Evening star., 1938-11-09
NEW BOOKS AT
RANDOM
By MARGARET GERMOND.
MORTAL, BE PROUD. BY Pendleton
Hogan. New York: Ives, Washburn,

MORTAL, BE PROUD. BY Pendleton
Hogan. New York: Ives, Washburn,
Inc.
Pendleton Hogan, native son Of the
Old Dominion, who became Washing
tonian after his graduation from Roam
oke College and made a name for himself
in magazine literature by writing numer-
GUS articles on travel sprang into the fic-
ton limelight several years ago as the
author of "The Bishop of Havana" The
novel was developed from a short story
written while he was still in college, and
based upon theme inspired by vaca-
ton spent in Havana. Historical in char
acter, and displaying keen sense of ap-
probation of the qualities of human ma
ture, the book won immediate popularity
and praise from the public as well as from
literary critics.
Mortal, Be Proud" is totally differ
ent sort OF story, which contains no
ground for comparison except in the
distinctive literary quality that charac-
terizes Mr.. Hogan's work. The theme
Of the new novel is an old one, and one
that has Withstood many onslaughts by
past and present generations of fiction
lists. The interest here is in new set
of characters, modern men and women
of modern social group in the Nations
Capital.
Stephen Winship, nearly forty and
bachelor with a fine home in one of
GeorgetoWn's restored" neighborhoods,
and comfortable fortune, is the central
figure in a tangle of love affairs that
afford an opportunity to present a dozen
or so types in the human family and
let them react in kind in accordance
with their inherent natures. Stephen
is not particularly attractive as a human
being. AS an eligible bachelor, however,
he has much to recommend him and,
oddly enough, two women really love
him. One is Anita Barclay, girl in
ms own social set, to whom he is en-
gagged, and the other is Elizabeth Mon
cure, struggling young artist of South
ern birth, who lives in the next house
and who first appears while making a
painting of his garden.
Anita loves Stephen just because she
has always loved him. Elizabeth loves
him because he is different, and because
she recognizes the common grounds of
interest that are essential to the COM
panionship upon which happiness in
marriage depends All three of them
are destined to batter their hearts against
the sharp rocks of selhshness, envy,
jealousy and spite that are strewn about
by one quite charming friendly enemy.
A very lkeable and hot tempered
young man is Terry Trotter, who is in
love with Elizabeth and is jealous of
Stephen But these complications are
only the beginning, for the beautiful
and popular wife of Dr. Malcolm Keith
conducts a campaign to take Terry away
from Elizabeth, and she has no scruples
either as to the manner Of the taking or
as to the price that Anita and Elizabeth
must pay. Even sacrifice Of the eminent
professional reputation of her husband
is of little Importance to Sydnay Keith
if such sacrifice contributes to the full
fillment of her own ambition.
Then there is Laura Bayliss also
member of the group including Anita
and Stephen, and Rob Dawson, a pro-
tege of Stephens father. who has all
but surrendered his work as a practicing
physician to devote himself to the study
of a cure for cancer.
The whole story hinges upon an un
proved hereditary affliction which con-
tributed to the untimely death of Ste
phens father who had been a prominent
physician, and whose secret he had re-
vealed to no one save Malcolm Keith.
Stephen knows nothing about it, but
he does know that he inherited or de-
veloped serious heart malady that
requires him to be cautious at all times.
Perhaps because of this malady, or
perhaps because of natural laziness.
Stephen developed no talents-if he had
any to deYelop-except an instructive
liking for the stock market. He built
his fortune in that manner, kept himself
free from entanglements of a serious
nature, and felt at 38 that he was ready
to pattern the remainder of his life with
precision. He discovered that he had no
preparation for the emotional storms
which were to wreck his plans and shake
him loose from the self -complacency of
which he was so proud until he met
Elizabeth.
These are the elements that comprise
Mr. Hogans story of the life of Stephen
Winship. They combine to make a good
novel, mixed with an abundant collection
of character studies.
THE CASE OF THE SHOPLIFTER'
SHOE. BY Erie Stanley Gardner
New York: William Morrow & Co.
Excitement begins Immediately in this
Perry Mason mystery, for in the first
lines a thunderstorm drives the popular
young detective right into the midst of
shoplifting enterprise. When he and his
efficient secretary, Della Street, ran into
department store out of the rain, it
happened to be that both were hungry
They entered the shops dining room
and, to Della's amazement, her employer
Immediately spotted an elderly and lady
like woman as shoplifter. She is still
more amazed when he interferes in de-
fense of the woman when an effort is
made to arrest her. Not only that, he
asks the lady to sit with them at their
table.
1t seems far cry from shoplifting
in denarrment store to murder in an