Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-04-05
A ROMAN MYSTERY. BY Richard Bagot New
York: John Lane

York: John Lane.
Mr.. Bagots novels have borne chiefly
upon the subject of the Catholic religion of
today from a critical standpoint, antag-
onistic or friendly according to his partic-
ular theme. His Casting of Nets was an
ARA ignment of certain practices In Eng
land by PROSECUTING converts. His present
story is much more complacent, showing
no signs of opposition to the church, telling
the story of the efforts making at Rome
for the rehabilitation of the pope In his
temporal power. A young Roman noble mar
ries an English woman, a Catholic, and
the intrigue centers around the issue of his
allegiance to the black or the white"
party at the Italian capital, the party of
the Vatican or that of the Quirinal. The
dramatic motive is supplied by the tradi-
ton of a faint of madness in the family in
to which the English woman marries, the
aff1iction taking the peculiar form known
in Italy as lupomania, from the reSem-
blance of the epleptic sufferings of its vic
tins to the ferocity and growls of the
wolf. The story weakens somewhat in the
handling of these materials, the reader be
ing too intimately acquainted with the
true situation to be mystified. Not enough
is made of the disclosure of the Montelupi
family secret to a parsonage infmical to
the interests of its head. The result Is an
anti-climaX in the narrative which weak
ems the interest. The main claim of the
story to attention therefore lies in its vivid
portrayal of Roman life of today.
THE STROLLERS By Frederick s. Isham Illus
trations by Harrison Fisher. Indiana polls: The
Bowen Merrill Company.
The days of the travelling theatrical COM
panies when there were few theaters out
side of the largest cities, when the actors
were glad to find large, clean barns, and
when they frequently toured from place to
place in their own ramshackle stage coach,
have passed from the personal recollection
of all but the oldest members of the living
generation. But the records Of that period
are preserved, and occasionally a story ap.
pears which faithfully reflects the atmos-
phere of the stage of that day. The Stroll
ers' is a rendition of the experiences of
company of actors of more than half n
century ago, forming the center of ten
der romance. The story finds it's climax In
the Mexican war and flows to a solution OF
the heart troubles of the hero and heroine
which meets the demands of the most SYM
pathetic. 1t is well told and handsomely
illust rated. It's picture of the life of the
touring actor is carefully drawn.
A MHLIoNAIREs LOVE STORY. BY Guy
YSrk AMOR Ruckles T. Co washinV nT
Brentano's.
This detective story holds the interest of
the reader who likes that style of litera-
ture, notwithstanding a somewhat hurried
finish and. in this print, an annoying num-
Der of Typographical errors. 1t suggests
the intense passions of the Polish people,
the murderer of one of that race being him
self slain mysteriously In the early chap
tiers. The love story grows out of the sud
den attraction of a young English Croesus
to a beautiful violiniSt whose fate is close
ly woven with that of both the victim and
his slayers.
FORCES IN FICTION. BY Richard Burton. In
dianapolis: The Bowen-Merrilf Company.
!. These scholarly essays descriptive and
apr rcative of the forces which operate
In the construction Of good fiction today
have appeared from time to time in maya
zine prints. Their assemblage gives them
a distinct value apart from their original
worth when scattered. They include THE
Fundamentals of Fiction" THE Cult of the
Historical Romance" The Love Motive in
Modern Fiction" 1.-The Dark in Literature"
Poetry and the Drama" The Develop
ment of Technique in the Drama The
Essay as Mood and Form THE Modern
Need for Literature Past and Present
in Literature The Use of English "A
Note on Modern Criticism" Literature as
a Craft" and Indoor and Out
IRRIGATION IN THE UNITED STATES. BY
Frederick Haynes Newell, Chief of Division of
sT1rg M of 81, the %@
ings and half-tones. New York: Thomas Y.
Crowell & Co.
Mr.. Newell's book is timely. He is
of the most ca pable writer's of such a work
in this country, his long official and prac-
teal experience giving him authority in his
differences. He has given a lucid, compre
henSve and entertaining study of over 500
pages. comma nding attention from start to
finish. and giving the reader much better
idea OF great problem than he could get in
the same length of time elsewhere. He has
written clearly and simply, avoiding tech
meal terms, Of the problems Of home
making in the desert, showing what has
been done In certain regions and what will
be done in others. A somewhat elementary
and popular description Of irrigation and Of
the devices for obtaining and distributing
water is given, including details of interest
to persons who are beginning to give atten-
ton to the subject.
Not alone to the homeseeker is this work
valuable. One of the most momentous top
les discussed today is irrigation, and note
worthy legislation is expected under that
head In his last message the President
gave particular attention to this problem,
strongly advising a national appropriation
worthy of the need. He believes that for
estry and irrigation are the two most vital
internal problems of our country-and the
FORE becomes one Of immediate interest to
every intelligent citizen.
Mr. Newelrs work will undoubtedly be
taken as authority. 1t covers the topic
adequately and accurately.
THE LAND OF NOME; Narrative Sketch Of the
Rush to Our Boring Sea Goldfelds; the Coun-
try, Its Mines and Its People, and the History
Of a Great COnspiracy-1900-19O1. BY Lanier
Mckee. New York: The Grafton Press.
The author of this well-written, instruct
i've book about the latest Of the new gold
fields is the son of Mr.. David r. Mckee,
for many years one of the leading journal
lists of Washington. With an inherited
sense Of the news and love of adventure,
he went into the Nome district with a COM
panion partly in search Of fortune, but
more distinctly to learn about the newly
opened country. His descriptions OF the
scenes at Nome are vivid and bear the I'M
mistakable stamp of accuracy. He does
not smooth over the unpleasant features
of the picture, save to the extent Of con-
forming to the dictates Of good taste. He
shows the wild. rough life, the thieving
community the headlong, senseless rushes
of the miners from. point to point in ODE
dience to the call of tickle fortune. the