Casper Daily Tribune Newspaper, December 21, 1924, Page 16

} } : . ; neannds amnanen awun PAGE SIXTEEN. Books and Bookmen A Column of Gossip and Opinion By TED OLSON “The body of a man in blue denim, his mouth a bloody pulp, his arms and legs flung wide in agony like the branches of the wind-tortured cedars.” It is unjust to Mrs. Honore Willsie Morrow, perhaps, to begin a discussion of her new novel, ‘The Devonshers’ (Stokes) with this sinister picture plucked piecemeal from the opening pages. It might sug- gest that her story is just one more of the long series of stereotyped ‘Western thrillers—and that it most emphatically is not. The reader does not have to go far to learn a Morrow's primary inter- is in the mystery of who killed Angus .Dune in the lonely horse corral on G Bull moun- tain, but rather in the reactions of that murder on the whole commun- of Antelope Basin and most of ail on Eve Deyonsher, proud, sen- sitive daughter of the family that had once conquered—and since lost—all the rich acres of the Basin country, who goes on trial for the murder. There have been many trials in fiction. There are few as novel, as fraught with dramatic moments as this, in which wise, tolerant, im: placable old Judge Jones lets each witness ramble as he will until bit hy bit tho whole complex history of Antelope Basin, its web of petty intrigue and scandal and | malice, is drawn forth into the light. ninating this history ts the of the Devonshers. There was old Ci once factor of Hudson ¥ company in what then O1 on territory, who nd of a raw empire and in the process helped himself to a hundred thousand fertile acres, merely to avenge-a personal slight from the man who supplanted him as Britain's representative, There yas his son, Dave, shot down at Eve's feet as a horse thief when he Ing from Lady Hamilton to P. T. Barnum—both of whom, by the way ing of “Primitives.” is theoretically his tepic. actdly fore him. volume oft historic fact; he is con tent to epi in a few densation. |the reader needs [of European history and personal ities than the average American pos. S808, pages of glittering con: functions of the United States ain ba or to the Court of St. James, his picture of the dawn marked Sir Jame around kindness;” the Admiralty Board of Inventions, during the war, waiting “like an, in verted Micawber, turn down,” pungent witticisms. uthless ith the milk of humar bal needles and pokes with impish ruthlessness into a random collec- tion of more-or-less immortals rang- he groups under the genera] head- Much of the book consists apparently of papers originally published as book reviews. Mr. Guedalla’s method of reviewing, if such it is, does more justice’ to Mr. Guedalla than to the book which He does manage, however, to give a biting, clever portrait of the man whose memoir or blography is bo- It fs not, his purpose or his business to add anything to the ize its salient features For some of his sketches wider knowledge but everyone can chuckle with delight over his analysis of the peace “the cheerful clatter of e's cans as he went his characterization of for something to and a hundred other It is hard to resist the. tempta- ‘ z {tion to quote. . Like every true sought to reclaim by for’ Fe Briton, Mr., Guedella is happiest By edt Rh anton bites ap cat when he {s lampooning his own been stolen from he contended h 5 E rom | country most cruélly. “An Eng- him. And thero is Eve | here;[ushman," he remarks, “Is a man struggling valiantly agains who lives on an island in the North and jealousy of a commun: willing to fling back. at her igma of her father’s death, t her own Devonsher her- 1 impulse to take why it fs called self-governing.” He calls Lord North “the statesman who conferred upon the habitable slobe the inestimable benefit of the d States,” and says of him: ombination of high office witn « Ineapactty is pecullar to these islands. It is the first glory of the English system that it can support in office anything with two arms and a head, even though its goy- ernor gesticulates and gyrates as i 1 its fat ; Br eer gee ary wis the governor of a steam- € hat has hated her {oms:ne.” On the same line: “It is z a the peculiar distinction of our to her Geth- ‘ 1s the story that shé belleves Will mean at best a prison nich death would be t she rid statesmanship that It is wholly {l- literate. When one says of a com- mon man .that he had made his ben mark, one refers to his success in Sresete life; but when one says it of a And here Mrs. Morrow, facing the) Buitish statesman, one may be taken governed ‘by Scotsmen: that is com aiecepelty = OF happy ito allude to the substitute for his ending, | joes mipse 9f ets to] Signature.” And there has seldon biy he Tt would be ch she |bee® & happier caricature of Con: reveg LA sa eee ea frees | "84'S fiction than “a charade per- say ge enlist ett “ne wen.|{2rmance of “Trea'sure Island,’ BAL oa ba aed Pe the | Played by a cast of distinguished, eh ees seis’ ot. ape, | but dissatistied, philosophers. incing cleverness, tradition of unworthy murder 1 erlos. the u the nw We high the story Y of the drama ‘s. victory over her cowardly. Perhaps it was” neces- vel for serial pub- HT like other rhust But it is a anti-climax to a story fine crescendo of emo. bvious, even from skeletonizea sun is interwoven minor and : dinal motif ye Devoncher herftage, and Mrs w's conception of this proud » leadership is thwarted, ter generation, by the ain of weakne ‘There fs the study a and caste vendettas al finmly rooted In the compar y raw Wyoming community. fs tho ruthless picture of profiteering practised on “the officer who came to buy Allied use in tho war. re devious reactions and stions of individual char- contribute to the fer- petty British horses for And th counter-re acters that inent of the whole. Tho attempt to interweave all one harmonious fabric is Mrs. Morrow. fs ful in it, There than once the das the jury Ived revelations tory leaves the reader with a s of befuddle- ment, of inadequacy. It ts hard to seo the forest for the trees. “The Devonshers” is important, despite this inadequacy, because it uses the Western sceno and ‘the Western people in a story com- pounded not of cheap melodrama and lair-trigger action, but of the truer drama growing out of the conflict between man and. his environment Had Mrs. Morrow's touch* been as certain as her vision, it might have been one of the memorable fictional achievements of the year—perhaps the first chapter of a rich Western literature. Even with its deficten has power and intensity—||| . ve, Judge Willy Jones and]|i Sid Brownell are folks worth know- ||| ing an am nat, wholly are loose end: reader is as fore which the re unfolded — for Ghristmas || THe CHRISTMAS GIFT that lives and breathes a divine sentiment 1s the gift of flowers cies it coe and We are especially pre- pared to make up this wonderful gift in any de- || sign, or style, and our facilities are such that we can make delivery in this city. or in any other city in the country Philip permen” cracks rent I to use the cur- 3 a story Lardner. a eltting h the re- , “Now I'm And he 4s. and sputt a Forever blessed ts he that gives—flowers | The Flower | Shoppe PHONE 2574 Deliveries Made Christm: come abit ould care to f contortionists, li for an idle show. | but they serv hour Morning if Desired. In “6 id Supermen’’ Gue- galla unligsbers his battery of ver- It is a book not to be taken too|of American seriously, but a most readable one. The autobiographical epidemic continues to rage among writers on both sides of the Atlantic. One,of the latest to succumb is Thomas Burke, best known as the author. of “Limehouse Lights,” who tells of his early lfe in London sin “The Wind and the Rain,” published by Doran. “The Literary Spotlight." Anne tle French Girl,” “Stacey,” a new novel by Alex- ander Black, is announced for Jan. nary 3 by Bobbs-Merrill. Black’ “The Great. Desire,” published in 1920, was a notable piece of work, but some of his other books have tended to be wearisomely discursive and, topheavy with philosophical dis- cussion. seph C. Lincoln. public has no need to be ashamed. Twain's “Autoblography;'! Word Puzzle Book;” Archie Butt;” ton Cooking School Book.” Zane Grey, whose new noyel, “The Thundering Herd,” will be issued by Harper's on Janpary , took part last week in the epochal deer-drive across the Grand Canyon. ‘ ficulty in keeping up. The series of anonymous portraits which has appeared for a year or Fin ORF PP literary celebrities, more.in the Bookman, has been col- lected in a volume*by John ‘Farrar, and issued by Doran under the title, The eix fictional best sellers, ac- cording to “Books,” are “The Lit- Douglas ; “The Enchanted : Hill,” “The White Mon- a ‘So Big,” Edna Ferber, and» ‘Rugged Water,” Jo- They show a preferencd of which the American Non-fiction favorites are Mark _ Cross. “Letters of “Diet and Health;” ‘Ariel”—a life of Shelley, and “Bos- New magazines usually attempt to weigh anchor with a rich cargo of literary. wares, and frequently establish a standard. they find dif- But it is doubtful if ever before has any pub- wane. Mecation “been launched with a table of contents including Dumas, ‘Kip- ling, Stevenson, Bret Harte, Rich- ard Harding Davis, de Maupassant, 0. Henry, Mark Twain, Anatole France, Toystoy and Heine. That unique honor remained for “The Golden Book,” the first number of which is announced by the Review of Reylews Corporation. Instead of publishing new fiction and verse, this magazine will reprint the best of c! ic writers. It remains to be seen how successful this experiment, tried many years ago by Frank Munsey with - “The Scrap Book, will prove with a public wedded to its “Saturday Evening Post, ‘Cos- mopolitan” and “True Stery Maga- zine.” Beebe's “Edge of the Jungle.” bound by brightest prospect. - “The Wanderer,” a San, Francis- co poetry magazine, has suspended after an existence of something more than a year. ‘There remain perhaps ten all-verse magazines, and among them they publish # sur- prising quantity of good verse. haye ‘as their setting —R.C. 8S. ——— home. galore for the home A not s0 very new book that will! fied Section. _ re Most How a Pair of These Would Please Her! A late arrival in a charming new pattern. Notice the high bar tongue which prevents gapping and the two neat narrow straps that fasten above it. Short French vamps and high spike . {| heels. In satin, suede, “ij kid or patent. $5.98 os lod Boy Every boy seems e with stout leather soles. top. Comfortable shape. service. Boy’s Brown Dress ‘Shoes--- Good All Thru An honestly made, trim looking, boys’ dress shoe. Smooth brown leather up- pers that polish nicely. Semi-rounded toe. Speedy lacing hooks at top. Wear" resisting leather soles and springy rub- ber heels. Blucher patterns. Sizes 9 to 11__ --$2.88 Sizes 1114 to 2- --$2.98 Sizes 21% to 6_. -.$3.48 leather made strong and counters. Sizes 11% to2 $5.00 Snap Arctics Now 5 Something unusual! A spe- cial reduction on first qual- ity Goodyear Glove Brand wadies’ Princess Snap Arc- tics right at the time you need them most. A _ vei clever pattern fastening wi three neat cloth straps and a wide band at top. Extra height, giving added protec- tion. 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Fastens with lace through four eyelets, has neat cut out design on sides' and moderately rounded toes. Heels slightly higher than pic- tured. In black patent or tan calf. $5.98 We have ‘A Thoughtful Gift for Mother A big selection, of beauti- ful felt slippers, some’ in two tone, some in plain colors. Good quality felt with silk ribbon trim_and silk Pp poms, Easy adde leather _ soles. any different shades. , For Father's Evening Comfort Warm soft felts with hi- ; lo cuffs for ankle warmth when needed. Comfor- table padded leather soles. Very good looking. In brown or grey. Unusual- ly low priced. 1.69. through and An ex- For Foot Protection All ny Winter Long Slip into a pair of these snug fitting “four buckles” and laugh at snow and rough weather. Made of fine black waterproof cloth. Have good grade rubber soles that wear. A sensible health investment. $3.75 asement Fhe abe teh ake richly repay hunting out {6 William “Mountain Echoes,” by Lilian Lu- cine Elgin, is a little book of poems replete with sweet sentiment..grace- fully expressed. Written by one of Casper’s pioneers, and-printed and local firm, ‘this book is distinctly a -Casper product. Mrs. Elgin was fans aeen Casper dae ‘ mineral and not oll seemed 1 i “Eadaville” is a perfect picture of the abandoned | mining camp as it-was years’ ago. Another pleasing» poem, “The: Rose That I-Gave to You,” has been set to music and makes an attractive song. While the book {s for the most part western, a few ‘of the poems the Great Lakes region, Mrs. Elgin's former A GIFT forthe home is « gift for the whole family. You'll find gifts inder “Christ- mas ‘Gift Suggestions” in’the Classi- PY ot she A Gift That-Is-Sureto Please -. 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