Evening star., 1937-08-14

left for dead, he is captured by Bull
garian troops. young woman sur
geon, Lena Apostolova. attends him
in his cOnValeSCence. She interveneS
to save his life on several occasions
They are surrounded by scenes of the
most appalling violence and he once
an honorable officer, falls under the
infection of his environment so that
he attacks and then murders his
saviour, Lena.
The story is told in the first person
as the young Frenchman recounts the
horrifylng adventure to a broth otf1-
Ger before he goes TO a duel in which
he means TO die, for he has found his
life. since his crime, uncomfortable Ii
all seems impossible but whether it
is or not will have to be left TO soldiers.
The book certainly cannot be recon-
mended as pleasant reading, accom-
pllShed though it Is.
MADAME FlOWERY SENTIMENT.
BY Albert GerVais Translated
from the French bv Campbell
Dixon New York: Covicj Friedp
WE HAVE here one more telling Of
The sad httle story OF Madame
Butterfly. Madame flONery Sentiment
to be sure. Is Chinese instead of
japanese. She is widow ,by deser-
tlonI and not q Young girl She seeks
her Occidental lover herself and is not
given to him by her family. And she
bears her inevitable separation from
him Without tragedy; she does not
commit suicide, she WeepS a little and
then renewS her rouge. But it is essen
TALLY The same old tale and ii has. in
this new telling. all the old charm
which We associate With it,
The principals are young Erench
doctor who is pracuclng in an inland
Chinese CITY. and Madame FloWerv
Sentiment who. deserted by her hus-
band, alone in her big house sees her
self almost an old woman al the
age OF | 9 and decides 10 seize the pleas
ure which the dav offers Her sdven-
lures with her lover sre told in Sep
arale chapters and have iltte or no
relation; eacn Is delicate. charming
thing; each shows 10 the reader some
ne" Individuality in the httle heroine
VINO sIlll remains typical of all Oriental
women III her devotion TO The con-
VenTloDS She is the center and life
of The tale. and, slight figure though
she Is. adds a delightful and piouant
personality 10 the long line of Orient |
sisters who have preceded her.
lhE DEVIL AND DANIEL WEBSTER
bV Stephen Vincent Benet. nh,s-
usted by Harold DeniSon. New
York: Farrar q Rinehart.
HIS very fine short story which
has already been published in ne
Saturday Evening Post. is offered now
IN book form. illustrated with wood
cuts. pleasant gift book. if Won give
DOCKS. or an item for your own library
II You happen To be fond of the IA IL
which, IN the reviewers opinion. be-
longs IN the grand tradition of Wash
ington Irving.
The story itself hardly needs de-
scriptlon-hoW the great Daniel foueh,
MS hardest case before a mrv of so,;Is
from hell his opponent old Scratch
hihlS+H' sno won, and chased Old
scratch out of the State of New Hamp-
snire, so that he has not dared "a show
ms face there since II is fl Ia he
put with the Legend of Sleepy Hollow
or with Rip Van Winkle or hucsIe
berry Finn. Well here it is YoJ can
no" buy it, If The Inclination takes
you.
ELEPHANT DANCE Bv Frances u
FlaneTIN. illustrated With Pho
Ioeraphs Taken BY The Author
New York: Charles ScrIbper's Sons
pEOPIE who went to see the oboto-
play Foomai of the Elephants"
ca read here something OF The in
Sioe story of the taking of that DC
'ure. The author is the wife of Ro-
oeflV ria hertN, who went out 10 In
ola 10 get The scenes. She accompanied
MN and wrote letters 10 her family
snd to friends, telling of The process of
''ie 'HpVoi'ioii lieSe letters. with
only few paragra phs of connection
make up the present book
The hnding of the child star little
Sabu. the training of the elephants
! 'he aid given BY the Maharajah of
MySofe, the various hunts, excursions
and adventures of the film ma kers-
these are included in the story. I'm
taIu ha
thaC buoollng coy manner which is so
common TO charming ladies when, un-
dertaklng to write. they decide TO con-
'ey their charm by pen so that almost
any one will tlnd the pictures illus
tfating the volume its chief merit
some OF them are quite beautiful. al
though this cannot be said of all
Movie fans will proba bly like the
work. To them it is commended
LAUGHTE IN THE SUN. Pamela
Frankau. New York: William
Morrow q Co.
HIS is another silly season novel
about the French Reviera ell
cluttered up with British subsecre-
taries, lady novellsts, English officers
from the British East Indies and q
, French renting agent. 1t is amusing
and brittle, with not much IN the way
OF real character study or plot. but
enough action to keep the interest 10
and enough frothv humor 10 maze II
worth the effort of reading if The plot
! fails to hold the interest.
| This book will be of particular in
terest 10 that portion of the popu!a-
ton which rents cottage for the
Summer anywhere any time. 1t NAV
perhaps make them wonder Whv such
amusing things do not happen to
them But maybe they the amusing
thlngst would, if they ,the renters,
were British subsecretaries, lady
novelists or English officers on leave.
r. r, T.
RuNAROUND BY Ben jamin Appel.
New York: E. P Dutton Co.