Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1932-05-29

skill and grace. Mr.. WnNman, having won
both pleasure and the distinction Of an anna
teur championship from this sport thought 1t
might be good fun also to unearth the sp!en-
did game, TO set 1t on top the ground for It's
other devotees to examine. Who intended 1t
in the first place? When and where? What
have been its journeyngs and what changes
have come upon it during its years Of varying
place and circumstance? fine project, as
this absorbing story proves.
Through libraries, American. French and
English. with side-step over to Venice, the
adventure ran. Interested and Immediately
concerned celebrities gather beside the way,
each with an offering toward the end in view.
Cover and Chaucer, Erasmus and Shakespeare.
Radicals too, with many another old sport.
throw in their bits of experience and informa-
ton for the good outcome Of admirable
scheme Back TO 1855 the trail leads Mr..
Whitman to one Venetian, Antonio de Salo,
first publisher of a book on tennis. The Middle
Ages count this game its prime sport with
kings and princes paying large due to it. In
deed to this energetic investigator there appears
to be limit to the antiquity of tennis in one
or another ancestral form. Rome and Greece
lay equal claims to its origin. Egypt and Persia
hint at possessve rights dating long before the
modern era.
And even with all this the story is not yet
conclusively opened Unexplained terms, like
love" with points OF method in calculation
and royal sport.
Its term Of existence in America Is more clear
but no more engaging, than the old record
with dim spots Of mystery upon 1t. most
delightful story, even to unsportsmanly
reader beautiful book, in its making. The
Derrydale Sports Books have a way of book
perfection that is gratifying to readers with
critical eyes and hands. There are many of
these, too. specially desirable addition to
the tennis court
DARK DAWN. BY James Gibson Taylor, jr
New York: The Mohawk Press.
Ct. DOMINIQUE. A century ago, with little
- over thrifty choice on the authors part,
since at one haul it slips into his kit Of ma
terial the lovely Iopic setting Of the island
and . centerng Of events, local and far drawn,
that have since ripened into historic record.
Upon this the story itself Is set. In part clear
adventure; in other part, romance of somewhat
earlier stripe than its pattern at the moment
has on display.
Rich planters live here on great estates.
Slaves, greatly outnumbering their lords. work
the sugar fields and serve the manor houses.
ColoniaH from oversee serve at many q point
to increase unrest and incite rebellion am me-
the blacks
Against this immediate background is set the
story of Camille Beauchard, daughter of q rich
planter. From attractive childhood the girl
moves out into a quite inconceivably beautiful
womanhood with a Paris education and much
OF European high life to assist the work Of
nature in her behalf. Unsuitable and selfish
merely a spoiled girl crying for the moon pro-
vided that orb, for the minute, take ON the
simiitude Of some personable, and remote, young
male Much OF the story goes into the capri
ciOus coQuetries Of the beauteous colonial. And
very we'll managed these are, since the author
attempts no young miss Of he-moment here.
vt,t~ oil tod
when truly romantic ladies behaved such.
1t is by virtue of this fact also that the vicssi-
tudes Of love deepen till they can dive
further. Then the right man wins and the
little company Of refugees, old Beauchard and
his band, flee from the savage uprising Of the
slaves. And Camille Is booked to live happy
ever after as a proper heroine Of that time
should
Apart from the romance itself, and above it,
pictures of the time and place Are excit-
ing adventures, besides, of intrigue and danger.
One not to be forgotten is the grim and grizzly
breaking on the wheel" Of couple of saves.
And there are many such graphic bits. Not all
OF them, happily, so penetratingly vivid and
horrible. Here is, in the main, a good story.
Good because it has structure suited to its
original design. 1t has quick action, sS it should
have. Excitement. legitimately derived and reg
istered. If at any point there is sense of loss;
If there is, this comes, it seems to me, from a
SllSnC t1LnneSS OF the imaginative Quallty, from
the lack OF an essence inherent to the theme
as whole. However. rather a captious COM
ment, think. where so much in this first novel
is surely worth the while of readers.
THE MUD LARK. BY Arthur Stringer, author
of "A Lady Quite Lost" etc. Indianapolis
The BObbs- Merrill Co.
A WOMAN famine struck the young male
settlers of Canada in the earlier years.
Frequently English papers carried advertise
ments for young women willing to cast in their
lot with these marooned and lonely countrymen
over the sea. This familiar incident gives
foundation for Mr.. Stringers new novel. An
English girl Of good estats suddenly let 70 the