Evening star., 1901-06-29
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
! MILLS OF GOD Novel. By Elinor Mccartney
| Lane. New York: d. Appleton & Company

MILLS OF GOD; Novel. By Elinor Mccartney
Lane. New York: ID. Appleton q Company.
Mrs Lane, widely known as a Washing
ton woman, has propounded a difficult prop
ostion In Mills of God" Her theme is
daring and delicate 1t touches upon sub
jects which are ordinarily avoided by con-
servative novel writers. She breaches a
sermon such as Is usually relegated to the
most earnest of moralists. Notwithstand-
ing these conditions and the dangers which
are attendant upon them, the final product
more than justifies the choice. The story Is
strong and fearlessly told. The episodes
are unpleasant, but so is the doctrine. The
characters, when not uninteresting. are far
from the standards of moral convention
ality-with the notable exception of the re-
puted narrator, Robin Killduff-but they
are distresSingly human 1t requires deft
touch to portray such personages In all
their moral iniquity without OVERRIDING or
underdoing the likeness. Mrs. Lane has
done this. Some may question the merit Of
her theme, some dispute its advisability,
but none can advisedly doubt her sincerity
of purpose and of workmanship. The novel
is exceptional in finish and in the careful
balance of it's parts. Robin ktllduff is an
effective medium of communication, al
though the process employed of using Lady
Grafton's diary to tell the story of some of
the more intimate features of her career
Is cumbersome and has it's typographical
disadvantages. The illustrations are a nov
city and add to the suggestion of historical
rendition. The book is altogether a dis
tinct achievement among the works Of
Washington writer's.
THE AUTOCRATS: Novel. By Charles K LUSH
author of THE Federal Judge etc. New
York: Doubleday. Page & Co. Washington:
VIM. Ballantyne Sons.
novel based upon the passage through
city council of street railway franchise!
The theme is calculated to cause a raising
oc the eyebrows. The book itself is like
ly to lower them again. 1t is a strong
story, well told, with a vivid meaning and
a distinct value both as a sociological
study and as a novel. Around the schemes
OF a street railway official and promoter
the author weaves a plot of keen interest,
with an appropriate love atmosphere and a
satisfactory conclusion. Some of the worst
phases of municipal politics are exposed to
view. Glimpses are given Of the under
world of a great community and through
out can be felt the throb of a strong pur-
pose. to reveal the danger to which the
Indifferent citizen is exposed when corrupt
men gain power
THE GREAT WAR TREK; with the British Army
the Veldt. BY James Barnes. author Of
'.Midshipman Farragut," &c. New York: d.
Appleton & Company.
Mr.. Barnes followed the army of Methu-
en- and later that of Roberts. He tells of
the scenes he saw on the veldt, picturing
war with a reporters pencil and not with
that of the military critic. His book is
therefore a record of an armys doings
considered in some small details and is by
no means a treatise on the conduct of the
campaign. 1t is perhaps the more read
able for that reason, although Boer war
books are now so numerous as to be some
what superfiuous.
EDGAR ALLAN POE. By Col John A. Joyce
New York: f. Tennyson Neely Company.
Col. Joyce writes of Poe in vein of SYM
pathy for his misfortunes and a critical ap-
probation of those products which reflect
ed his undoubted genius. At the same
time he deplores the poets ways of life
and the necessity which he always felt to
write for a livelihood without regard for
the artistic demands of literature The
most interesting feature Of the biography
Is a reproduction of an Italian poem writ
ten in 1909, from which it Is thought by
some Poe obtained his inspiration for The
Raven"
THE SECOND BOOK OF BIRDS; Bird Families
by olive Thorne Miller. Illustrated. Boston:
Houghton, Mifiin 6 Company. Washington:
BrentanO's.
The First Book of Birds" by this same
author told Of the common life of a bird.
This book tells of the divisions into fam
lilies among the more familiar species In
this latitude. The knowledge upon which
it is based was gained by close observa-
ton and patient study. The illustrations
are helpful to the understanding Eight
are from colored plates by Louis Agassiz
Fuertes, while sixteen others are in black
and white.
THE DOWNING LEGENDS; Stories in Rhyme
the Witch of Shiloh, the Last of the Wam-
panoags, the Gentle Earl and the Enchanted
Voyage. By J. w. DeForest. author of "A
Lovers Revolt. etc. New Haven: The Tut
tie, Morehouse Taylor Company.
A SUMMER HYAINAI,; Romance Of Tennessee.
By John Trotwood Moore, author Of '0le Mis-
tis,' etc. Philadelphia: Henry T. Coates &
Company.