Evening star., 1935-04-13

F'NANAy AiNOAiOAo AuA dtlu lid dLlCllOlOLl
to prison recreations excessive.
Whatever the estimate of the net
result Of Thomas Mott Osborne's
prison reform, there is, as Mr. Cham
berlain, says, "the inevitability of per-
manence for the underlying principles
which Osborne had enunciated. -
Sympathetically and fairly, Mr. Cham
berlain has narrated Osborne's career:
mis- role in social work; his stormy
participation in local, State and ma
tional politics as an independent
Democrat. including his quarrels with
Tammany and Hearst: his equally
stormy wardenship Of Sing Sing and
the plot to remove him by attacking
his reputation, the investigation, his
trial and vindication; his work at
Portsmouth Naval Prison; his final
fight against failing health and his
dramatic death. From first to last
Osborne was fighter, who considered
himself as little as he considered his
enemies.
ROMANTIC AND HISTORIC FLOR
IDA. BY A. Hyatt Verrill. New
York: Dodd, Mead & Co.
In her early history Florida. land of
flowers, was, seen through the eyes of
the over-emphasiZed Ponce de Leon
and the other Spanish conquistadors,
also land of romance and miracle.
Mr.. Verrill, who has previously writ
ten Romantic and Historic Maine. "
says that Of all the Atlantic States
the two at the northern and southern
extremities possess the most romantic
histories. In contrast with her early
days, with their procession of Span
ish cavaliers and grandees, tonsured
friars and soldiers of fortune, villains
and heroes, men Of incredible daring
and men Of fiendish cruelty; dreamers
who sought for q Utopia of peace and
sanctity in the New World and men
who were lured on. who faced any,
thing. who murdered and DESTROYED In
selfish lust for gold" Florida is
now the Winter paradise of health
and pleasure seekers from all over the
United States.
Mr.. Verrill has gift for summary
which he employs in listing the truth
full claims Florida may make. They
amount to nearly so and include q
variety Of items, historical, geographic
cal, romantic and practical Florida
possesses the oldest city in the United
States, has the largest sponge fishery
in the world. has had the greatest land
boom in the world, manufactures
more Havana cigars than Cuba, has
changed hands more frequently than
any other State, is the only State
where a pirate has ruled like a king
ETC., etc. One appendix gives an out
line history Of Florida, with dates
from its discovery, 1470-1500, by some
unknown navigator, perhaps Colum-
bus, to the collapse of the real estate
boom in 1927. Another appendix
gives list Of places of interest and
historic sites, another what to see in
Florida" and still another a list OF
Indian names and their meanings
Mr.. Verrill knows how to pack into q
book OF this geographical and histori-
cal type all the information visitor
could think of wishing, and he con-
veys his information entertainingly.
PYLON. BY William Faulkner. New
York: Harrison Smith g. Robert
Hass.
Through his previous work William
Faulkner has come, in the minds OF
many, to be considered the CHIEF
sadist in American fiction. His IA
vorite, almost exclusive, themes have
been cruelty, bestiality, horror, vio-
lence, pathological sex. "Pylon" does
not sustain this reputation; so much
the better for it. 1t has all the We
hemence Of his earlier works, but i,
not solely concerned with evil. In II
Faulkner has, at least temporarily
turned aside from the morbid and the
abnormal and has been willing to dea
with people of fairly ordinary, average
emotions and motives. The sky Is it,
scene, but the sky has become quite
normal. A Southern city, in celebra-
tion of its Mardi Gras, is opening 9
new airport with a flying circus. TIL,
chief characters are four nerve-hard
ened, daring, cashless people: a rae,
pilot, Roger Shumann; his wife
Laverne; parachute jumper and {
mechanic. They have come to VIII
the cash prizes in the circus. A fiftl
important character is a reporter, VIII,
also comes from the outside, but h,
has nerves. He joins and befriend
the quartet. and it is through his eye.
that we view most of what happens
There is unrelieved suspense and suf'
flcient terror for Faulkner at hi
mildest.
PENAG APPOINTMENT. BY Nor.
man Collins. New York: Double.
day, Doran g. Co.
Stephen Macfayden, teacher o.
mathematics, sails for the Straits Set
Elements to take q position in new
school. We learn nothing, however
about his abilities or experiences Al
q teacher and never even see th'
school. That whole section o.
Stephens life which Mr.. Collins re.
lates takes place on shipboard, be-
tween Tilbury docks and Penani
docks. The steamer Tusitala hai
barely sailed when Stephen notices
girl of about 18 crossing the saloor
toward him and first thinks "Tht
child's ILL.," then, MY God, she'i
beautiful" This Is Gratia. She Il
accompanied by her father, Hamisf
Doyle, "a vague, messy little man, in
variably penniless, invariably drunk.
When the Tusitala arrives at Penang
Stephen and Gratia are engaged and
Mr.. Doyle Is greeted at the dock by
q fat Eurasian woman, garbed In
endless bandages of brightly colored
silk" who embraces him capaciously
with much jangling of cheap jewelry
He introduces her as "the second
Mrs. d." and she responds with
"plseseg Neechu"- 4 dtyeTHng tAls a