STEPHEN'S BRIDGE

And the cousins and the aunts and the cousins and the aunts, but once you get past the initial geneaological difficulties (there will be a table) you will enjoy your stay in the dynastic demesne known as Stephen's Bridge (Pennsylvania) with Revolutionary roots to this gnarled family tree. Now the tribe (with one or two if its strays) is congregated at the funeral of Auntie May, 97, which brings up the original will per stirpes. Along with the fact. that the estate now runs to unsuspected millions due to providential pennypinching on the part of one of the custodians, two of the stirpes have been missing for forty and twenty years respectively; daughter Celestine (whose mother dies dramatically now) who has lived a life of indigence, and James, a life of failure, are brought back. One is unreachable; the other uncomfortable; but the money has its shock effect and unites them together within the fold. . . . Lafore is a polished writer and his imitation of life is suave and soothing for the '60's--it's the kind of book which people who used to read Marquand and now read Auchincloss will enjoy.