GOLDFIELDS ADVENTURES.

Taranaki Daily News, 6 October 1934, Page 14 (Supplement)

GOLDFIELDS ADVENTURES.

"Sons to Fortune,” by Vingie E. Roe. Cassell & Co. Ltd., Melbourne. A. J. Fyfe Ltd., New Plymouth. Though Sacramento was part of the Golden West of which Bret Harte wrote with such powers, ‘‘Sons to Fortune” is a story of the days when civilisation was replacing the glamour of the hectic gold rushes. Sacramento city had settled down to orderliness—in general—but Miss Roe’s ‘story shows that there were still many characteristics of the more tumultuous days. Dance halls - and gambling saloons were still part of civic surroundings. Life was cheap, and though the law was available its applL cation was tempered by public opinion that could see justification for what the law called murder. ■ The book tells the story of a girl Owner of a notorious gambling establishment. Her beauty and her poise had made her the uncrowned queen of the district, and while many loved Cymbaline

she remained heart-whole and some said heartless. Into her life came many Strange influences, including that of a preacher who denounced hew and nearly lost his life for his audacity. The outcome of it all makes a narrative quite distinct from the ordinary romance, and the climax seems a fitting conclusion to a contest of strong wills and the call of sex. “Sons to Fortune” is a thoroughly interesting novel. It shows the swift action of those days when community rule was in the making. The book contains also some interesting character studies that add to its value as a welltold story.