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

S&SxSS 81; 3TgSss,ssHSS4G
have been expected to take keen note of
what she heard and saw during the years
of her contact with court life in Europe
the wife of the French ambassador in Lon
don for ten years, for her grandfather was
Rufus King. the second minister to Eng
land from the United States after the adop-
ton of the Constitution, and her father was
Charles King. president of Columbia Uni
versity in New York city for fifteen years.
She went in 1871 after the death of her
father to live In France with her mother
and sisters and three years later became
the wife of M. Waddington, then minister
of public instruction. For brief period in
1877 he held the portfolio of foreign affairs
and then entered upon his diplomatic ca
| reer. first as the first plenipotentiary of
France to the congress of Berlin in 1878.
then in 1888. after filling the post of pre-
mier of the ministry. as ambassador extra
ordinary to represent France at the corona
ton Of the Car Alexander III. and upon
his return from Moscow as ambassador to
the court of st. James, which post he held
| until 1893. the year before his death. Mad
am Washington accompanied her huband
on his missions to both Russia and Eng
land and wrote entertainingly to her sis
tiers during those periods describing her
experiences and the personages she met.
She was enabled to judge as to what she
saw from a broad viewpoint, and her let
tiers are both chatty and philosophical, de-
scriptfve with a genial humor and present.
ing vivid panorama of the happenings of
courts. Those who read them with the
thought of learning great diplomatic Sc.
crets will be disappointed. Madam Wad-
dfngton observes the proprieties strictly
and is discreetly silent as to matters af-
fected by the late ambassadors official
business. The text and the illustrations,
which are admirably chosen for this pur-
pose. afford an intimate survey of the char
acters or persons and the manners of Euro
q fd 40
sources. The letters now appear in print
for the first time save for their recent Sc
! rial publication in Scribner's Magazine
| THE WARS OF PEACE. By A. F. Wilson. Illus
trated by H. c. Ireland. Boston Little,
Brown & Co.
New England manufacturer undertakes
the consolidation of all the mills in his
industry into trust which shall be man
aged on strictly proper. ethical principles.
1t is facetiously dubbed the missionary
Trust by some of its members, whose
| ideals Of business management are not so
high as those of the protector. The trust
succeeds only at the expense of the lofty
| ideals Of Mr.. Harding. who prefers to turn
his back upon the processes which are en-
ployed for its benefit. His own son is
| crushed commercially and physically in con-
sequence of his orders to put an end to
competition Men are driven into bank
ruptcy. to fatal sickness and to suicide by
the Vaccinations of the trusts agents.
Harding himself is finally exposed in his
hypocrisy. The novel is a striking illus
tration Of the forces which are now at
work in the Industrial world OF America,
contributing to the wars of peace which
seek many victims.
THE MAIN CHANCE. By Meredith Nicholson.
Illustrated by Harrison Fisher. India ma polls:
The Bobbs Merrill Company.
This novel. for a first product in fiction.
| is exceptionally well balanced in all its
parts 1t deals with life in the rushing
west, where fortunes are rapidly made and
sometimes as rapidly lost when nature
frowns upon mans enterprises. The hearty
companiOnshfp Of the region is we'll depict
| ed, the readjustment of social lines, the SUBJ
stitution Of new standards Of personal dis
tinction and even of business morality, are
disclosed in the course Of the story, which
holds the readers attention throughout.
| The plot involves a bold stroke affecting
| the ownership Of the trolley system Of the
busti1ng city where the action Is laid, and
finally reaches its climax in a tragedy
growing out Of kidnapping enterprise. It
| Is brisk in its movement and smooth in its
style and presents a series Of entertaining
characters. MI. Fishers illustrations in
color are admirable.
| THE PERSONALITY OF EMERSON. By F. B.
| oanDOfn boston: Cn0rle6 H. GOOOspee0.
This being Emerson week." owing to
| the fact that the centenary Of the birth Of
| the poet-philosopher occurred last Mon
| day. all matters relating to his life and
works are OF especially timely interest.
Mr.. Sanborn had personal acquaintance
| with him. covering a long period and per-
| hitting shrewd and just analysis Of his
| character and clear exposition of his
| do pf opH lob Ia hos
undertaken a series of personality
sketches. embracing Thoreau. Emerson, Ell
] lery Charming and Bronson Alcott. the
first named having already appeared. Thus
the Emerson book was appropriately sched-
| uled. The plan OF the series Is to afford a
| good conception Of the Concord school of
! poets and philosophers, who. the author
| remarks in his present preface. were SO
distinctly original So close were the re-
| latfons Of these friends that naturally some
| repetition Is inevitable in the course OF the
| Ienditions. The frontispiece of the Elmer
| son volume Is reproduction of portrait
painted by David Scott at Edinburgh in
| 1s4S. which reached America thirty years
| later. The author holds 1t to be In some
| respects the best Of many portraits. but 1t
| does not comport with the accepted views
Z, OF Emerson's face. The text includes esti-
| mates OF Emerson's religious beliefs and
an analysis of his mental processes. A
| fac-simile Of his manuscript is Of interest
| 10 the student of character through hand
writing.
| AMERICAN COMMONWEALTHS SERIES-TEXAS.
| ~ prof George p. Garrison. With map and
| facsimile letter. Boston: HoughtOD, Mffh1n q
| 20. washington: Woodward & Lothrop.
The story of Texas involves chapters Of
the political history of Spain. France. Eng
land and Mexico, and is particularly inter-
esting to lovers of Prescott and the early
tales OF the Spanish conquest. In this vol
ume Is told. first, how Texas emerged into
history as the territory where Spanish ex-
pansion and French oyerlapped, and how
Spain prevailed; second, how the Anglo
Americans succeeded IN securing it from
Mexico; third, how its resources and edu-
| cation have developed It, Professor Gar
rison Is of the University Of Texas, and is
| thoroughly conversant with his subject. be-
side being writer Of note.
! THE NEXT STEP IN EVOLUTION. BY Isaac K.
| Funk, DID. New York: Funk & Wagnalls.
This Is study Of the probability. signif-
canoe and character Of a second coming of
| Christ. The author. believes that Christ
| came the first time into mems vision by
coming on the plane of their senses; He
comes the second time into mems vision by
| lifting them I'D into His plane Of spiritual