge only
few years married, and deeply in love with
her husband. And he loves her, oh, passion
ately. But once, Lois being a bit i'll and a
nurse having been called in. Lois caught in its
transit most unmistakable look between that
handsome nurse and Bryan Kittredge the hus-
band. And her soul became the seat of cy-
clones and tornadoesf floods and cataclysms
No. she did not speak-and here is an unbe-
lievably weak spot in this strong writer's story
No, she did not speak, but she grew watchfuI,
not only OF the nurse, but of the doctors fasci-
mating wife. OF this one and that who received
and returned the revealing glances. Old STUFF
you See But that is not the whole Of it. In
all the chatter about living my own life
women chatter mostly since men do live their
own lives and keep still about it-"single stand
ard" and the rest of it, Lois herself came to
the emancipation point-thats what the women
called it-with the handsome and benevolent
doctor whose wife had SO lEed Bryan Kitt-
redge. Sounds as if Evans Wall had headed
himself upon the novel Of tragedy Not at all.
l leave you to read this straight-dealing tale
OF modern thought and behavior Let me say
only that like the fairy tale itself, it ends hap
ply Bryan and Lois deeply in love as they
weigh names for the new boy baby. And Bryan
said Let's name it after the DOCTOR Bully
otd sport or words to that effect And so