Evening star., 1937-08-25
NEW BOOKS
AT RANDOM
BY MARGARET CERMOND.

YORK: The Macmillan Co.
Here Is good book afflicted with q
silly title. Sally Lunn, its attractive and
capable heroine, Is the least important
character in the novel, which would in
dicate that Mr.. Walmsley had been over
ruled In the matter Of giving a suitable
name to the fourth OF his fctional crea-
tions. Whatever his choice might have
been, 1t Is quite certain that it would
have been, something more In keeping
With the substantial nature Of the in
vigorating substance OF his story. The
Lunn family Is important in its quarter
OF the village and Sally is a fine, whole
some girl. But somebody is guilty OF
bad Judgment in belaborng a worthy
novel with title suitable for low
grade motion picture romance.
Mr.. Walmsley has, among other things
been an inshore fisherman and is now
nVlng III the village which he has chosen
as the setting for his novels Bramble-
wick Is, IN reality, Robin Hoods Bay, the
hshlng village on the Yorkshire coast
IN which Mr.. Walmsley was born. He
was awarded four Mentions and the
Military Cross for valorous service dur
ing the Great War; and when that in
glorious orgy OF destruction came to an
end ne accompanied several scientific
expeditions to Africa, where he became
interested In writing natural history
stories. He abandoned writing to be-
come an 1nshore fisherman. which occu-
patton he pursued until his effort to
invent patent lobster pot proved
failure. Discouraged and broke, he
moved to Cornwall, where he and his
young wife lived in derelict army hut
on wild stretch OF coast, making their
only furniture out OF washed-up planks
ana hunting. catching or growing prac-
tically all OF their food. Environment
and circumstances induced him to return
to writing.
Homegrown knowledge and expert
ence are assets which good story teller
applies with superior skill in narratives
that feature locale and indigenous char
acterlzation. Sturdy fisherfolk and the
perpetual drama of the sea are sum and
substance of village life on the rock
Scared Yorkshire coast, and these are
the human and natural elements that a
native handles with ease and sureness In
the making OF wholesome. refreshing
novel in which the significance OF Its
heroine is merely that OF adding q dash
Of youth and beauty.
~ 4 4
The story OF the Lunns OF Bramble-
WICK grows out OF an incident that in q
community less firmly rooted In tradition
would have elevated Henry Lunn to the
stature OF the towns most respected citi-
zen. Instead 1t rekindles old animosities
and prejudices that lead to 4 chain of
events that would break the spirit OF
most men and drive them away from
the place called home Henry Lunn,
however, IS a man OF honest convictions
and courageous action. The good will
and admiration OF his neighbors and the
compliment which they wish to pay him
are things which he deeply appreciates,
but when confronted by choice be-
tween accepting the trust they wish to
place in him, honesty compels him to
decline the honor.
Bramblewick is one OF the few villages
on the long stretch OF dangerous coast
that still maintains = lifeboat. It Is
proud OF Its long record of salvage and
hfe-saving service, and 1t feels that 1t
is lucky to have so capable a man as
Henry Lunn to call upon to succeed the
retiring coxswain. Selection of a new
cox has always been made by vote of
the crew with approval by the local
committee. And in the past seniority OF
service has prevailed in the selection
But circumstances are bit different now
and the old rule is by common consent
waived in favor Of the only man capable
OF handling the boat.
The Lunns emigrated to Bramblewick
with a company OF Sledburgh fishermen
who had gradually moved on because OF
the unfriendly attitude Of their neigh
bors. Luke and Tindal Fosdyck had
been the lords OF the fishing grounds
in those early days, and though they
are both aging rapidly, they still domi-
nate. The Fosdyck brothers have never
gotten over their dislike for the Lunns,
and the Lunns have little reason to be
fond OF the Fosdycks. but for few years
now they have been working together
peaceably In the fishing grounds and on
the Nfeboat.
Luke Fosdyck. veteran cox OF the
Bramblewick lifeboat, IL retiring and
Tindal Is too old and too defective Of
sight to succeed him, 80 the honor is
to be bestowed upon Henry Lunn, an
outsider and 4 junior In service on the
lifeboat. The choice is made by the
crew, approved by the committee. and
the vicar commissioned to notify the
new cox OF his appointment. To the
astonishment Of his family and the COM
munity, Henry declines to accept the post
on the ground that the boat is outmoded
and her crew incapable OF undertaking
either life-saving or a salvage Job ex-
cept In favorable weather.
The Lifeboat Institution agrees with
Henry. and the old boat goes out of
commission, leaving only the Fosdyck
and Lunn motor cobles for rescue and
salvage work as well as fishing. Old
hatreds flame and the Lunns are again
made uncomfortable and unhappy by
their neighbors. They can fish only
when the Fosdycks say 20. They can
f1sh only where the Tosdycks decide the
fishing is to be done, and Marney Lunn
rebels. He is happily married, has three
children and longs for the more abun-
dant life Of another locality. Tom Fos-
dyck, nephew Of the old men, is friendly
with Marney and spends a good bit of
his unoccupied time with Marney's
family. Sally Lunn, who has Job in
London, Is home for visit when the
lifeboat episode occurs, and renews her
acquaintance with Tom. She suspects
that he is In love with Marney's wife
but is not too greatly disturbed by that
knowledge to become interested in trying
to win him for herself.
AS the old feud between the Tosdycks
and the Lunns develops new complics-
tions, Henry's family blames him for
not having accepted the post which
would have maintained harmony and
hA nhN -.