Evening star., 1934-05-06
)EMEW OF THE NEW BCOK[

PecksaI. renegade priest. now Vicar of Leasan
Driven from home in panic of despair, be-
cause of the tragedy caused by her mothers
infidelity, she set out in mans clothes to find
her brother Simon, who rumored to be
back in England after having escaped from
the country to enter the priesthood in Rome.
At Chichester. where there was plague in the
gaol she witnessed the hanging and quartering
of two Catholic priests and the apostasy of
third at the sceffold. The last seemed to her
more terrible than the first and during the
remainder of her days she never forgot the
whole scene. Though so deeply Catholic,
she could not resign herself to her brothers
suggestion that she become a nun. Her life
problem was settled for her Unexpectedly while
her tormented mind was struggling with it.
The historical atmosphere of Superstition
Corner" is well indicated and as usual Shelia
Smiths craftsmanship is finished and
mature. based on thoughtful understanding Of
life.
GODS POCKET BY Rachel Field New
York: The Macmillan Co.
CAMUEL HADLOCK, Jr.. born about 1892.
in Cranberry Isles. Me, chose sealing
and whaling in Arctic waters instead of the
West Indies trade and from his voyages brought
home cargoes of Arctic treasures-'Esquimau
spears and harpoons; outlandish dresses of fur
and feathers; stuffed seals ana bears and
Northern birds; wonders to widen the eyes" OF
all his relatives and neighbors. He married
early, Bass Harbor girl, who died and left
him widower at 30 1t was his second mar
riage which was the romance of his life, to
Dorothea Abertina Wilhelmina Celeste of
Charlottenburg, Prussia-the "Prussian Lady"
of this story. His meeting with her was one
Of the eccentricites of fate. After his first
wifes death he tired of his frigid trade in the
Far North and had fash of inspiration that
his collection of oddities offered him the means
Of a livelihood and adventure combined. He
took his carvings and stuffed animals and two
live Esoumaux and went to Europe. where he
toured the fairs a Snowman. Miss Field
came across his story in his own dairy. given
to her by his grandson, Samuel c. Sanford
She has written it with the quaint charm
familiar in her other books about New England
Points East and Narratives of Old New
England" The title is taken from something
Samuel Sanford said to Miss Field at their first
meeting: Don't be frightened You're as
BREAKFAST IN BED BY Sylvia Thompson.
Boston Little, Brown g. Co.
ONE day may reveal all there is to know
~ about the lives Of many people From
DTcdkldSt tlIne 10 OeO Time Is the perlOQ OF
Sylvia Thompsons story of three London
though perhaps household is not
the right word for two of them. The morning
is foggy. as the maids begin to stir at am in
the handsome house of Sir Frederick Nicholson,
So Smith square. Sir Frederick is snoring,
as the fog affects his bronchial tubes Lady
Nicholson, formerly Blanche Evelyn, who has
been careful for 81 years not to get over
tired" breakfasts in bed at O'Clock from Q
tempting and not too auStere breakfast tray.
During these three hours Clare Nicholson,
daughter of Sir Frederick and Lady Nicholson,
is sleeping in the apartment of her lover Mark
Petre. who is wondering how long things can
go on like this" At the same time Lily Cash.
more is dressing in her shabby room prepar-
ing to answer Lady Nicholson's advertisement
for maid. The stately house. the tiny apart
ment and the poverty stricken room are all
connected. though their occupants do not know
it. The day is a critical Before night
Lily has failed to secure the maids place with
Lady Nicholson. but her husband has found
q job, which suits her better; Clare has decided
to marry Mark, and Lady Nicholson and Sir
Frederick have almost quarreled because she
insists on talking about the maid problem when +.
he wants to talk about the cold he feels coming
on. Breakfast in Bed" is light and amusing.
1t may be an interlude between novels of more
plan and substance. such as Sylvia Thompson's
Hounds of Spring and Unfinished SYM
phony."