Evening star., 1934-06-03
UNFINISHED CATHEDRAL BY T. S. Strib-
ling Garden City: Doubleday, Doran & Co


much as the death of Mrs. Proudie
affected readers of Trollope's cathedral novels
Not that the estimable and managerial wife OF
the bishop had anything in common with the
Rabelaisian Col. Mit, but because regret is felt
at the passing of conspicuous parsonage, who
has established complete reality in fiction. After
pursuing his rbald and INSCRIPTIONS way
through various processes OF theft, which made
him the leading citizen of Florence. Ala, during
the reconstruction period. later becoming the
financial magnate and chief real estate boomer
of the town, in his old age he projects a great
cathedral as his monument and his mausoletim.
The cathedral was all of heaven that Col.
Walden OWNED; lying in state in these white
column-fronted walls; lying motionless in this
white marble prayer. In years 10 come,
this tomb would tell the passer-by that Col.
Mlltiades Walden had lived" He lives to be 80.
but is not buried in Ali Souls Cathedral A
backwoodsman whose father had been tricked
and put in Jail by Col. Milt prevents that. His
funeral sermon would have pleased him, how
ever for its hearers are urged to follow the
example of wisdom set by MiltiadeS Walden.
In the audience sits thin, worn. yellow old
(Negro) woman in melancholy thought"
Mr. Stribling has himself recently explained
his purpose in his trilogy, purpose which he
has carried out with consummate success In
The Forge" he tried to suggest the actual
physical upbuilding Of the South" after the
Civil War; in "Tse Store" which took the
Pulitzer prize for fiction of 1892, he was con-
cerned with the commercial development, and
in Unfinished Cathedral" he shows such spirit
ual life is likely in such mtieu. He does
not say in his explanation but seems to imply
through the events of the story, that the COM
munty spiritual life of a town like Florence,
Ala. is a blend of a small amount Of religion
and large amount OF commercialism ana
babbitry 1t is also the idea that any spiritual
matter is always unfinished which he suggests
in his title.
znff fka frilO nj f1n-
ished Cathedral" Is the SureSt and strongest.
as well as the most mellow in thought and
style The fact that it deals with our own
time makes the attainment of realism easier,
though Mr.. Striblng made the atmosphere OF
the two former novels entirely convincing.
MANY of the already known characters appear
again and some new ones-the Rev. Jerry Cat
lin J. Adee Petrie, Aurelia Swartout, Red NC
Laughln, the Colonels WIFE, Sydna, ana MS
daughter Marsan and Drusilla Crowninshield.
No one typical American novel can be written,
but Mr. Stribling has produced great sectional
novel.
SHORT STORIES, SCRAPS AND SHAVINGS.
By Bernard Shaw With Wood Engravings
by John Farleigh New York: Dodd. Mead
& Co.
ZONE of the shavings are rather thin and
y yellowed with age, but even so they are bet
ter than the solid planks of most people. Back
in his callow youth, when his beard was red
instead of white Shaw much the same con-
trary paradoxical satirist that he is today, al
ways diabocally finding the weakest spot TO
puncture either in individuals groups or ma
tions Many of the punctured dislike him, OF
course but to those who are not vulnerable or
have escaped his shafts he is stimulating and
datteringly entertaining, for he always assumes
intelligence and is never too obvious.
First in this collection, Aerial Foot Ball."
originally printed in 1907, tells of the killing by
I,ltc nfo
The charwoman had for many years been inter-
ested in nothing but methylated alcohol and
the bishop, of exemplary character. had his
neck broken when the tail of the bus swung
into his carriage. Arrived in Heaven, the char
woman is not made to feel too despicable and
Matthew, Mark Luke and John join the bishop
in PLAYING foot ball with his apron and shovel
hat. "The Emperor and the Little Girl" writ
ten for Belgian war charity in 1916, presents
the Kaiser explaining to a little girl why ne
cannot go into the trenches with his men, be-
cause if he were killed they would not know what
to do, to which the child replies: when my
brother was killed another man just stepped
into his place and the battle went on just as
if nothing had happened. If you were
killed, wouldn't somebody step into your place?"
"a Sunday on the Surrey Hills" from the Pail
Mall Gazette, April 25, 1888, describes the joys
of the country from the viewpoint of cynic.
When he wrote it, Shaw may have remembered
Brownng's poem up at a Villa, DOWN In the
City" The Adventures OF the Black Girl in
Her Seach for God," published only about a
year ago. is reprinted in this volume. John
Farleigh, whose wood engravings for the "Black
Girl" contributed so much to the satire. has
equally we'll illustrated this volume, making
occasional use of Shaw a subject, as he did
in the former case. G. K. Chesterton also fig
ures in one illustration.
COMPANY PARADE. BY Storm Jameson.
New York: Alfred A. Knopf
A GAIN Storm Jameson makes Hervey Rus
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