The Washington times., 1903-07-12
THE STAR DREAMER" by Ag-

.sTHr STAR DREAMER. by As-
mes and Egerton Castle, Is
likely to be considered the
best Of the many delightful stories which
these two gifted people have given to
the world II is well named, for the
whole book IS like a charming vision.
coming between sleeping and waking on
starlit summer night. The scene Is
Bindon- Cheveral, an old country house
of the Jacobean period. built on AMI
about the ruins of a castle of the time
Of Edward called Longshanks There
are two present occupants of Bindon
Cheveral, the owner, Sir David, the
dreamer Of the stars. and Master Simon
Rickart. alchemist, working in the dark
ness Of a dungeon. Into this curious es-
adjustment comes Ellinor, the daughter
Of old Simon. like sunlight on a moody
April day. The whole thing is managed
with most artistic appreciation Of
what artists call values. The compost
ton of the story is perfect.
In fact, the book is much like the old
castle with which it deals-a structure
beautiful In itself, and overgrown with
wild luxuTiance of fanciful design. The
charm of the theme is now and then al
most obscured by the beauty of the style.
All this is not saying that it is a great
nov 4 but it is an exceedingly good one.
There is not flaw in it. II is perfect
reading for a summer afternoon.
1t is. perhaps. the shrewdest method
of melting readers TO take to this book.
to quote that foretaste of it's delights
so cunningly set forth in the introduce
ton. This runs in part as follows:
Ancient haunts Of men have num-
berless tongues for those who know now
to hear them speak; therein lies the
whole secreb of the fascination that they
cast. even upon the uninitiated. Those,
on the other hand, whose minds are at
tuned to the sweetness OF 'unheard
melodies turn TO such places of long
descent with the JOY Of the lover toward
his bridal chamber. for the wedding OF
fantasy with truth. Divers, indeed, and
many. might be the tales which the
walls of BindonC heyeral could tell
from what remains of its old battle
rnents 10 the present mansion.
Its front, which the passer-by upon
the turnpike road may in leahess win
ter time doscry at the end of the long
avenue of elms, has the peaceful and rich
stateliness of the Jacobean country scat
but there is scarce a stone of its gray
masonry, with its wide mullioncd win
dows. its terrace baiustrades and gar
den stairway. that has not once been
piled TO the arrogant height from which
the Bindon Castle of stark Edward
time looked down upon the countryside
The towers and walls are gone; but the
keep still stands, sleeping now ana
shrouded under centuries of ivy-a kind
ly massive prop to the younger house,
its descendant. The ornamental waters
were once defensive moats; red they
have turned with other than the sunset
glow. and secretly they have rippled to
different causes than the casting of 4
careless stone or the leap of the great
fat carp after a bait. Where the pleas
ure- grounds are now stretchad in formal
Italian pride spread, centuries pack, the
cutter bailey of the once famous, now
forgotten. stronghold.
"And yet, my fancy fingers upon the
spot where ii was first awakened; dwelIs
on the story Of the deserted Physick
Garden, with its closed exquisitely
wrought gate, it's mystery and its melan-
choly; its wilderness wherein lies no
hint OF sordidness. but rather a fascinat-