Evening star., 1905-11-11

packed Into these tales, and all are highly
entertaining, with quality Of deep sin
cerity.
ITALY, HER PEOPLE AND THEIR
STORY, Popular History Of the Be-
ginning, Rise, Development and Prog
ress of Italy from the Time of Romu-
lus to that Of Victor Emanuel III. By
Augusta Hale Clifford, author Of Ger
many: Her People and Their Story"
illustrated from portraits and famous
paintings. Boston: Lothrop, Lee &
Shepard Company.
Mrs. Giffords popular history Of Ger
many, tracing the story of that land from
the remote beginnings to the present, has
proved exceptionally popular, meeting de-
mand for a single-volume work covering tha
entire ground with due care for the pro-
portions. The success Of that work en-.
couraged the undertaking of a companion
volume on Italy, of the same scope and
character. The work naturally falls into
two divisions, the first part dealing with
the land of the ancients, the second with
the Italy of modern times. While Of course
most readers are fairly familiar with the
history of classic Rome, 1t Is well that
Mrs Clifford has turned her pen to a re-
cital of the many changes that swept over
the peninsula during the centuries stretch
ing between the days of Romulus and the
middle ages when the real foundations OF
the Italy of today were laid. Her style Is
pleasing and her recital Is at all points ln-
structive. In her researches she found
much hitherto untransla ted material relat-
ing to the modern Italy, and this she mas
Incorporated into the second part of her
work in a manner to give 1t high value as
a book of reference.
The author is the wife of Mr. George
Clifford. who has for many years been con-
sui of the United States at Basic. Switzer-
land. She is sister of Senator eugene
Hale of Maine.
A THIEF IN THE NIGHT; Further Ad-
ventures of A. ]. Raffles, Cricketer and
Cracksman. By E. w. Hornung. Illus
trations by Cyrus Cuneo. New York:
Charles Scribner's Sons. Washington:
William Ballantyne & Sons.
There Is certain family resemblance be-
tween Raffies, the thief, and Sherlock
Holmes. the thieftaker. Both died In their
literary infancy and both were resurrected
by their progenitors. So now there are oc-
casional Raff1es stories just as there are
Sherlock Holmes stories, and no one consid-
ers that the conventions are violated. For
Bunny as the chroncler of Raffies feels as
does Dr. Watson the scribe Of Holmes, that
the biographer may go back and forth In
the career Of his subject and relate that
which Is important and interesting without
regard for sequence Thus in these ten cpl
sodes in the life of Raffies there is only the
least suggestion of order. The last tale does
in truth relate to the first, in faint way.
But 1t Is by no means imperative TO con-
clude that because the cover closes now
on that last tale Of this volume there VIII
be no more Raffles literature. 1t Is surely
to be hoped that there will be more, for
Raffies Is always entertaining, and Bunny
Is an excellent herald Of his virtues ana
graces. No one ever thinks of Raffies as
criminal. for he always did his work In the
best Of good nature and never harmed
victim. Even in the case OF Col. Crutchiey,
who smashed Raff1es on the shin with
champagne bottle when he caught the pre-
cious pair using his closed house for a
rest cure. Raff1es notified the police In time
to prevent the doughty veteran from starv-
ing to death as he sat bound and gagged
In his own arm chair.
THE NORTHERNER. Norah Davis. New
York: The Century Company.
The Northerner, from whom the book
takes Its title. Is Gregory Falls, who bought
a street lighting and railway plant in Adair.
Ala. The franchise carried no social
prestige. and the book is an exposition Of
the inconsistency of the southern point OF
view, especially as regards all the shades
OF color scheme, as one might term the race
problem. There is much happy description
of Dixie land, with Its flowers and pretty
drawing women, and OF the intimate social
life OF those whose traditions, prejudices
and associations are the same. Falls. fall
ing to get the local viewpoint, comes under