Evening star., 1932-05-01
% IDA GILBRI MYERT-
The Story of Mount Veruou Is the *:Stuy of
the Soul of q House. n Book About old
Gardens s-Wide Variety in the Spring
Fiction.

ION.
and excitingi And so, with no lessons on be-
haviors In her kit Of commodities Miss Anne,
great lady in the making, behaved, misbe-
haved. much kitten might That's the be-
ginning of a story, not unlike in effect to the
frankness of Casanova any other male given
to boasting Of himself, Just that re-
markable invention by virtue of its simplicity
classic simplicity it's terse substance, its free
dom from any sense of sin. But, Miss Anne
knows nothing of sin. Righteousness either,
for that matter hidden old house taken
with the social barriers of the aristocratc CASTE
is no place for learning anything Merely a
place for little girl in utter aloneneSs to come
up under the instincts of nature, rather than
the tuiticns of social precaution. Miss Anne
lived to be an old woman. And day she
was found down in the deep garden drowned
in the creek that watered it. Drowned because
she wanted to be- And hidden away around
her bed somewhere, this story of self f-disclosure
was found. Not seh-confession. Not that just
the story of herself Now, reading this story
from its top side, you will miss the only quality
that it has, the exacting and austere beauty Of
concise truth, no matter what its theme may be-
THE MAN WITH THE TWO MIRRORS. BY
Edward Knoblock, author Of The Ant
Heap" New York: Henry Holt & Co.
4 N odd title Yet, in effect every man has
the two mirrors. For under the rich
romance Of this tale there is suggestion of the
allegory, of the generally unwelcome signif-
canoe Of these two-faced inventions. Here on
the one hand, the swift attitudes and actions
that rise from temperament and emotion. On
the other the sobering less dramatic, behayiors
that reason and fair judgment direct. But
the story as lesson does not obtrude, though
the lesson is indubitably there and in bold print
for easy reading.
However, the main concern is with the ad-
ventures of the Oriental lad from Smyrna who
begins adventure by stamping at his mistress
and saying You are no Ladee!" That will
do, Mustapha-" 'I am not MuStapha
am not Turk but Christian. My name Is
Smith. Benjamin Smith. My father"
Just sample Of Mustapha's aptitude for the
new situation, any new situation. no matter
how sudden Of appearance. However, this
episode threw the young Turk out upon his
own till, finally, Paris opened to him the occu-
patton, the career even, that gives to this
vicissitous personal adventure such charm and
variety, such substantial contributions from
the best that Paris has to offer. Bred from
babyhood TO the business and atmosphere Of
the Smyrna bazaars, Benjamin Smith came by
accident TO judge and to Judge expertly, the
value Of an Oriental rug for a rascally Partisan
dealer IN antiques and ether art objects So
in sense, the future Of Mustapha Smith was
settled, or would have been, had not that other
mirror, reneetiag the fellow of emotions and
dreams, so often led away from the other one
where good sense pointed the way. Artists
and lovers Of art people the story with Paris
responding TO their 0vertures In the rich ampli-
tude OF this authors knowledge Of its resources
An artists beautiful daughter serves to lead
young Smith into every sort Of hopeless
dilemma. for she is a self-seeking maid with
M at l1A Akx~
to be sure, on on the other hand, is the woman
OF substance for later rescue of the boy and
for rounding the adventure to acceptable ends
The best OF the matter Is Paris, as this author
knows its special art centers and advantages
and charm. The character of the Eastern
youth is admirable for just the work of reveal
ing these aspects Of art with which the story
concerns itself. And, indeed the story rules
even though at times a reader is carried away
with its beautifully executed aids and acces-
sor1es. A charming and absorbing adventure
OF the French capital
ROBBINS JOURNAL Illustrated by Earle
Winslow. Greenwich, Conn. The Conde
Mast Press. Special edition.
IN the day when you visit the rare-book
~ room of Congressional Library you will
see hope duplicate of this copy of Robbins
Journal" An extremely fine example of mod
ern bookmaking Is this special edition" where
In every element has been carefully chosen and
prepared to exemplify both the craft and the
art OF modern bookmaking. And right beside
this issue you will find the first edition of
Robbins Journal" dated 1918.
Ihe journal itself comprises "an account of
the loss Of the Brig Commerce of Hartford
(Conn), James Riley, Master, upon the West
ern Coast Of Africa, August %, 1915 Also of
the Slavery and Suffering of the Author and
the Rest OF the Crew upon the Desert of Zahara
In the years 1915, 1916, 1917, with accounts of
the Manners and Customs of the Wandering
Arabs by Archibald Robbins"
An interesting forerunner of modern tales
OF adventure. Indeed, with tang Of reality
that many of these do not possess despite lat
day aids to act-finding and truth-get1ing