Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-05-21

"Remus" stories 30 well reproduced by Mr..
Joel Chandler Harris. to whom Miss Gull
bertson pays homage In her Introductory
note. It Is q common experience OF people
living in the southeastern part Of this coun-
try to find traces here and there OF these
animal tales In places which have unques-
tionably not been penetrated by the various
prints of them. They belong to the very SOIL
In this collection the animals go through
their various experiences In about the same
manner as in the Remus stories though with
variations and additions. Both the Indian
and the negro stories have been given in
the negro dialect, In order, as their author
collector says, more strongly to emphasize
the resemblance between them. This re-
semblance, she notes, is SO marked as to
give rise to the superstition that one race
borrowed from the other, though which was
the borrower can not be confidently assert
ed. The renditions are clever and the dia-
lect Is pure and graphic. The Illustrations
have caught and translated the spirit OF
the stories and add greatly to the attrac-
tiveness Of the book. The varying Indian
and negro sources of the tales are indicated
In the index.
PHYSICAL TRAINING FOR CHILDREN
BY JAPANESE METHODS, Manual for
Use in Schools and at Home. By b. Irving
Hancock. author Of Japanese Physical Train
ing" &c. Illustrated by photographs. New
York: q. p. Putnam's Sons. Washington:
Woodward & Lothrop.
The jiu-jitsu books seem now to be COM
plete. First came that for men, then re-
Gently another for women, and now this
one for children covers the field. It is es-
pecially guarded in its suggestions to pre-
vent the abuse of the remarkable Japanese
system Of muscle training which might
follow Its indiscriminate adoption by
schools or juvenile gymnasium classes. Mr..
Hancock has modified the exercises dis
criminatingly without lessening their pc
culiar characteristics. The same PRINCIPLES
prevail as in the case of the adult training
for both sexes Some of the exercises can
be practiced in the class rooms, in the aisles
between the desks, while others must be
practiced In large rooms without furniture
The illustrations. as in the case of the other
books add greatly to the practical value OF
the manual.
THOROLD, and Other Poems. By Mary Howe
Totten New York and Washington: The Neale
Company.
Mrs. Totten has created in the title-poem
Of this volume an expression vitality signifl-
cant Of the higher forces which uplift and
lead to noble achievement. 1t presents the
problem Of soul WEAKNESS and hopelessness,
bearing down the young Prince Thorold,
who sees about him signs Of injustice and
suffering, useless living and fruitless en-
deavor, and is unable to break the shackles
which bind him. His aged father. the king,
Is surrounded by convention-bound, greedy
courtiers. He bewails his lot, and falls into
a melancholy from which the jester-comrade
of his youth arouses him with hint that
his mood may lead him to a dark fate In
the enchanted forest of the Wikkenwold.
The prince goes forth at night alone and
wanders in search Of the beleagured place.
There befall adventures which strip from
him all doubts, all fears and all distrust:
Life brightens, he sees the great laws at
work, he battles his own weakness and
emerges from the forest purified and
strengthened. to return to the court 10 De
hailed as king, his father having dleo IN
his absence. The dramatic action OF the
poem Is most effective and Mrs. Totten.s
style of diction is such that the high spirit
of the theme is never lowered. In hne Ell
fectiveness the lines progress from scene
to scene and thought to thought. The SICK
ness Of Thorold's soul is exemplified In these
lines Of the princes soliloquy on his jour-
ney:
II remember. when boy. in long, bright
Idle afternoons, where beetling cliffs
Hedge in the sea at Arlen, as climbed
Among the rocks, used to find still pools
Left by receding tides in followed bowls,
Like little lmpid lakes, in the gray stone:
SO bright they were. and clear and crystalline;
And in their depths and fastened tot to the se rSck
One constant motion with their tiny claws,
Like hlmy spirals, gathering in their food
Invisible in the transparent brine.
With what delight watched them, till the long
Unceasing movement grew monstrous thing,
Oppressive in its slow monotony.
Child as was, felt crushing sense
OF swarn,ing nfe-myriads myriads. there
And everywhere: of ceaseless action too
Repeated changelessy, until well nigh
could have shrieked only to think of 1t.
And In the human race what difference?
From endless time that's past to endless time
To come. they swarm and pass and swarm again.
All without neutrality-suspicious. use or goal
MY COMMENCEMENT. New York: Dodd.
Mead & Co. Washington: Brentano's.
This is the sweet girl graduates" own
special season, and the little book now In
hand is made expressly for her. and per-
haps for her brother, who is also receiving
a diploma of graduation from some scholas-
tic institution. The book Is designed to
enable the graduate to keep a full record
of the circumstances Of her commencement
its pages being all but blank bearing ap-
propriate lines to show where certain men,
oranda, autographs and photographs are
to be placed and with space beyond for
reunions 1t is book that II faithfully
filled will add greatly to the pleasure of
the memory of one of the most joyous
periods In a girls life.
to Polite Usage for all Social Functions. By
W. c. Green. New York and Washington:
Brentano's.
The advantage Of this social guide over
Its predecessors is that 1t presents its in
formation in the form of series Of con-
densed paragraphs arranged alphabetical
Iy with numerous cross references. so that
the truth-seeker can easily and quickly
find the note he wants. whether it relates
to the serious question of how to eat cheese
at polite dinner or when to wear gloves.
NOTES OF BOOKS AND AUTHORS.