Evening star., 1901-11-09
.@(~|-0

He has seen the machinery at TOO ciose
range to permit him to appreciate the
poetry of the great organization. Ills
stories, therefore, are of the unpleasant
side of politics, with men falling short of
their own standards, men degenerating un-
der temptation, men losing preferment be-
cause of their honesty rather than their
dishonesty. ambitious women failing in
their supreme function of helping the men
they love and who love them to lead the
better life. And the most unpleasant part
of it all is that 1t is true in the main. The
portrayals are perhaps of the extreme
types. But they are recognizable. Most
powerful of these tales is "A Most Lament
able Comedy" describing the populistic
craze which swept Kansas off it's feet a
decade ago and landed in the state house
a governor with an eccentric genius for
words. There is a vast depth of pathos ii
these recitals, although the author is ap-
parently intent only upon the more prosaic
lines of his craft.
THE PROPHET OF BERKELEY SQUARE. By
Robert Hfchens. author Of Flames etc. New
York: Dodd Mead x Co. Washington Bren-
tano's
MIR. Hichens is in one of his drollest of
moods in this story. He seeks to satirize
the fad of occultism which has taken pos
session of London and succeeds admirably
in presenting a humorous assemblage of
the most utterly ridiculous cranks, fakes
and idiots imaginable. At times his story
next chapter is as likely as not to be the
sheerest of foolery, as confidently offered
as though it were rational. The story
reaches it's real climax when the amateur
prophet, who is of good family but has
fallen under the influence of a prepoSterous
professional prophet, attends a function
given by the lady patron of all the eccen-
tries in the capital OF this parsonage one
OF the characters says:
''She is very rich and magnifcently idiotic. She
supports all the foolish charities She has built
almshouses for broken-down mediums on Summing
ton Commons in Kent She has endowed a hos
pital for sick fortune-tellers. She gave five hun
readers and nearly as much to- to the sPaimsts' Sea
side Retreat at Mlaby Bay, near Dover. don't
know how many Christian Science temples she
hasn't erected, subscribed ~lberally to. She
turns every table in her house. She wont leave
one alone. Her early breakfasts for star-gazers
are famous. and it's impossible to dine with her
without sitting next to horoscope-caster, being
taken into dinner. of course-by crystal diviner
or nose prophet
1t IS with such characters that the tale
deals, and in so gladstone a spirit of ridi-
cule that it is doubtful whether even the
most serious, sincere believers in some of
the lines touched in the course can be
indignant
THE PINES OF LORY;. By J; A. Mitchell, sq-
bert ID. Blashield. New York: Life Publish
ing Company
Given a desert island, a man and
woman and long period Of isolation, and
the result is either intense love or bitter
hatred between the people. Mr.. Mitchell
starts his characters with a tendency to-
ward positive dislike by the girl for the
man, with the man inclined toward affec-
tion. They reach the last chapter on their
way to the altar. Their traditional desert
island" is really only an isolated point of
land on the northern shore of the Gulf of
st. Lawrence, upon which they were mis-
takenly landed on their way to the sum-
mer cottage they We're both to visit The
steamer after landing them is cast away
and lost, being held out of her course by
drunken pilot. The world thinks these
two are drowned and therefore does not
search for them They. wait a year and
are finally rescued, after trials and dam
gers. They are fortunate in being put off
the boat at point chosen by an eccentric
Frenchman who had fled from Europe to
whose .namorata he had won, establish
ing himself in secluded luxury in the will
derneSs. The story IS told directly and well
1t sparkles at times with witty expressions
and 1t wins the affections of all who love
lovers. The reader is forced to forget the
rather mechanical device which permits The
complication.
THE MARROW OF TRADITION. Ry Charles w
Ghesnntt Boston: Houghton. Mtiin & Co.
Washington: Brentano's.
The present aspect of the race question in
this country is decidedly unplea SAINT. 1t
arouses bitter resentments in politics and
personal relations. 1t tends to revive the
sectional differences which eliminated in
the civil war. 1t may be questioned, there
fore, whether it is wise to force public
sentiment In this direction by presenting
the involved question IN the form of a
novel in which the writer's feelings are nei-
her nht tod
THE Marrow of Tradition presents the
race problem in it's ugliest shape involving
the rise of the educated negro into social
possibilities. The scene is laid, with slight
disguise. in Wilmington n. c., and the ac-
ton evidently occurs during the race riots
which took place in that city two or three
years ago. Some of the episodes are mar
rated almost specifically from the record
The novel is disjointed in its succession of
episodes and lacks the continuous rise of
concentrated interest which the conver-
tions require in the making of story But
the slight thread of plot suffices to serve as
vehicle for some unmistakably strong
writing and character deineation The
book VIII assuredly arouse criticism in the
south and will be read with interest in the
north 1t is to be seriously doubted
whether the time is ripe or the occasion
propitious for another Uncle Toms Cab
in. and whether, indeed. this work, which
evidently aims at the same effect as that
historic story, Is of a sufficiently substantial
fabric to stand the strain of it's strenuous
purpose.
THE FlRESIDE SPHINX. BY Agnes Repplier
Illustrations by E. Bonsail. Boston: Houghtou
Mif1in Co. WashiDgton: Brentano's
Cat lore has become a serious bidder for
popular notice during the past tow or
three years. Writers of considerable emf
nence have turned their attention to the
furry familiars of the hearth and have
presented some entertaining portraits of
sage creatures and affectionate. uncanuv
cats and simple tabbies. Agnes Repplier's
love for the household pet is strikingly
III evidence in this her contribution to the
accumulating literature of the cat 1t is
historical In its treatment, dealing with the
eat or antiquity, the dark ages persecu-
tion, renaissance, the cat of Albion the
cat IN art, the cat triumphant, some cats
OF france and the cat of today 1t traces
the records of cats that have left names
and whose influence upon the lives of IA
nous personages is now clearly recognized
III is altogether one of the most entertain
ing books of those that have lately an
peared in the name of felis domesticus.
INK FILINGS. By Flora Carleton FaranI New
York: Dodd. Mead & Co. Washington: Bren-
tanos.