A REJECTED ROMANCE

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 15, 18 January 1930, Page 21

A REJECTED ROMANCE

''Back to Stay," by Jonathan Leonard. London: Bichard CobdenSanderson.

Here is a novel witii a strange history, and one that is good testimony to the author's belief in his work. "Back to Stay" is a story in New England setting—that country in the United States that has become the happy hunting ground of the many .American writers of fiction. Dixi Wardpn, the son of Zenas, a case-hardened old puritan and pirate, had trespassed on his father's moral principles, and had been banished the homo. He went to the city, and was employed by a banker —not quite the same thing as joining the service of a bank. But when he turned up at his home his autocratic father showed him the door. The story is built up on the characters: of the Wardon family and some of their fellow villagers of River Bent, Dixi's native place. They are generally a very curious people with an exceedingly narrow outlook, and mostly unfriendly and suspicious of Btrangers. Old Zenaa Wardon, the principal villager, is ■ a curious blend of dark superstition and commonsense. ."Back to Stay" is quito unliko the ordinary Hew. England story. Its characters are strongly individualistic, not of the pat-, terns that suggest having.been punched out of fictional material, like labels for beer bottles, as so many of them are who figure in New England novels. It is a highly, original wox*k, with some very fine writing and perhaps because of its. unusual character as a novel it was refused by publisher after publish-er,-until the author, with great courage, bought type and a press, set up and printed two pages at a timey bound JOO copies, and sold them. A copy fell into the hands of the enterprising Viking Press of New York, and it was then published in the ordinary way. Its originality and high literary quality then commanded the attention they deserved. Mr. Cobden-Sanderson has done, well in introducing "Back to Stay f.'" to English readers. The story is richi in incident, especially in the treatment poor Dixi receives from a tar-and-feather party of villagers, and the brave acts he performs. "Back to Stay"'is a piece of sound, conscientious literary craftsmanship, but it is not everybody's reading.