Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-05-30

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PEOPLE OF THE WHIRLPOOL; From the FIX
perience Book Of a Commuters Wife. By the
author of ..The Garden Of a Commuters Wife"
illustrated. New York: The Macmillan Com
pany. Washington: Brentanos
Martin Cortright, in this book, points out
that the name for the island since called
New Amsterdam and New York was Mon
ah-tan-ux, the phrase describing the rush.
ing waters of He'll Gate. the aboriginal in
habitants calling themselves Mon-ah-tans'
which in English became Manhattans. So
that by tracing the modern word to It's
derivation it Is clear that the people OF
New York are the people of the whiri-
pool" q title which, says Cortrtght. the
bookwOrm, even though the termagent hu-
NOR of the waters abated, "it beseems me
as aptly fits them at this day The obser-
yations on the manners, customs and foibles
of these people of the whirlpool by the wo-
man who has already been brought ior-
ward as "a commuters wire consutu.e
the chapters of this volume, winch is Inter
esting not only for its excellent style, OUT
for a certain thread of narrative interest
which runs through it. The reader IS en-
tertaIned by the quaint antics OF the twih
sons of the writer and by the sedate love
making of a pair of old-time New workers.
| who are drawn out of the whirlpool into
the quiet waters Of the suburb. Inc cen
trail heart interest Is supplied Dy the ~
nance between the daughter of mil
lionaire and college professor, winch
ends happily after trials. But the book Is
by no means a novel. 1t AFFORDS Vehicle
living and presents the sharp contrasts pc,
tween the high and the humDle sociai
classes.
of Gay
Yandeleur. By Helen Milcete, author of "A
Girl of the North Illustrated in color by
l. H. Caliga. Boston: Little, Brown e 20.
By means of letters to her best friend Cay
Vandeleur. formerly Mrs. Richard core,
tells of her problems after being divorced
by her husband in London. She Is really
innocent of wrong-doing. but by her FRANKS
in masquerading in male attire gives her
husband the best of ground for suspicion
against her. She attempts to leave ner
past" behind her and comes to America
for that purpose, but falls into sOcial olI-
ficulties which only end after she mas pe1n
tried most sOrely. The story Is cievery
written and presents some novel and en-
PERTAINING situations.
nv Some of the Humorous Adventures and Incl
dents Related in the Beggars' Club; ny 1; n.
Friedman. illustrated by W. GlacKehs' DIV
tom Small, Maynard & 20.
Whether or not Mr.. Friedman followed
the example of Josiah Flynt and pursued
the ayocation of a professional beggar IN
order to get a Zine" on the class, he has
certainly succeeded In injecting much that
IL very suggestive Of realism into sketches.
or course. 1t is possible for the skept1c to
turn away scornfully and declare that beg
CARS could not possibly consort as at the
CLUB" described 50 wildly by Mr.. Fried
man, and that the graft could not be
quite so professional and fragrant as he In
dicates in the course of the "autobiogra-
ply" But skeptics are not reliable critics
of the literature Of the street. 1t Is to be
doubted whether an observer could conduct
a weeks investigation Of the slums and by
ways without reaching the conclusion that
two-thirds of such life Is fraudulent. Yet,
whether real or fictitions-and the question
is not important-these sketches make good
reading. They tax the imagination OF the
reader at times in their quaint distortions
| of the language. But the slang Is consist
ent, and some of the situations are very
funny indeed. The story Of the effort to
force California Cox into the Beggars'
Union minus his trick dog is admirably
told. Mr.. Glackens' pictures are peculiarly
suitable to this sort of matter.
GORDON KEITH. By Thomas Nelson Page: 4
lustrarions by George Wright. New York:
Charles Scribner's Sons.
Mr. Pages new novel, which Is just pub
lished, has not appeared serially and thus
| the book readers are treated to an unusual
| sensation in these days Of book issues in
| two stages. Yet the story can hardly be
termed sufficiently striking to warrant the
| expectation of a decided buzz of excitement
| over it's appearance. 1t Is, in fact, rather a
| disappointment 1t holds the reader only
| feebly and though 1t unquestionably pre-
sents a faithful picture of life in the late
| sixties and middle seventies in the rehabili-
| tation Of Virginia after the civil war. it
| offers little that Is new. It's length Is due
| to Misunderstanding largely caused by the
| malicious chatter of woman who u.s. or
| ought to be, recognized by society as a
| chronic gossip and mischief-maker. So 1t
| is rather difficult to sympathize with the
\ prolonged agony Of the hero in his search
4 for his true love. He Is young southerner
| whose father was ruined by the war, and
| who rises superior to his handicaps and
makes Of himself a factor in the money
| market of New York through his capable
| handling Of Virginia mining properties. His
| character is distinctly drawn, and falls in
| sharp and artistic contrast with that OF
Wickersham, the pampered, immoral son OF
| a new-rich New York family. There are
| several other personages of clearly defined
| types, squire" who buys valuable min
| ing lands and rights under the guise Of cat
tie and paSturage, a professional danSeuSe
who becomes the petticoated autocrat Of the
| mining town, country doctor who has
| loved and lost and lived on alone. a flock
| of New York society women, hypocritical
| metropolitan minister, a deceived girl, q
| cheap ex-preacher-editor-p romoter-scamp, a
| detective and two heroines. Mr.. Page has
| been lavish In his provision of human ele-
| ments, and not at all particular about pin
| ming his readers down to a single prejudice
| in the matter Of heart interest. One con-
! sequence is that there is a little concern on
| his part whether the young man marries
| his first love, who has married another and
| has been widowed, or the young girl who
| succeeds her in his affections after his first
| disappointment Gordon Keith presents
| no problems, offers no new sensations paints
| no new pictures, but it Is, nevertheless, a
| delicately written, smoothly constructed
| and satisfactorily finished narrative which
| perhaps makes clearer to some minds the
! forces which served to set the old dominion
back even beyond the stage where it was
placed by the war of the rebellion.
| NINE POINTS OF THE LAW By Wilfrfd 8.
| Jackson. New York: John Lane.
| There are those who will be reminded
by this novel Of that written by Robert
Louis Stevenson and Lloyd Osborne. 1.-THE
| Wrong Box" Like its predecessor 1t deals
with the troubles OF the possessor of an
| embarrassing bit Of luggage. In 1.-THE