davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1947-02-16

ing that have gone into her most
admired novels are evident all
through this collection.
Miss Ferber selected these stories
as the ones she liked best among the
many she has published since her
first appeared in 1910. She has
culled out those she believed dated,
including in these discards all the
Emma McChesney stories, the saga
of a travelling saleswoman, popular
generation ago. The stories she
has kept are about average people in
typical toWns--people all of us have
met or heard about. And some OF
them strike as close to honey per-
pleXities as o. Henry did.
Miss Ferber points out, quite cor
rectly, in her forewords of a few
lines each, that some of the stories
like THE Gay Old Dog" and "Ou1
Very Best People" should have beer
novels. They do, indeed, sound like
condensed novels. Not so others
like THE Afternoon of a Faun.'
That tale not only is a short story
by its nature and treatment. but
timeless. It's period Q92D already
has faded, but it's truth is lasting
It's a good story by any standard
BY that and several other stories in
the volume the author of "ShoW
Boat" and $50 Big" should not fea1
to be judged. &C. B. j.
Evening star., 1947-02-16
THROUGH RUSSIA'S BACK
DOOR
By Richard E. Lauterbach. Harper
g Brothers; S2.S.)
1VCF1 1O w NNk Uy
BEATRICE S. MOVES

In his preface Mr.. Lauterbach
modestly describes this book as "just
a narrow frame around the biggest
and most battling picture in the
American mind today" His meta
phor is ill-chosen. There is nothing
here which has the orderly, precise
and impersonal quality of a we'll
made frame. The reader will find
Through Russia's Back Door, a
very confusing book. If he is Of a
suspicious nature, he may wonder,
at the end, whether Mr.. Lauterbach
has not been trying to confuse
him.
Mr.. Lauterbach had a remarkable
opportunity to get inside the Iron
Curtain, to talk to the Russians
and see somethingsof their country.
He was allowed to travel, unescorted,
from Vladivostok to Moscow on the
Trans Siberian Railway. He was
armed for the trip with type
writer, a camera, a working know
ledge of the Russian language and
a years experience in Moscow as
a Life Magazine correspondent.
Ninety per cent of Through
Russia's Back Door" is a helter-
skelter account of what Mr.. Lauter-
bach saw and heard on that trip.
He presents it in no discernable
pattern of arrangement, with no
apparent evaluation, with little in
depreciation or comment. His gen.
eral view of Siberia seems to be
that it is IAN unruly young giant
America as it was 100 years ago."
From his conversations with the
other passengers, one gathers that
the average Russian is alert, wor-t
ried, misinformed and often rude.
"We Russians are only big boys not
very long from the COW Sheds" an
old porter explains.
After Mr.. Lauterbach reaches
Moscow, he undertakes to increase
the readers understanding Of the
Russian problem by cramming
little of everything into one chap
Evening star., 1947-02-16
Brief Reviews
MYsteries

MY LATE WIVES, by Carter
Dickson. (Morrow) A mass muir
derer yields to temptation long after
his crime and writes play about
his killings. Lively.
PROMINENT AMONG THE
MOURNERS, by Carolyn Thomas
G.ippincott) Murder on the campus
once again. ss.s o..
THE 3-13 MURDERS, by Thomas
Black. (Reynal & Hitchcock A
cult group specializes, in murder In
an innocent Midwest city. An Al
Delaney story.
OMIT FLOWERS, PLEASE, by
Audrey Gaines. (Julian Messner.) }
The scene is Washington. A rich
race horse owner turns up dead In
a beautiful lady's apartment.
PURGATORY STREET, by Ro-
man McDougald. (Simon g. Schus-
ter.) Mixed identity mystery. Sol
dier returns from the war greatly
changed. Is he an imposter? Lively.
TROUBLE FOLLOWS ME, by
Kenneth Millar. Oodd Mead) One
of those things which has guest
disappear in the middle of a party.
Fast moving.
SEA CHANGE, by Barbara Hunt.
Rinehart.) Psychological thriller
in which woman tries to hold a
mans affection by witchcraft.
RX FOR MURDER, by Jane Lay
hew. Gippincott.) Murder with
hospital scenes and pretty nurse
for color.
13 FAMOUS PLAYS OF CRIME
AND DETECTION, compiled by Van
III. Cartmel and Bennett Cert.
(Blakiston.) A lively collection, in
Guiding such old favorites as with
in the Law" and Seven Keys to
Ra1dpate."
Evening star., 1947-02-16
Mr.. Baker, Calls
This Fantasia
|On q Novel;
BEFORE GO HENCE

BEFORE | GO HENCE
By Frank Baker. (Coward-McCann;
s275.)
Here is a novel which does not fit
any of the convenient classifications
in which we are apt to catalogue
books However just the method in
general-and surely it's open to
question-it would be both unfair
and superficial to apply it in this
case. Besides, you'd have hard
time doing it.
It's a curious, brooding story Mr.
Baker tells-as lovely and lingering
in the senses as some theme of
symphony which recurs many times,
each time escorted by a new pro-
cession of harmonies.
He subtitles his book. Fantasia on
a Novel," and it seems a fitting
phrase It's almost as hard to de-
scribe the story as to sum it up by
squeezing into a literary compart-
ment under such an index as psy-
Geological or romantic or spiritual
It's all three of those, and yet none
of those well-Worn terms will do. It
concerns a young novelist's quest
for something to write about and
his chance visit to an abandoned
farmhouse in England with his wife
and two friends.
The place has a curious effect on
the novelist. 1t haunts him. He
learns from a country innkeeper
that retired clergyman lived there
with his daughter and his retarded
younger son. The older son had run
away years ago. The old Anglican
priest is dead, the moronic son, too
and the daughter has gone away.
How the influence of the old man,
13 years dead, reaches into the life
of the young man, twisting his Gre
ative striving into torture and al
most running his domestic felicity,
is something to be read, not de-
scribed. There are, of course, other
characters and other angles in this
compelling narrative. But you'll have
to discover them for yourself.
&C. B. j.
Evening star., 1947-02-16
Here Is Deep Look
Into the Eyes of
The French People

FRENCH PERSONALITIES AND
PROBLEMS =
By D. W. Brogan. (Abred A.rKmobf;
S3.00)
~ Reviewed by
,H' NINA PEMBERTON.
How is France going to make out
in the new European framework? I?
That is a question puzzling many a
present-day thinker. A cogent light
has been thrown on this matter by
Mr.. Brogan in this book, which is a
collection Of q essays. France is a
|temperamental country, sensitive
and quixotic. France has a great
history behind her and she is at
present cropping about in a political
abyss, which will in time become a
part of that history.
With fluent literary style Mr..
Brogan covers the historical moods
and quirks through the eyes OF
Dumas, Tocqueville, Juares, Clemen-
ceau and others, down the years till
he reaches the France of De Gaulle
and then of today. Ideas, facts and
philosophical ideals; all are quoted
and evaluated. Mr.. Brogan writes
without mercy but at the same time
without prejudice.
Throughout these essays Mr.. Bro
gan decidedly upholds the French
cause. His ideas are all the more
convincing by virtue of the lack of
hysteria and the lack of hackneyed
bon mots." A frequent visitor to
the United States, DR.. Brogan is at
present professor of political science
at Cambridge University and advisor
to the British Broadcasting Corp. or
the background of current American
affairs. He was educated at Glas-
gov University, Oxford and Harvard
Evening star., 1947-02-16

Col. Melvin Hall. a secret agent
risking death in Berlin, and he later
broke the terms of the armistice
by trailing the Germans too closely
into Coblenz. He even sat in on
German officers dinner in which
they bid farewell to the Rhineland.
In World War II, Col. Hall went
into Normandy on D day with the
invasion wave. His account Is re-
freshingly humorous in spots. On
D day plus 80 he received bullet
through the knee at LIE Haye de
Puts.
Summed up, here is the story of
man who has been places and
done things-the wander years OF
a man who "hitched his wagon to
a restless star"
Evening star., 1947-02-16

nize with his
pals of the lefi
b a n k. These
stories are tolC
with restraint
but have the
ye % witness
flavor.
Col. H a IL s
First World Wal
experiences TO-
Gus the sacrifices
required of those
W no stemmed
t h a t mighty
German surge,
He himself was
Evening star., 1947-02-16

from his comment that he would
as soon disrobe in one of Macy's
shop windows as disclose such
intimacies.
His Unknown Ancestry.
The author mentions his family,
sketchily, and the army of re-
tainers inflicted on 1t under the
guise of cousins. This gives him an
excuse to launch into long eXami
nation of his unknown but deducible
ancestry, centuries back And in the
course of this inquiry he considers
the effects of the Roman invasions
on what eventually became Holland;
why the Romans came into power in
the first place; Byzantine history;
monaSticism in the Middle Ages;
many other things.
Mr.. Van Looms tolerance has been
mentioned It is not to imply that
he hadn't a good assortment of
cherished denominations, Of enemies,
personal and theological, in which he
took great pride. But he can be
found on the side of decency and
forebearance, in general.
Religious Views.
Mr.. van Loon, as his readers know
was not .church-goer. He was not
he explains in the new book, brought
I'D on either the Bible or Shakes
peare, as so many famous men have
said they were. He has some sharp
things to say about the Catholic
church, historically speaking, and he
is no kinder in his references to the
Calvinists who surrounded him in
his boyhood, though he insists that
his quarrel is not with the teachings
of Christ. It is somewhat surprising
to find what in man of less
learning you might call a special
prejudice against the Jesuits. He
congratulateS Switzerland for ex-
pelling them in 1848. He has a
passing reference to the religio-
political issues in Europe at the
time. He does not mention what
the Jesuits have done in his adopted
land, their contributions as ex-
plorers and educators. He is fair
enough to add, however, that the
Roman church when it was young
and the physical and spiritual repre-
sentative of magnificent new ideal,
did more than any other agency
"to bring his ancestors of thousand
years ago, within the pale of
civilization"
The book is illustrated with some
of the authors most charming
sketches. Old Van Loon readers will
know what's in store for them when
they pick up this brief literary
legacy. New readers will discover
one of the wisest and most COM
panionable of contemporary writers
Evening star., 1947-02-16
IEVICWCU Uy
HENRY LYON.


ner's Sons; $3.50
Reviewed by
HENRY LYON.
Readers of Col. Halls splendid ex-
perience journal, embracing As years
and two World Wars, will enjoy the
writer's style almost as much as his
stories. Intimate, graphic, the book
is like a personal letter from a
friend abroad.
Without once forsaking this bond,
the book deals with fesh-and- blood
personalities with a historical per-
spective.
Journey to the End of an Era" is
full of travel, but these wanderings
are not tiring and boastful; rather
they are edited and intermeshed so
that there is continuity and purpose.
The parts most interesting to me
tell of Col Halls sojourn in Iran,
where. as director of finance with
the first American mission and later
counsel on things fiscal for the
state, he saw life along the golden
road" of Central Asia Exciting ad-
ventures seemed to lie in wait every
where for Col Hall, but his descrip-
tions of those five years are more
powerful than others.
Seated in mountain saddle, 1000
feet high, he shot mountain sheep
that hurtled above him in vain
attempt to escape. In the Ears
Province Fars is root for Pars-Per-
sia-Parsees, etc. he heard COM
plants of tax-ridden peasants. AS
royal confidant he helped break the
fvefold seals Of the treasury when
it was necessary to dip into the
wealth of crowns and jewels assem-
bled there-which was rather often
and at night. He witnessed the
century-old shifts of populations
moving across the divides of that
great melting pot of the East where
tides of immigration meet and level
out.
Wassmuss the Raider.
Among his acquaintances was
Wassmuss the Raider, former Ger
man Consul at BuShire, whose
miraculous achievements as an
enemy of the Allies in the First
World War were constant source
of annoyance to the British. Col
Hall thinks Wassmuss made a
somewhat better showing than did
Lawrence, who had a good deal of
diplomatic and military help in in
huencing the Arabs.
AS a young man, Col. Hall went
along on the first motorcar cir
cult of the Baltic, witnessed the
coronation of George v at the Delhi
Durbar in 1911, watched the i'm
pressive funeral of Emperor Meiji
Tenno in Japan. He spent years
along the right bank of the Seine
in Paris, not forgetting to frater-
Evening star., 1947-02-16

some enchanting
glimpses of his
boyhood in Rot
terdam; then he
heads off into
a discussion of
self-portraits in
general.
What Mr.. van
Loon thinks of
the so - called
psychological bi-
ography of the
modern tell it
all school, may
ho rofh h GRO n
Evening star., 1947-02-16
Poetry

HAFIZ IN QUATRAINS, a trans
fusion presenting the spirit of the
Persian poet by Clarence K. Streit
ben Abramson) One hundred anc
one quatrains, beautifully done, pub.
iished in volume notable for it's ex-
cellent printing and decoration.
TODAY is HERE, by Don Bland.
ing. Oodd, Mead.) A volume oi
verse of the popular level.
Evening star., 1947-02-16
NtVICWFU Uy
CARTER BROOKE JONES.

Reviewed by
CARTER BROOKE JONES.
It was nearly three years ago that
Hendrix van Loon, Ill, weary from
giving his utmost to the war and
at the same time trying to keep
up the writing he still felt he must
do, died at the age of 81. Among
several projects which he had
started and could not complete was
an autobiography he titled Report
to st. Peter"
When the time came for him to
lay aside the orange-yellow paper
on which he had written THE
Story of Mankind" and other IA
nous books, he had filled about 200
pages of this report upon the kind
of world in which Hendrix William
van Loon spent the first years OF
his life" He had planned to make
it a full-length work of some 100
pages, like his Lives"
The night before he died, his
widow Jimmie" tells us, he had
decided first to do history Of
the 18th century. In his final
months, she explains, he would re-
turn to the Report" from time to
time between interruptions, but he
was too tired and too sick to keep
at it for any length of time"
Delightful Writing.
At the time he left us the war
was not going too well. He was
worried about it, though he showed
clearly in this book-which is far
more than a fragment-that his
faith in the outcome never wavered,
that he held the NaZi menace a
mere episode in history. Reading
this stimulating and delightful
fantasy, on his early life, I found
myself often regretting that this
inspired Dutch-American historian
and philosopher could not be alive
today, when his wisdom and toler-
ance are needed more than during
an era when complex issues were
put aside under a temporary truce
in the face of common enemy.
Report to st. Peter" is an auto
biography only in the restricted way
in which Mr.. van Loon felt such
q medium was bearable. He gives us
Evening star., 1947-02-16

the creation OF
life is more than
the result of a
natural law, and
t h a t m a n i S
more than an
animal.
Breaking with
those scientists
who can see
nothing beyond
the rules that
seem to govern
nature, DR.. du
Nouy holds that
the Creator has
Willed man a
large share in
Evening star., 1947-02-16
These Are Stories
Edna Ferber Likes
The Best of All

ONE BASKET: THIRTY-O
SHORT STORIES q. a. =
By Edna Ferber. fSimon and lF1'
Schnster;; $780, 90. - u
Edna Ferber has had a special in
terest in the short story throughout
a literary career Of emore than 80
years. She has always felt that a
short story could be-and this was
an ideal to shoot at-as much a
classic as any novel OF play or piece
of music.
Naturally, feeling this way about
it, she has not turned out stories as
boilers, as a ready source of in
Evening star., 1947-02-16

come from the
so called slick
paper magazines
which have been
buying her man
uscripts sine e
she was a pre-
cocious school
girl reporter OF
18. She has put
the same sincere
best into this
form that she
has given he1
novels and plays
The shreWd OBJ
Servation an d
Evening star., 1947-02-16

1dI5C oIId1C III 0'
his own destiny. And he offers
proof that the rules themselves are
illusions, hiding a deeper purpose.
THE evolved man." he writes,
"has reached state of development
of his conscience which enables him
to broaden his outlook and to be-
come fully aware of the magnificent
role he can play as a responsible
actor in evolution
Not only does DR.. Nuoy see no
conflict between science and the
Christian faith, but he sees a har-
Evening star., 1947-02-16
Biography
Reviewed by .
, NINA PEMBERTON.

HENRY FORD: HIS LIFE AND
HIS GENIUS, by William Adams
Simonds Floyd Clymer). A reprint
of Mr. Simonds' biography, with
revisions bringing the life of Mr.
Ford and the history of the Ford
Motor Co. up to date.
Evening star., 1947-02-16
ALL ABOUT HOUSE
pI NTS

BY Montague Free. (DoabIeday;
s3.50)
A complete guide for indoor gar
deners, with full information on
what to grow and how to grow 1t.
The text is we'll illustrated with color
and black and white photographs
and drawings. The author places
his wide experience within easy
reach of all who may be interested
In improving their indoor gardening
". B.
Evening star., 1947-02-16
HUMAN DESTINY

HUMAN DESTINY
By Lecomte du Nouy. (Longmans;
$780,
The author, a scientist of interna-
tional renown, uses in this book the
methods Of the test tube and the
formula to reach his conclusion that
Evening star., 1947-02-16
Eyewitness to
a Lifetime of
Adventure

JOURNEY TO THE END OF
AN ERA
By Col. Melvin Hall. (Charies Serb
ner's Sons; S375.)
Evening star., 1947-02-16
How Van Loon
Accounted for
His Boyhood

REPORT TO ST. PETER
By Hendrix WilIem van Loon. (Simon
and Schaster: So
Evening star., 1947-02-16

FRENCH PERSONALITIES AND
PROBLEMS -
By D. w. Brogan. (AUred A. Kmopf;
$780,
The Wilmington morning star., 1947-09-16

cent seouins. Her bouffant
skirt had cascade designs OF
bugle beads and iridescent Sc
gums also.
Escorted by Bobby Taylor OF
this city, Nell couldn't get over
the fact that the o~rchestra's first
dance piece had been "Red Silk
Stockings and Green Perfume"
Neither could the Raleigh
newspaper critic, who decribed
the music as being the only
discordant note of the entire
debutante ball.
Nell will return to Mount Yer
non Junior College September
Is, where she hopes to make
good enough grades to enter
Sweetbriar next year.
Summing it all up, this years
debutante ball has given attrac-
tive girls from Wilmington more
than they expected in the way
of a good time, in its purpose OF
introducing them to their fellow
North Carolinians. AS Elizabeth
Blalock of the Raleigh News
and Observer put it, "The form
al presentation of the girls is
like frosting on a cake"
The Wilmington morning star., 1947-09-16
ABETHTO

EL1ZABETHTOWN, Sept. Is.
- DR.. and Mrs. D. N. West and
children of Washington, D. c.,
are spending this week with Mrs.
Vests parents, Mr.. and Mrs. H.
H. Clark.
Tommy Clark is spending a
few days at his home here be-
fore leaving for Davidson col
lege. He has recently made a
trip through the north eastern
states and Canada with friends,
after attending summer school
for six weeks at Davidson.
Mrs. W. B. Kay Of Washing
ton, spent this week with her
mother, Mrs. C. R. Jordan. She
came to attend the wedding of
her sister, Miss Carolyn Jordan.
She was accompanied home on
Sunday by her son, Billie, who
spent the summer months with
his grandmother.
Mrs. Clyde Clark and daugh-
ter, Beverly. of Wilmington
spent this week with the
formers mother and attended
the Clark = Jordan wedding on
Thursday.
Miss Lillian McCulloch left
Friday for Raleigh where she
will make her debut. She will
go from there to Charlotte where
she will resume her studies at
Queens college.
Miss Mary Alice Powell left
this week for Charlotte where
she will enter Queens college.
Mr.. and Mrs. Stewart Fisher
and daughter, Cindy, and Billie
Fisher left this week for Wake
Sorest where Messrs. Stewart
and Billie will be students at
Wake Forest college.
Mrs. F. E. Cross and daugh-
ter, Nancy, returned home this
week from Warrenton where
they visited relatives for several
days.
Mrs. Jas. H. Clark returned
home last week after spending
several days in the mountains
of western North Carolina.
Miss Laura Day Beatty left
this week for Mars Hill where
she will be a student again this
year.
Mr.. and Mrs. M. L.. Fisher
and children and Mr.. and Mrs.
H. M. Clark, Mrs. w. A. Fisher
and Miss Lucille Fisher
and family spent last weekend
at Wrightsville beach.
Capt. and Mrs. Geo. a. Hold
erness and children, Jan and
George, of Charleston, S. c.,
are visiting Mrs. Matte Clark a
few days.
The Wilmington morning star., 1947-09-16

the right opening lead. He gam
bled, therefore, that when he
doubled four spades, his part
ner would read that he wanted
the club suit led.
The club happened to be a
natural opening for North to
make, and Harvey trumped.
He then cashed the ace of hearts
and Weisbach gave him the
eight-spot; Sc Harvey led a
small heart which North won
with the king. Another club
was led back, and the contract
was down one.
If Harvey had come into the
bidding with hearts at any time,
as many players would, his
partner would have opened a
heart and the contract would
not have been defeated. Harvey
likes to bid Institutional hands,
but having both majors, he felt
there was no reason for hurry
ing into the bidding.
The Wilmington morning star., 1947-09-16
T h a ii n S
Pushing Drive
For Members

The ITALIAN Association, cur
rently conducting its fall mem
bership campaign, needs Little
Undetermined people to work
off, as we'll as on, the stage, Tha-
liam directors reported last
night.
In addition to actors and act
resses, the historic group is look
ing for scenery makers and shift
ers, makeup artists, electricians
and the other indispensable folk
who inhabit the backstage world.
Membership, open to the pub
lie, costs SO per person for the
entire fall season. Membership
tickets can be purchased at Hug
gins, Hornets and Ganstier's.
Enrolment can also be made over
the phone by calling Mrs. Oliver
Hutaff, membership chairman, at
$685..
The three major productions
slated for the footlights this
season are Blythe Spirit" "The
Two Mrs. CAROLS" and winter
set" There will also be small
er workshop productions.