Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-04-09

pie.
THE PRICE OF YOUTH. BY Margery Will
Jams. New York: THE Macmillan Company.
Washington: Brentano's.
From a sordid little corner of New Jersey
Miss Williams has lifted the veil in man
ner to win praise for her as a courageous
novelist. She has chosen an inconsiderable
theme, the misfortunes of a young woman
of exceptional mind held by circumstances
In close contact with coarse life, and final
ly meeting young man in whom she finds
her mental equal and whose companionship
expends her affectionate nature. He has
gone down into her remote region for the
sake of his health after q nervous break
down. His conventionality and her uncon-
ventionality eventually come into conflict
and they part. That is the story. But 1t is
told in way to hold the attention, to
arouse the sympathetic interest and to dis
close remarkable power Of characterize
ton. The petty meanness of the life in the
Jersey pines the malevolence of the village
gossip, the brutal wooing of the native
young men and the city cynicism of the
invalid visitor are deity described and
woven into background of real human in
terest. Miss Williams is scoring high at an
early age. This Is her second novel,
and she Is only twentythree. with evil
dence of powers as yet undeveloped. She
handles delicate situations with the dlscre-
ton of a writer of long years of expert
ence. Good as 1.-The Price of Youth Is,
there should be much better work to come
from this gifted young woman's pen.
S. Gale author of Korean Sketches" Illus
trated. New York: Fleming II. Revell Com
pany.
Here is a timely book without the
shadow Of mistake. 1t deals with the
Korean life in the very heart of the region
where the Japanese armies are now operat-
ing for a general advance upon the Rus
sian position on the Yalu river. Ping Yang,
which according to the dispatches is the
northern headquarters of the Japanese
forces. Is the scene of the principal hap
penings. and other places are mentioned
which have a frequent place in the news
reports. The story is by no means novel.
although it is obviously fictitious In places,
put 1t Is far from being product Of the
imagination Real experience pulses through
1t. Happenings are recorded which are his
torical, some are noted which. while per-
sonal. nevertheless bear tie unmistakab BILE
stamp Of authenticity. The narrative re-
lates to the work of missionary in north
ern Korea. his dangers and disappoint-
ments. his successes and rewards, his
friends and foes and helpers and rivals. A
number of Koreans are introduced. converts
to the Christian faith. and disclose the
better side of the character of the people of
Chosen But the great mass Of the pop
ulace. dirty, superstitious. ignorant, forms
background of responsiveness which serves
to accentuate the sacrifices of the brave
men and women who have chosen to live
for the sake of the enlightenment of its in
habitants in what is considered by many
travellers as the flthiest country in the
world. The Vanguard is a book to quick
en- the understanding of the reader as to
the real conditions in Korea and the OBJ
stacleS which there confront every adyo-
cate of progress.
BACHELOR IN Already. By HaIliwell
Suteline. author of Mistress Barbara" New
York: Thomas Y Crowell Co.
OF course. the bachelor" does not re-
main such throughout the book. The dis
corning reader discovers that fact immedi-
ately upon the first entrance of 1.-The
Babe on page 20. The sentimental interest
in the story thenceforth centsrs upon the
issue of just how the bachelor is going to
awaken to the fact that The Babe" is his
predestined wife. This foreknowledge by
the shrewd reader by no means spoils the
interest. Rather does 1t enhance it, and
when at last. while standing on the bridge
of amity." which the wise reader knew all
along was to be the scene of the proposal
for it had served as such in past genera
tion-the bachelor awakens, realizes his
love and-well, then there is distinct feel
ing that all is well with the bachelor and.
of course with 1.-The Babe" too her name
being Catherine. Meanwhile the pages are
filled with charming country lore, outdoor
atmosphere flowers. birds, animals, boys,
horses and dogs. There is faint resem-
blance here and there to the product of FIX
Marvers" wonderful fire-gazing magma
ton. 1t is all fresh and sweet and pleasant
and helpful. and it might easily be longer
without taxing the patience.
HE THAT EATETH BREAD WITH ME-.
BY II. A Mitchell Keays. New York: Nc
Clure. Phillips Co. Washington: Woodward
& Lothrop.
The divorce problem, with all it's Incl
dental evils and entailed sunerings and
mistakes. is here presented with direct
ness and force that make for conviction.
The dilemma is raised in the path Of the
reader at the very threshold of the story.
The proposition is pitifully simple. A man
has tired of his innocent wife and fallen
in love with the wife of another man, and
he divorces his wife, and the other woman
divorces her husband, and they are mar
ried- Quite enough of a, plot for a whole
story in itself. perhaps. but here only a
beginning. For the story lies beyond, in
the terrible sufrerings of the innocent wo-
man-the other husband graciously dies
shortly after his own domestic blow falls
placed in the tortures that assail the rec
reant husband and finally purify his SOUL
The attitude of Katherine Mackemer as
she faces her solitary life is fine and ap-
pealing. Never does she WAIVER from her
allegiance to the man who has proved him.
self so unworthy. She repudiates the fc-
ton of the divorce, ignores it in her heart,
holding him to her with spiritual hooks of
steel until he feels their influence and is
aroused from his moral laxity and
realizes his mistake. The boys danger
Gus Illness proves his final awakening and
thenceforth his life with the other wo-
man is an exquisite torture. A tragedy
finally clears the way for a Strengthening
out of the tangle of lives and then the
story ends with clearing skies. But the
sorrow of 1t all has been keen and has left
deep scars on hearts. The solemnity of the
tale Is lightened throughout by the intro
duction of Airlie, irrepressible young
person with a wonderful voice and tire
less tongue and the best of natures who is
a good deal of a heroine herself. This story
is a powerful sermon, and 1t stamps the
work of a newcomer in the fiction field
with the mark of unmistakable success.
GOLF FOR WOMEN. By Genevieve Hecker
Mrs. Charles T. Stout. national woman cham
pion. 1902 and 1923 With a chapter by
Rhona X. Adair, three years English open
champion and five years Irish open champion.
New York: The Baker & Taylor Company.