Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-07-09

Sakae Shioya,
Translator Of "Nami-Ko's
tells is pathetically simple. A young man
of noble family marries the daughter of one
of Japan's leading generals. She is at
tackled by consumption, and while
sick, and in the absence of the hus-
band. her mother-in-law has her d.
vorced and sent back to her father s
house. She dies there while her husband.
whom she dearly loves is away on war
serviCe-the action of the story occurs dur
ing the period of the Chino-Japanese war
and when he returns from the front it is to
visit her grave. heartbroken. The tyranni-
cal rule of the young mans mother. the
hopeless struggle of the wife. her submits
sion to the dictates of custom. afford an in
struCtve glimpse of the Japanese character
and the domestic and social customs of the
land. The translation is the joint work Of
a Japanese and an American. Mr.. ShiOya
Is thirty-ihree years of age. He was born
in Tokyo, and a the age of twelve began
the study of English at d Methodist school,
and In 1889 he entered the First Imperial
College at the capital. After period OF
teaching English and mathematics to his
countrymen he came to the United States
in 1901. and in two years obtained from the
University of Chicago the degree of master
of arts. He Is now at Yale taking a spe-
cial course in the English drama. His work
as translator of "Nam-ko" Is admirably
done. and the peculiar quality of the Japa-
neSe text is not lost in this presentation In
English. The book as 1T stands must make
a deep impression in America. even as it
has created a sensation in Japan, where 1t
Is regarded as the keynote of a crusade to
relieve Japanese womanhood of heavy
burden of inequality.
A FAILURE By Charles BIoomingdale. jr
tKarl"(. author OF MIR. Miss and Mrs." &c.
Illustrated by V. Floyd Campbell Philadelphia:
]. b. Lippncott Company.
John Randolph Franklin was besct with
q hoodoo that caused him to fail in what
ever he undertook. Entering life apparently
a weakling. he developed into sturdy man.
hood. His mind was alert end his faculties
We're normal. Yet for some inscrutable rea-
son he never quite reached his goal. In
college he was a failure n sport. When he
lad one great chance TO win foot ball
same-a chance for which any other student
would lave given hand-Frankiin STUN
tled in Lis run and lost the game. When he
went after first scholastic ECnors he broke
down lii health just on de eve of the ex-
aminaticns. He entered business as sue
cessor to his father and failed because he
would got yield TO the dictates of the union
o. wearers. But he held firmly to certain
high principles. and while his undertaking
we're seemingly checked al every turn his
character developed to a degree that COM
penSated for all his lack of substantial sue
cess. He did succeed. at last in winning a
wife, hut which of the women whom he
kisses throughout tho story with n some
what alarming frequency must be left for
the reader OF tire interesting little story to
learn. y few shorter tales arc appended to
make volume of respectable size.
THE PHILANTHROPIST,a Novel. By John
F. Causton. New York: John Lane.
Essentially English in atmosphere, this
rather anaemic story Of mddle-class society
turns nevertheless upon issues that are to be
met in American social relations. In every
small parish where the intercourse of peo-
pie depends largely upon their status in the
church there are ambitions to rise and lead
and shine. In this instance the ambitious
one wants to pose as a philanthropist. He
assumes charge of the children of a dying
friend, and farms them out to a competent
caretaker. They form the nucleus of an
orphanage. the management of which he
arrogate5 to himself. Subscriptions flow in
freely. and by perfectly natural evolution
LOTUS the philanthropist without capital
comes to live upon the income thus secured
Scandal inevitably results, with a collapse
of the ambitions In contrast with this
self-seeking hypocrite stands the figure of
wealthy young man who is continually
doing good unostentatiously. The story and
the moral are somewhat obvious.
| CONNECTIVES OF ENGLISH SPEECH;
the Correct Use of Propositions. Conjunctions
Relative Pronouns and Adverbs Explained and
illustrated BY James c. Fernald editor of
The Students Standard Dictionary" &C. New
York: Funk Wagnalls Company.
These connectives of our language are
akin to the tissues which bind together and
cover the rawness of the bones, organs and
blood vessels that comprise the fundamen-
tai structure of the human body. They may
indeed be likened as well to the muscles
and nerves of the anatomical system. Their
function, however is not merely esthetic They
are essential to the lingual body to explain
the thought. Mr. Fernald makes this point
clear by printing in his Introductory state
Ment the first sentence Of the Declaration
of Independence with all the thought CON
nectives removed, as follows: The course
human events becomes necessary one peo-
pie dissolve the political bands have con-
nected them another. assume the powers
the earth the separate equal station the
laws nature natures God entitle them a
decent respect the opinions mankind re-
qutreS they should declare the causes impel
them the separation" In the compact vol
the rules, defined by the highest au-
| thorites. for the use of these connective
words. with definitions, indicating the prep
| oSitionS to be used after verbs and such
| other items OF usage concerning which
there is some controversy and much popu-
| lar ignorance. The work Is likely to prove
| of great value to all writer's.
| FRENCHY; the Story of Gentleman. BY Will
Illustrated by l.. l.. Roush. New York: Scott
Thaw Company.
Things happen in this romantic story
] just about as they happen to the hero of