Evening star., 1936-09-23
NEW BOOKS
AT RANDOM
BY MARGARET GERMOND.

Less than fourteen months ago the
people Of the United States were deeply
moved by the death, through accident,
Of fellow citizen for whom they held
an affection seldom bestowed upon an
individual. Rich and poor, learned and
illiterate, aristocrat and plebeian loved
him, not for any remarkably heroic act
which had brought him universal fame,
but because he was a homely, sincere
human being whose wit was as whole
some as it was keen, and whose phi
losophy was expressed in terms as under
standable to the unlearned day laborer
as to the scholar. Will Rogers, who in
the whole Of his exceptionally varied pro-
fessional career had never allowed
questionable word or act to mark his
work, had been touring the Pacific Coast
centers in his first endeavor In legitimate
drama. "Ah, wilderness" had met with
immediate success and would undoubt-
edly have been received with whole
hearted enthusiasm throughout the
country had he ignored the criticism of
a perhaps good-intentioned religious
fanatic and continued the play. But &C
cording to the Introductory of little
volume just published, letter from
Pasadena minister who, after witnessing
the scene in which the father in the
play mildly lectures his son upon the
dangers of beer hall entertainment, in
formed Will Rogers that he was unable
to look his daughter in the face, caused
the famous philoSopher-actor to refuse
to appear in the play again. This abrupt
stoppage of work afforded time for an
unexpected vacation, which he decided
to spend on flying trip with his friend,
Wiley Post.
They never came back. The people
of this and many other lands mourned
the loss of a friend and counselor upon
whom they had come to depend for
wholesome entertainment and for direct,
clean-cut truth in the Interpretation of
the vital issues of the day. But neither
the man nor his influence is entirely
lost. for he lives on in the film world,
and In the numerous compilations of his
brief comments, writings and sayings,
gradually receiving publication in book
form.
The latest Of these is pictorial publi-
cation. entitled wit and Wisdom" COM
piled by Jack Lait, whose friendship for
Rogers spanned a quarter of century.
The book is published by the Frederick
A. Stokes Co. and is scheduled for
release tomorrow. The volume is pocket
size, with thirty-two full-page illustra-
tions from photographs and prefaced
with a portrait which has become the
favorite of those who knew him best
1t is dedicated to Shirley Temple, who
was allowed to pal around with Rogers
in the movie colony and to whom was
accorded the privilege of unveiling the
plaque of him in Hollywood's Rogers
Memorial Hail.
TRENT'S OWN CASE. BY E c. Bentley
and H. Warner Allen New York:
Alfred A. Knopf.
Twenty-three years ago Mr.. Bentley's
now famous murder mystery, "Trent's
Last Case" made its appearance. Many
outstanding critics proclaimed it at the
time as a great detective novel and
predicted that it would enjoy a long
life. 1t is still popular, both in this
country and in many other lands, which
is something of a record in view of the
fact that no companion, or sequel. or
later case requiring the services of Phil
Trent has since come from the pen Of
his creator until now.
''Trent's Own Case" is one which de-
velops after a period of retirement from
his activities in the field of criminology,
and his interest in the affair is aroused
only because those involved in the cir
cumstantial evidence surrounding the
murder Of a wealthy man happen to be
his own friends. James Randolph is
anything but a likable man, for all his
wealth and the large-scale philanthropies
with which he has bought his way to
esteem in other countries than his own
In England he has been able to make
little headway, but buying honors from
other national governments through
questionable gifts has at least given him
the satisfaction of parading before his
own countrymen the favors bestowed by
foreigners.
Trent has been asked by Randolph
to reproduce a portrait which the old
man has been induced to hang in one Of
his pet institutions. But Randolph and
q writer of some degree of fame have
both been annoying Eunice Faviell,
actress and devoted friend Of Trent's
Aunt Judith. Trent has an appointment
with Randolph, which he intends to
keep for the joint purpose of declining
to paint the portrait and to threaten
the old man with exposure of nasty
scandal If he does not drop his atten-
tions to Miss Faviell. Meanwhile Bryan
Fairman, physician in one of Randolph S
hospitals, has been fired without cause
or warning, and he feels sure that the
contemplate benefactor is at the bottom
of it. Crushed and dazed by the sudden
ness of his dismissal, he decides to 90
to France, but to stop and see Randolph
first.
When Randolph's body is discovered
and Inspector Bligh begins an investi-
CATION, 1t is discovered that Miss Faviell
has lunched with Randolph on the day
of his murder. A man servant is able
to furnish a reasonably good alibi and
Randolph's secretary and manager of a
number of the philanthropies reads of
the murder in the newspapers. All other
connections with the murdered man are
checked and some remote associations
have a suspicious tinge. But when
Trent's warm and valued friend returns
from France, attempts suicide before
the boat docks and after mailing a con-
fession to the London police, then the
detective begins work in earnest in an
effort to learn the truth and to save DR..
Fairman from arrest and conviction of
a crime which Trent believes he could
not have committed.
The story moves along at a lively pace
despite the many checks and diSapDoint-