The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-10-23

suleiy II 30 u l1lt slOWer.' he nag eng
understanding With The architect, maybe,
and 1t al depends on how the speciflca-
lions ard going to be Interpreted And
then he went on 10 tell "how some OF the
firms who had bid, had since got parts
of the general contract from the Graves
Company, but with an altered set Of
specincatons;' and added: I'VE can't
soc how they'll make a cent on the con-
tract, unless Graves IL goin' to rot It clear
through.'i if
Naturally these remarks started Mr..
Pemberton to thinking, and lie set m iii-
vestigntion afoot, which resulted III
bringing to light ali Harris dishonesty.
nnd IN withdrawing the completion OF the
work from his control. The thing TINT
finally brought the architect up witf8n
Jolt. however, was not this unpleasant
experience, bit The burning OF the dleft-
| more, the finder box apartments, which
he and Graves had reared for the money
there was IN 1t, Tho Gleninore proved to
be the verlest firc-trap and a dozen or
more people were burned ZIP with It. After
this, Hart was In a proper frame Of mind to
do Just about what his rather self-con-
sciously good little wife wanted him to
do but Everett Wheeler, his cod-blooded
cousin, despised him for a woakllng, who
had merely lost his nerve.
There ism remarkable girl In the story
named venctia. venotin, both IN action
and conversation. was freedom itself and
on page 200. we find her citing forth
some Of her experiences, and her Views
upon men,, women and morality within
frankness that Is distinctly unusual. How
ever Venctia Is a real girl, and we rath-
err like her Altogether Mr.. Herrick has
written q thoroughly American novel, III
"rhe Common Lot" and a good one; and
we shall be glad to hear further from
him.
VIM CYCLE OF LIFE. By. 6. w. ssaiee.
by. s4s Pr. $500. Harper & Bros,
New York. Isl
Mr. saleeby has the gift. rare amons
men of science. of writing at the same
timo a,ithorltntively and entcrtaintni.ly
The essays that make up THE Cycle
OF Life" are OF the sort that any intelli-
gent person can read both to his en-
joyment and his profit. For the mos.
part they deal with big questions-the
ultimate fate Of the sun. the moon. and
the earth, the laws OF gravity and the
ether, the wonders Of the nebuae, and
other matters not to be lightly ap-
preached; but it is nll done with such
simplicity and SO very easy and attrac-
tive a style as to be a tax on almost no.
body's understanding.
Even So apparently unlike subject
as Cricket" furnishes MIR. Saleeby
theme for + very interesting scientlHc
discussion. Why does a batsman invol-
unfairly step away from, a swiftly bowled
bender; and can we ana1yze the faculty
(which enables him to stand his ground?
This faculty is known as intuition. ann
is. In the authors opinion. the highest
expression OF volition. In other words,
the real will, is the will not to do.
rather than the will to do. In the
retreat Of the Sixth e!even' school boy
before the bowling Of the professional
there Is not much volition; there fs sim
ply an absolute lack OF inhibition. And
the boy will be a man and the muff "a
batsman when he attains to Inhibition
OF his reflex actions Mr.. saleeby sup
ports his contentious by minute but
readable account Of the operation CT
Inhibition from physical standpoint. a&
One Of the best chapters in the book
is that called rs Man Alone" in when
the author seeks to overthrow DIR. Wal
laces recent conclusions to the effect
that "thc object and design OF the en-
tire universe was the production Of the
living soul within the body OF NAM" ana
that the earth upon which we live Is
uniquely adapted to be the home Of man.
Mr.. Saleeby's belief Is very different. SO
far as Is Ibis earth from being unique.'
he says. that 1t IS rather Infinitely COM
mon, as part OF universe which IS
infinite, not only in extent, but In unity
and conformity and in its obedience 70
laws which admit Of no exception"
And gain. "The great probability IS
that every planet of every sun becomes
in Its turn the seat Of organic life
s#sss&s 1t is merely a matter OF tenn
perature" Mr., Salseby believes that. III
any case, the matter is not one Of vital
Importance. TO him it Is a thing OF lit.
Ito concern whether or not any other
planet is or may be inhabited. and he
is willing to lake his chances on the
possibility OF higher development OF
life upon other words than ours. Isl
Is a matter Of interest only remote
and speculative to me how much head
way they may have made in Mars; for
T have one or two friends with whom I
would dare challenge the best or any
race on sany planet, central or clrcum-
ferential. IN the universe"
y Mr. Saleeby's book Is no less ren dable
than 1t is valuable. and for a work OF
science, seems destined to an unusually
wide circulation and appreciation.
Children's Books.
Charles scrlbner's Sons have published
beautiful holiday edition OF Eugene Fields
Poems OF Childhood" The poems them
selves are too well known and too firmly
established In the hearts OF a multltuen,|
Of readers to permit Of any comment here.
Mechanically, as n piece Of booknlaklng.
the volume lis a delight to the eye. Paper
and type are beyond reproacl. and there
are a. number of really superb color illus
trat!ons BY Maxfield Parrish, Every FAM
lily with young people in 1t ought 10 have
n copy OF Fields Poems. and those who
can afford the price $3.50 would do we'll
to get hold OF this particular edition OF
them.
The literature OF the Brownies has just
been augmented by the seventh Brownie.
book, THE Brownies IN the Philippines
CThe Century Company. Nav York;
Everybody who knows Palmer COx's Jolly
little creatures. and that includes most
everybody. will be glad to read further
about the policeman, the dude, the China
man and all the rest Of the saucy little