Evening star., 1935-07-21

mourning q bit and as usual Is very
smart; the chairman of the House
District Committee and friend Of the
voteless inhabitants of the Capital,
wears her clothes with distinction, is
polite at committee hearings, and has
an uncanny clairvoyance in reading
the mind of a witness.
While dilating on sartorial Splendor
in the Senate 1t might have been
mentioned that a woman--perhaps i'll
the Middle West. has made a correc-
tive garter for bowlegs-no insinuation
is meant-which sells at $3.50 to SIS.
owing to the size Of the arch and the
quality of material used.
There is a book recently issued from
the press of the University Of North
Carolina, by Mr.. Grant c. Knight Of
the University of Lexington, KY, about
the influence on American literature
rather the novel, of the late James
Lane Allen. The title "James Lane
Allen and the Genteel Tradition" is
not as Illuminating as 1t might be to
present-day readers or to those who
knew Mr.. Allen, and who feel that his
association with Mr.. Thomas Hardy
had a marked influence on his later
writing.
Mr.. Knight would put the Choir
Invisible" and "The Kentucky Car
dinal" in the "genteel" class, but not
the Bride of the Mistletoe," and per-
hapS not the Heroine in Bronze" In
the light Of present-day realistic novels
Mr.. Aliens would be considered tame,
There was a subtle and latent charm
In his earlier books that was lacking
in his later years and to many there
was nothing that took its place. His
books are not read much now, except
by students of literature that was
grateful at the time Mr.. Allen resigned
his PROFESSIONAL duties and gave to the
world the beauties and charm OF the
traditions and the people Of the Blue
grass State.
Frederick the Great of Prussia called
Catherine II of Russia That great
man, Catherine" In the partition of
Poland she was his right-hand man
and it was a question which was the
most masterful.
Catherine the Great has been q
popular subject with biographers dur
ing the last decade and many books
have been written about her-perhaps
she is second only to good Queen Bess
in popular subjects-but Catherine:
The Portrait of an Empress" by Gina
Klaus, has revealed a viewpoint that
has not generally been cherished by
historians. Gina Kaus-translated
from the German by June Head-in
her Catherine denounces what might
be termed the monstrous and utterly
false contention that the Empress was
without honor or capable of affection
While the author does not think
Catherine was a paragon of virtue she
evidently thinks that the morally
loose period In which she lived had
much to do with her nany-perhapS
the writer would say little delinquencies
and that the horrible life her
mother-in-law led her made her what
she was.
Miss Klaus, certainly holds a brief
for the great and fascinating woman
OF the eighteenth century and the book
seller would say the story is gripping"
Rudyard Kipling, who was said to
have no front door in the house he
occupied when in New England many
years ago, actually opened his front
door the other day and submitted to
an interview. It was apropos Of the
American f1lm production of one of
his early stories, "The Light That
Failed" The newSmen of London
were so thrilled about the interview
that they absolutely corralled the
interviewer, and learned that he had
found Mr.. Kipling very gracious and
communicative. Here is one story:
"Mr. Kipling lives at Burwash, East
Sussex. England, in a very old house
with a beautiful garden he tends
himself. Soon after arrived he
showed me his beds of blue Canter-
bury bells and burrage, and his chief
concern seemed to be that the late,
unusual frost in May had blighted
some of them" The interviewer
gives a present-day picture Of Mr..
Kipling: "He is small and wiry IN
build but looks vigorous, and has
shaggy mustache Of grayish white"
Mr. Kipling has not seen a motion
picture since Ben Hur," and did not
see Forbes Robertson in the stage
version of "The Light That Failed"
He asked the interviewer to excuse
him from discussing the forthcoming
films cast, saying he dreaded seeing
"his children" brought back to life,
either on stage or screen. Gary
Cooper is to have the leading role In
the Hollywood picture, and it will be
ready this Fall.
It is said that when in that 'front.'
doorless house-perhaps up in Yer
was frequently found
lying on his back on the floor reading
the dictionary.
A recent description by visitor of
the medieval castle built by DR.. John
Havx Hammond ir at MaCn0lia