98711132b .pdf

That Unlucky
Thirteenth
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‘By HERBERT-.3; GORMAN

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y. EINRY1: JAMES set down “his

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a- bang. Immediately the
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chattering, in the room
eased and the three ladies arra.I1ged'
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heinselves side by side on the sofa. _

“ ‘My -dear

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R Henry-'

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mark without presumption, a ma_tter,_
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at least to me,'and 1- will
so far as to affirm that possibly
I have a suspicion based upon some an unusual character, an idealist writers should-_bc helped along if
obvious signs from _th'at, that the ‘lit- who is somewhat at ‘a disadvantage they show genuine promise, and I
‘ can recommend Holloway I-Iorn as
tempt, at the most thanklem, of en- in a-world of harsh realities."
“ Web." mid Henry James, with one who will not disappoint many
deavoring to meticulously _arrive at
a logical conclusion-well, my good- a degree of eagernem, “ since the of his readers. Of course one must
ness, what did I start to say ?"'
' child episode is so familiar, don"t not look for impossible virtues in
Mr. James abruptly stopped his you think we ought to declare this him. He is young; he ls crude at
times in his handling of situations;
oration with a sigh of anguish and volume the least meritorious of--"
“
Wait,
wait,"
cries
The
Duchess.
but he has a real tale to tell, and
gazed in perplexity_ at the three
" There are eleven more books."
does it with a professional degree of
lafies.
Henry
James
subnded
with
a
sigh
my dear Henry," replied The
deftness." - _,
_
and
The
Duchess
held
up
another
Duchem_with a smile, " if you will
“ Your, reputation for helping
book.
.
disentangle your involved phraseYoung and unknown writers along is
“
Here,"
she
said,
“
is
‘
The
Mar‘so large that I am almost tempted
ology you may, after mature considdi-Gras
Mystery,’
by
H.
Bed1'ondto vote Mr. Horn‘.-s book the black
eration fiscover what you are think-.
Jones
(Doubleday,
Page
&
Co.).
It
mark," remarked Mrs. Wood. ‘“ I
ing about."
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the Duchess

" It is, if 1- may venture the re-

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evil I
and I

mini, a delightfully romantic crea-

will revel in it. Mr. Rhodes pus-I '
ture who circumvents the
sesscs a style that is a trifle more
Maharaiah, Gundadhura Singh,
elevated than the usual type ol’__.'
is active In placing her lover in'that ‘W estern thriller offers.
vill'a.in's place.
She -also gets the
" That being the case I hardly
best of a scheming British Commis- think you will approve that this mos
sioner-whp strives to discover the be awarded the black mark,“ said
treasure of Sialpore. Aiding her is the _Duchcss.‘
the American, Blaine, and his brave
" I do not,'.' answered Henry
wife, There.-mo And one must not James.
“ Its style saves it. E But
forget that sturdy lover of rum, the here is another W"cstern thriller, enEnglish soldier, Tom Tripe. The titled - " Drag " Harlan,‘ by Charles

talc is carried along in excellent

Alden Seltzer (A. c. l‘dcClurg & co).

fashion and proves to be quite up to One cannot accuse it of being at all
]!dundy's usual standard."
distinguished in style. It follows

‘“‘ I am sure that if it were not for fault we must admit it to be a book
‘thirteen volumes of fiction before plot, for who mres about them in a
well-sustained
detective
yarn
"that
youth but few of us three women that has as _much seuulne literary
us. Instead of attempting to -find.
is
Hput
‘together
to
beguile
the
reader
would have been so widely read. an talent expended on it as any of the
the best story let us attempt to find
the worst. In other words.‘ what is for a few ‘short hours. The book is the chambermaids in. Christendom thirteen. novels we are discussing.
esséntiahy transient in its values. reveled in us once upon "a time," Mlm Patrick, who is patently Engthe unlucky thirteenth ?"'
lish, reminds‘ one a ' bit of Sheila
" The idea is clever," said hits. It is to be read and forgotten, but answered‘ the Duchess.
it
fulfills
its
purpose."
'
“ Once upon a time," repeated Kaye-Smith, a younger and more
Henry Wood, with a mac nod at
-."
Being
so
tranrdent.,"
said
Henryi
Henry James. “ I am not sure but unsophisticated Sheila Kaye-Smith.
Mrs. E. D. E. N. S-outhwortb. ".“ And
James,
“
don"t
you
tbink—
"
i
what all the best stories started with Her characterization is ‘finely done
that any eavesdroppcrs may not
" This book," interrupted Mrs.
that very phrase."
' '
think that we are holding the worst
D. E. N. Southworth hastily, " is‘ " Certainly the ones we remember
book for the last, let us discuss thme
called ' John Rutland"s Romance,‘ the most vividly did," replied Mrs.
authors in alphabetical order."
'
and" it is by J. -Percival Bessell lllood. " But here is a book that I
"Agreed," cried Henry James, The
(Macaulay). It is also put together must offer the three of you as being
Duchess and hirs. Southworth. The

well-beaten tracks in every direc- *
tion. How ' Drag ' cleans up ‘Supset Valley with the aid of his two

guns and conquers the outlaws that
infested that locality affords opportunity for thrills along old-fashioned

lilles Wm’. they were writing tales
in this manner when I was a young
man.
‘ Drag " Harlan is a gun

fighter and a killer

whose ' nmgj

blanchcs the cheeks of all who are

liable to meet him. 1 1.-ororn.-or this
book be awarded the—-—"
“ Again ‘you
are
Henry," interrupted
+

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"too Mrs. Wood,

" How can you award

the

black

mark to a book that is compounded
and stands forth as one of the indu- of_ such sure-fire stuff? I'll wager
bltable charms of ‘ The Islands of that it is more widely read than your

Desire.‘ Such a personage as Rose ' The ‘Wings of the Dove.‘ "
- '
Blnns shows intensive study and
" .{“ll wager that it is, too," an-.
great care in development. This is swered Henry James. “ If mybouk
It is '* The not a first novel. as “ Harlequlnade " “'1-1$.WiliB!y read. I should wonder

for amusement purposes only, and right up to the minute.
not, 1 am sure, from any desire on Samovar Girl,’ by Frederick Moore
table and the four writers gathered
the author's part to add to the sum -(Appleton), and its action is laid in
about them.
- .
‘total of first-class American fiction. Russia during the present revolu“ First of all," said hIr..__jlatoB8It ls the sort of book that the Tired tionary crisis. There is rapid action
lifting a volu1:n.e_ from the pile, " we
Business Man takes with him to read
find " The Emerald Buddha,"~by -Io- on the Pullman car. The plot shapes here, plot and. counter-plot, with
fierce Comks, Reds and all the
seph B. Ames (Small, Maynard)itself about one man taking upthe horrors of a_ war-torn land. The
This is a story obviously written for
identity of another and awmng
sceue opens in Siberia twenty years

thirteen books were arranged on the

I

story concerns the youth of Yas- told and lovers of ‘Western stories ~

will delight the soul of- the lover of am sure that his youth has blinded
“ Henry James," said Mrs. Southdetective
yarns
that
are
well
susworth, “ is so wrapped up in style.
you to many of his faults."
said Henry, “‘ and I will try again."
" As for youth, God blew it!" so to spcak,__th-at I must refer him
The tea being brought, fills 1'9- tained to the last thrill. Mystery impinges
upon
mystery
and
the
reader
nowned author tossed it oft at a_ mnBtllrfl-HY Pfimarked Henry James. “ It to ' The Islands of Desire,‘ by Diana
will
be
hard
put
to
it
to
lay
the
is the youth of the world that keeps Patrick (Button). It is a novel that
gle drink.
g
book
aside
before
it
is
finished.
It
civilization rolling merrily along. one might be apt to call a trifle
" I shall have to return to my
is
impmible
to
speak
of
the
charWithout it we would all,be standing overwritten from the standpoint of
earlier manner," . he sighed." “ MY
acterization
and
plausibillties
of
the
still."
'
sentimentality, but if we except that
idea, ladies. lsbriefly this: We have
"' Fetch me another cup of tea."

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is, but it is a second novel, and I what was the matter with it."
don"t. see why they should not appeal
The three ladies laughed at

-

-

this

as strongly as "first novels."
“ They do appeal," said

and the Duchess producedfia book_

tremulously tell one another that

confounds his rivals and -so. the

Mrs. from the pile on the table.
Wood, “ and I have already read the
“ Here is a novel -of an afiu'g|-fig.
book you mention and liked it ex- ing campaign," she said, --It is
tremely. Miss Patrick should go far called ‘ Tflyillg It on the Dog,‘ and
as a novelist of authentic“ stature if theauthor is Maurice Switser [Babbaboys, although it is cut from the ma- his obligations. ' Of course, these
before
the
great
crisis
and
shows
the
she can get over her weakness for MErfi]])- It is the typical tale gf
tcrial that pleases rmders of all ages. two men are doubles, and, to stretch
terrors that once made that bleak- such bromides as having the lovers
The mysterious Orient enters into
tile llfillltli $011118 business man who"

this tale. which mu speedily be dis-

covered to be three short stories
cleverly joined together.
All the

‘I

familiar ingredients of

ro-

the possibilities a bit, the author country a synonym for all that is
causes them to “turn out to be twin tyrannical- The daughter--of Hirsubrothers." .
H
koff. once a General of the Czar, is
" Oh! " gasped - Henry James, the heroine, and Peter Gordon, now
“ Surely that book—- "'
an American, but once the ill-used
- " After all, thdugh," went on hire.- child, Peter Gorel-tin . of Chitalf
Southworth, “ the author handles Siberia. is the hero. How -these two
his unlikely coincidence with a de- win to one anothefs arms across the

mance and mystery are mixed into
hIr._ Amea“s pasty. ' There are trap" doors, mysterious caves glowing with i
gold, poisonous‘ snakes. scheming gree of rmtraint that gives it a cer- flaming wreck of Holy Russia makes
up a tale that does not slacken in
villains from China, and so on. 'I'he_}
tain aspect ofi truth. The idea of interest from beginning to end. This
lack of characteiiziition in this book the girl with the extremely beautiful
is a story, Henry James, that you
and its obvious sacrifice of all the profile, but who turns out to be so will find it hard to put forward (or
canons-of plausibility for the sake of
backward) for that ominous black

they are sailing for the islands of girl. This time it is dog soap that-"*
needs to be pushed. Junlus Peck
desire."
" Bromides! "
gasped
Henry Puts _together an advertising ‘cam-'

James. “ Bromides! \‘i'hy, you three I33-igll that makes that article the
ladim are nothing but bromides."
Mrs. Henry * ‘Hood ignored this

meet Widely discussed thing in mg
Country. The story is told. in a bu‘.

speech and tossed a book into Henri’ mflmim 11111111181‘. and some of the dia-

.l'ames‘s lap.
'
logue is obviously farcical."~
,
i
“ There." she said,
is ‘ Old
Mrs. Southworth fumbled In mo
Fighting Days,’ by E. R. Pun.-shon Pile of books a moment and “then
(Knopf). It is a tale of the prize- drew-one forth. She held it up, '_
repulsive when one views her full
" This is the thirteenth and.,_].-Q31
ring days in England and introduces
thrills, would tempt. me to give our
face, is also a clever idea. If any- mark that one of these thirteen tales such real characters as Jem Bel- volume." she renlarl-ted. " '
ominous prize to this story."
I
receive." '
thing, the _ book harks back in gen- is "toAnimated
_iournaJism." growled cher. the champion; Daniel Men- by Ben Amos .5-Villianis (Button),
" You speak _too quickly." Q-ill

eral treamient to that time of fic-

Mrs. Wood, “We haven't conmdered
tion made so popular by you two
any of the other books yet. Here is women and lIll3'self."
" The Golden i‘ Answer,‘ by l'$Yi\"i3
“" Here is another book I have
_.Chat:field‘Ba1'es _(MaczuZlllan). -It is
read," mid Henry James... “ It 13

Henry James.

“ It is what I ca_.ll doza,

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' Gentleman '

"'l|

Jackson

and It 55 -‘fl tale i_n which a maddened red

_W’ho knows others. The ‘hem of the book is a bull IS -the rnotivating force. Hr,
the hmrt of Red Russia or what is boy who is seeking his "birthright. Williams tells his dramatic "tale _with'
rmlly transplring there‘? But has The whole thing is an old-fashioned a sure eye for effect and attempts‘-to

an opportunist novel.

this novel a good plot? "
.
tale full’ of fisticuffs, loves and ima gone;-wnuonn-.1o* or a‘ writer apparently a first novel, and
“ It has," returned Mrs. Wood. broglios. While ‘you may think it
‘~“ Itls principally based on the fact strange of a Victorian lady like mynamed Amos Fortime who is bring- ,
fore to be treated with B. certain dd- that Peter Gordon must fight be- selftoadmltalikingforabook
lug up a"niyste‘rious_-child named gree or indulgence. I has e always
includes rough pugilists, I must
Amos falls in love with beenmoted for my kindness to young tween his desire for revenge on Kir- that
sakcff, who allowed. his father to be say that my blood warmed rather

and marries

_W'are. lhfl'e_r-

force nothing.

‘I-‘he bull, owned by‘-

the fierce Evered, kills Evie:-ed"g' .-qfifgI

although the husband might have

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stayed the rush of the animal. fI'he'

stof)’ is one that will make an imliression on the reader." _

~ .

“ Wed, there we are." said {pg
Siberia. and his love for pleamntly several times during a
Duchess.
" Thirteen books.‘ - Nowences separate these two,' but ‘Fate so truthfufly remarked of ntrer a few *K'ir.miio1‘f"s dn.I1glI’ter,' Katerina."
peruml of the novel, and especially

brings them ~t6sefl}ei!" again-1: .’_I'l111

story‘ ls written'a'__l1igh _degtl';ce'
"

or clever‘
mdden
in the bacliground is Kit Farley. the

won who
brother -of
‘mother or

vvriters, as Mr. odrchfllnld Marshall killed in
weeks ago. This book is ' Harlequi-

nade," by Holloway Horn (3l11kB3)Now, " Harlcquinade .' is a st!Ii1‘Y_ Bf

tl:ie.contei:_nporarY $0113.! flf ED818111!_a'nTitious youngsters-who are. brm.kiugriwaytromthcoldtles and some-

_-._.
“ Ah," said I-leury James. _“ The when Harry Holme had to face ene- which gets the booby price?’ All three women began shoufinguat
old problem--revenge or love and mim much larger and trickier than
himself and proved their victor."
_ once, each one urging the demerit,s_
love. of course. wins.“
" Why, Mrs. Wood," mid Henry of a different book for the ‘manner“ As it always should;"' said the
For a time pande2monluim'
Duchess. '“F'or revenge turns to James, “ I fear there is an old cave- prize.
reigned’
in the room , and‘ -Hen]-1.
ashes and love is the eternal flame."- woman stirring in you". Here is a
-"' You ‘are _ an incurable ' roman- Westem story that I have been read- James cowe-red in the ‘corner; j‘ attlclst."' replied James. with a smile. lug; It is by Eugene, Manlove tempting to hide himself as muchian

. the
and who lb
floundefing for new standards
-Of 0011196» l-hi-B of convention. - i The hereof this book
so;oz‘ d mo -elder brother brag- is o roongonop in an ED511311 311""? " But
ing _up the child of his deceased ernmental» position- . He _l-Efiw there?
" It
younger luiother and having it mis- through anumbér or romantic adventures? that it is no‘ part ‘of my Talbot
taken for one of his own i_£:-{not a

__

Rhodes and is called ' Stepsons of pomlhle behind the‘ ton‘-many.» at '
what _boolr are you hqldins Light
' (Houghton Mifllin Com- last his pride got the -better
"
'

is ‘Guns of the Gods,‘ by pany). Mr. Rhodes offers for our discretion and he advanced to‘the M
Mandy (Bobbs, Mern"ll)." re- approval one of t.l:|ose,swlnglng yarns centre of the room. throwing up ‘-"his

in which Johnny Dine-s, cowpuncher, arm with an_ imprmive gesf.ure_ for
pl-ajenoo to betray. nmlougn ulo plied the Duchem. "_Here is a man goes
‘one in nonon. It‘is-rather om;-not author
“ various adventures silence; He got it.
_
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his ‘subject rather ‘who knows hls" India through and which through
have their modicum "of gun“ The worst of thme thirteen;
_

1|

rlooogor dramatl_'
" u c effect." Amos
hélugelf is excdllently
one
he

tip“ before the 'r'ead'er- as

through. - As -you may s'III_B'flB, the

__that he has thought decli- guns_of the godsare the British play, is almost murdered and is books." he said, “is—" and lwr-n
15- about the subjects introduced into ba.tl:eries"that control India, but they eventually arrested and tried for your narrator reaches the cud of--112,-r.
alga-g"'

Certainly, talented

not lhe core of this book.

Ehr dew 1] ork Elnora
Published: July 10, 1921
Copyright © The New York Times

The rnurder himself.

The tale is well P3-P91'»
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