"Purple Passion" by Gertie de 8. Wentworth James. T. Wernie Laurie, Ld. Tandon.
paves much to the imagination of The title to this novel not only what phe reader might expect, but practically lives up to it during most of ite pages, reaching a clashing] ing -himax in the last chapter. The principal character, a Mrs. Kent, admits "before the story" being divorced after only two years of married life and with the limited means at her disposal endeavoured to try respectable life in modern Lendoa Suburbia. Mrs. Kent lives sculptor, with the family of a well knows doctor and is called upon to fall i with the family and social life. During her calls she meets the family of Cantlemarsh, the head being a rather wealthy "something in the City" and a most devoted husband and father. Chance takes Mrs, Kent on an errand to Chelsea to inquire regarding a prospective domestic servant, the place of call being " ladies' club, and one of the members invites the caller to dance to be given that night, which out of curiosity is accepted, "fancy dress de rigueur." The prospect of taking over a flat in the vicinity is discussed during the evening and, on the visitor's returning home -sbout the hour the breakfast bell is ringing, she is informed that her room would be preferable to her company. She decides at once to take possession of the flat and is soon initiated into the charms, or at least the struggles, of lower Hohe In the next few chapters the writer describes the class of life led by the members of the club, most of whom are artist's models. als description of Inter happenings but depicts rather plainly, if with ing on somewhat thin ice,
some overdrawing, life in lower Bohemia. However, the salvation of the story is the climax in the last chapter, where, as often, all ends well. The book is well written and the characters carefully chosen to adapt themsel subject undertake:
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.