Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-05-17
THE MINORITY; a Novel. By Frederick Trevor
Hill, author of The Case and the Exceptions,
etc. New York: Frederick A. Stokes Company
Washington.

A.
Washington: Brentano's.
The story of the making of a trust is less
to be expected under such title than a
tale of politics. But Mr.. Hill has disclosed
a certain likeness to the ordinary range OF
political Vaccinations in the devices OF the
promoters and financiers who float great
industrial combinations. His novel de-
scribes some of them. 1t shows the model
factory, run upon humanitarian principles
by the grandson of the founder, who be-
lieves it possible to make money and friends
among his employees at the same time.
Later he is approached with offers to en-
ter a syndicate, which cannot well be
formed without his association, he being
at the head of the industry. He declines
at first, but finds that he is spied upon by
traitors and embarrassed by secret agents
of the promoters. brief strike occurs,
previously unheard of in his establishment.
He surrenders and is made the head of the
syndicate For time all is smooth, then
the Inscriptions banker-directors secure a
majority of the board and first vote off all
pensions, then reduce wages 10 per cent, in
order to precipitate general strike to bear
the stock in the market for speculative
purposes. John Kennard, the man with
ideals, owner of the big factory, fights the
syndicate on its own ground and secures
control of the stock. incidentally he passes
through some bitter experiences, nearing
death and finally winning as wife the
daughter of the chief promoter of the en-
terpr1se, who has proved untruStworthy.
Mr.. Hill points out some of the features of
the trust system which, under an intelli-
gent management and if unhampered by
the manipulations of the stock jobbers,
would make for public good. He also
shows wildly the dangers of great indus
trial combinations in the hands of heart
less financiers. Yet his story is not a So
Geological treatise by any means but a de-
n n
ture with a dainty climax to the love cpl
sode, which puts the finishing touch upon
one of the most striking pieces of fiction
produced this season.
THE CoNFEssIoNs OF A MATCHMAKING
thor of Second Lieutenant Celia" etc. New
York: j. +. Taylor e. Co.
The wife of a British army officer is sud
denly left by his death with eight unmar-
ried daughters and meager income. She
sets out Systematically to find husbands
for her girls and plans her entire life ac-
cordngly. Her success is phenomenal The
girls are Of diverse temperaments, but, of
course, in the mothers eyes all charming
in their different ways. Some of her de-
vices to attract the right men to the right
girls are ingenious. She has narrow es-
capes from failure, but by taking advantage
of accidents, by exercising shrewd knowl-
edge of human nature, and by giving what
is called in the language of oldfashioned
novels true love- a fair chance, she makes
aster is when her re1igiously inclined
daughter for whom there seems no suita-
BILE match but the curate. hats in her I'M
conscious progress toward arousing his in
terest. By MARRYING the Lenten scruples
of the girl the mother challenges the Gu
rates sympathy and eventually triumphs.
The book is a series of eight short love sto-
ries, told from the point of view of the
moving spirit. who is a charming woman
and who evidently makes a most suitable
match for herself.
HAFIZ: a Story of Adventure and Romance. BY
Estee Hampstead Manning. Washington: The
Neale Publishing Company.
Miss Manning of Washington has achieved
a very creditable work in this her initial
novel. 1t deals with psychological themes
with an Alsatian setting of the eighteenth
century The title is derived from the name
of a Hindoo adept, who is awaiting death
after 200 years of life, as he declares. He
does not enter so closely into the scheme
of the story as the title would serve to
indicate, but is nevertheless a picturesque
and important parsonage. The story turns
upon the ownership of the right to hered-
itary domain and title and involves some
stirring activities. Miss Mannng's style is
easy and clear, and she approaches pro-
found subjects with justifiable confidence.
Her story ranks well with the current out
put of fiction and indicates powers which
later should result in notable work. 1t is
deserving Of a greater fidelity to the re-
quirements Of good Typography.
ACCEPTANCE AND Unwilling OF THE STATUE
OF DANIEL WEBSTER IN WASHINGTON
JANUARY IS. 1900: Addresses by Senator
Chandler, Secretary Long and Senator Lodge
Washington Government printing office.
This is different from the usual run of
government publications, being not only an
artistic reproduction Of the speeches de-
but containing photographers Of the statue,
it's pedestal panels and the scene of the I'M
yelling, the laSt-named being an exception
ally fine plate from the camera of Mr. j.
H. Harper of this city, at whose sugges-
ton this work was provided for in an ap-
preparation bill.
THE EARTH's BEGINNING. BY Sir Robert Sta
well Ball, LID. F. r. S., author of THE
Story Of the Heavens etc. Illustrated. New
York: D. Appleton & Co.
Just now that the earth is showing signs
of violent internal disturbance, causing
eruptions of volcanoes in the West Indies,
such a work as this, giving a popular
treatise on the history of the earth's for
nation according to the latest and most
scientific theories, is of exceptional interest
1t is a clear exposition of the nebuar hy-
pothesfs, the illustrations being reproduced
photographs of some of the more remark
able nebuae now discernible by means of
author holds, are examples of the process
of planet formation such as ages ago pro-
duced the earth. A chapter on volcanoes
and kindred phenomena possesses timely
value. Much space is given to descrp-
ton Of the eruption of Krakatoa, located
on an island between Sumatra and Java,
which occurred in August, 1885, and is re-
garded as one of the most violent eruptive
explosions of the crust known in history
Two illustrations in color show the first
stage of the eruption and the red sunset
which it later caused in England The for.
mer was from photograph taken from a
passing vessel. % SO
GARDEN CRAFT, OLD AND NEW BY John d.
Seeding. New York: John Lane.
With the output Of outdoor literature
which has marked the book market of the
past five years has come a new and alto
gether healthful interest IN gardening Half
a dozen magazines Of high grade are now
devoted almost exclusively to the subject Of
Mr.. Seedlings book. Everywhere owners
of country houses are devoting more and
more means to the gardens which frame
their houses. The time, for the publication
Of this volume Is accordingly most pro-
pitious. In subject matter the book will
meet many of the demands by which the
modern householder will gauge it's value.
1t was written by distinguished archi-