Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-12-12

appearance Is the result of an accident,
but the dramatic heights might easily have
been attained had the esthetic demands of
the reader been more favorably needed.
HISTORIC LIVES SERIES-CHAMPLAIN: the
Founder of New France. BY Edwin Asa DIX.
NJ A.. LII. B.. formerly fellow In history OF
Princeton University. Illustrated. New York:
ID. Appleton & Co.
Samuel de Champlain was one of the
great pioneers of all time. one of the COM
paratively few men who. when the surface
of the earth has been plated and covered
to the nethermost limits of civilization,
must be recorded as the pathfinders. He
wrested a great region from savagery and
placed it in the keeping of France as a
most valuable possession. 1t passed from
those hands and back into them again,
and finally 1t has gone from them, prob
ably forever. But Champlain strove al
ways for France. and bitter was his chagrin
when at times he found himself unsupport-
ed and the fruits of his labors and sacrt-
fces unappreciated at home His SORROWS
however, did not deter him, and the story
of his life, here told wildly and with jul
diciously tempered enthusiasm, Is replete
with instances of his indomitable spirit.
forever rising superior to crushing burdens
This is a valuable presentation of a most
interesting and instructive personal record
for In small compass it gives all the known
facts of Champlains career and traces to
n
beavers and enterprises upon the history of
the new world.
TOUCH OF sun; and Other Stories. BY Mary
EaElock FoOte. Boston: Houghtou Niffiin 4
90 Washington: William Balantyne & Sons
Mrs. Foote is today one of the foremost
delineatCrs of western life and character.
Her short stories snd her novels breathe
the spirit of the vast regions, and in these
four short romances she gives further evil
dence of a power of assimilation of taking
up into herself the essence of the soil and
yielding 1t forth again in the form of new
creations. Her stories are all indigenous,
and in this quartet there is that elusive
something styled atmosphere-often more
broadly known local color'-Which
gives them individuality and especial
charm.
HENRY Ra1,oO WARn BEEcHER By Lyman Abbott
William Ballantyne Sons.
No biographer could be more appropriate
ly chosen than DR.. Lyman Abbott FOR the
telling of the story of Henry Ward Beech
er's life and character. No man was closer
to him in thought and for some years In
personal contact. They were united men
tally and spiritually, and in their joint work
On the Christian Union they frequently
crossed swords in controversy and found
that their likenesses of sentiment and inter-
probation were not without their differ
ences. DR.. Abbott is doubtless better quail
fed to write of Mr.. Beechers theology than
any other living man, for it was Beechers
preaching that drew the young law student
out or his chosen course, changed his whole
spiritual outlook and started him In the
path which ultimately led him to occupy
the pulpit Just made vacant by Beecher's
death. His biography of Beecher. he pro-
Claims is not intended as complete ac-
count of the great preachers life for he
feels that that work has been sufficiently
performed In the volume prepared by Mr..
Beechers wife and son and son-in-law
Nor does the present biographer seek to
write the life and times of Mr. Beecher for
he says. the subject of his sketch was so
closely identified with all the great events
of his time that to write such a volume
would be to write a history of the United
states in the most critical and dramatic
period of the nations life.
In this volume. l. his friend" explains
DR.. Abbott, who gladly acknowledge nv
own Indebtedness to him, seek to interpret
the life and character of a man of great
Spiritual and intellectual genius whose
faults were superficial, whose virtues were
profound, whose Influence Will outlive his
fame, and who has probably done more to
Change directly the religious life and in
directly the theological thought In America
than any preacher since iona than Ed
wards"
FIGHT, Being q Communion
Volume to The Flight Of the King" By Al
Ian Fea. With sketches and photographs by
the author, together with portraits. New York:
John Lane
When Cromwell fell upon the Scotch
army supporting Charles II. then styled the
pretender to the English throne, in septem-
Der, 1851, at Worcester. he routed the royal
lists so completely that the son of the first
Charles was like to have fallen prisoner to
the roundheads. But he managed to escape
them and wandered for weeks until he
made his way to the coast and thence to
the continent. The story OF the kings flight
was later told in England by the support
ers OF the re-established throne as token
OF the favor of heaven. Charles himself
dictated account of his fight and wan
derings to Mr.. Pepys. who transcribed the
royal account carefully and thus made of 1t
state paper. That was in 1880. nearly
thirty years after the event. Naturally
there were Inaccuracies in the story even
thus authoritatively rendered and so the
real record of the flight must be compiled
from this with the aid of other sources
There are four such in all besides that of
the king and they are here presented with
coplous notes and much original matter by
the author, who has searched diligently
among the records and relies for traces of
the true story. Tile kings narrative is
one Of the most interesting bits of writ
ing in all the history OF England and her
rulers. AS compiled here, with much col
lateral information, the story assumes sub
stance and proportion as an important
part of the story of the restoration.
THE STORY OF LABOR AGITAToR. By Jo
seph X. Buchanan. New York The Outlook
Company.
Joseph Buchanan belongs to the "old
guard" of labor organizers and agitators.
He is not now as conspIcuously in evidence
In the ranks of the workingmen as he was
twenty years ago, but his influence is
nevertheless potent still. His story of his
experiences. which has appeared seriaIly
in the Outlook recently, is one of the most
Interesting and dramatic recitals of per-
sCral experiences published in long Pc
ricd. Here is the type of the Zealot, the
self-sacrihcing enthusiast, bent upon the
PRONUNCIATION of his doctrines and the veal
or his fellows regardless of his personal
comforts and even his necessities. Here is
the kind of man who. battling with natural
rather than social forces, would carve out
an empire. He believed thoroughly in the
power of publicity. He welded the COM
posing stick as his chief weapon. Out In
Denver, at the beginning of the movement
10 unionize the laboring men, he started a