Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-10-28

goods themselves than in the advertise
ments which he hangs In his show window
explaining the process Of manufacture.
This preface is especially diverting. It ID
in some degree biography OF Mr.. Shaw in
his earlier phases. It offers a side1ight on
his early struggles. He denounces the al
legation that he was . poor peasant boy;
should now Be . tramp" He c0nfesseg.
with smirk OF satisfaction, to having al
lowed his good mother to support him In
make both ends meet BY his various expedi-
ents.
''The Irrational Knot II a characteristic
Shawesque story of the marriage problem.
done in broad style, dealing frankly with
delicate themes and savagely scoring GER
tain aspects of British social life. But, real
ly, 1t Is difficult to arouse much enthusiasm
over the story after g reading of the pref
that personal statement as an appendix. in
which form 1t would have given fllip to
the novel.
MODERN SYMPOSIUM. BY g. Loves
Dickinson, author Of Letters from a
Chinese Official" New York: Mcclure,
Phillips & Co. Washington: Wood
ward & Lothrop.
This book would be welcome II only for
its announcement that Its author. who II a
fellow and lecturer at Kings College, Cam
bridge. England, wrote those diverting Let
ters From Chinese Official" which were
published as q book few months ago.
There was little ground for believing them
to be other than the product OF a western
pen. Their occidental origin was apparent
to the least acute observer, clever though
they were Still. It is interesting to know
that Mr.. Dickinson, and not some of the
others who have been guessed for the
authorship, is responsible for their being.
His present offering is entirely different,
and ia Of a character To set much more
important thought currents than the Chi
nese letters. He assemblies q group Of
thirteen men. distinguished in their own
lines Of life, and causes each to describe
his point Of view, to tell why he holds to
his personal doctrine of social organiza-
ton. Thus. Lord Cantelupe. retired tory
leader, tells why he is tory, in terms
that are appealing in their directness He
is answered by Alfred Remenham, liberal
premier. and In turn he Is answered by Reu-
ben Mendoza, the conservative leader, while
after them come representatives OF the cults
OF socialism and anarch1sm, professor, q
man Of science, a journalist, man OF bust
ness, poet. gentleman of leisure and
art connoisseur, a member or the Society
thirteen discourse according to an estab-
styled THE Seekers"
There is truly inspiring character about
these talks on the social needs and dan
gers and tendencies of the period, on the
requirements of the world, on the differ
ences between the british and American
temperaments, on the drift of the popular
ideals. The whole clearly presents a view
of the diverse qualities of the mental make
up Pitched in lofty key, the brief
speeches these thirteen men make on the
terrace while the night passes are calcu-
lated to stir latent impulses Tor self-search-
ing and to disclose perchance the individual
point OF view of the reader. The author dis
plays a wide acquaintance with the doc
trines of many distinct factions Of thinkers
Cot. IL yto ~ r~I,%r 80 ~,
is difficult for the reader to draw a conclu-
sion from the whole, save that verify the
world is comprised Of many men of many
minds
THE FLUTE OF PAN. BY John Oliver
Hobbes author of THE Vineyard" &c.
Illustrated. New York: D. Appleton &
Co.
Listen to the pipes Of Pan and all will
be well with you. Follow the shepherd god
through the groves to the tune of his merry
notes and all cares will fall from your
shoulders. the world will seem a pleasant
place and there will no more sorrow.
This is the conclusion to which M. :. Craigie
brings her titled lovers In this delightful
little romance. Lord Feldershay consents
to marry the reigning princess of Siguria
in order to check the turbulence in her
realm He has long loved her, without en-
couragement. Secretly she loves him. but
her pride checks her expression, and the
alliance is arranged apparently as an ex
pedient of statecraft There are mutual
jealousies, quite unfounded, the reader
is made fully aware, and the course of
true love runs over many rough places. But
finally when the princess has abdicated
and the glamour of the court has passed
away, and she and her husband are return
Ing to his Venetian studio in accordance
with promise she gave when he con-
scented to the formality of ceremony, the
pipes of Pan are clearly heard and the two
hearts beat tremendously.
Some interesting characters pass across
the pages of the story. A delightful little
martinez of princely stepfather, an in
triguing young wife of the courts major
domo, shrewd English mother. these are
some OF the figures with which Mrs. Craigie
peoples her narrative which moves briskly
to a conclusion that meets ali artistic and
sentimental requirements. A delightful tale
of true love and European pomp.
KIPPS; the Story of Simple Soul BY
H. G. Wells. New York: Charles
Scribners Sons. Washington: Will
lam Ballantyne & Sons.
Arthur Kipps son of son of the gentry
and a daughter of the people, came sud
denly into what Is to him great fortune,
yielding an income Of 91, 200 a year. He
had been educated" at a sort of Dothe-
boys school and then appreniced to
draper or dry goods merchant at Folke-
St0ne by WnOm ne was rounded on into a
nicely case hardened specimen Of the hope
lessly lower class young Englishman.
Kipps tried to climb higher the ladder
of his fortune. He aspired to the realms
above in matters of the heart forgetting
that he had broken sxpence with Ann
Pornick In the old days at New Romney,
before his apprenticeship and his subse-
quent windfall His engagement to Helen
Walsingham, his ciceronage by her friend
Mr.. Coote, and his business management
by her brother, all contribute to Kipps' dis
comfiture. He struggles manfully, but an
anagram tea proves his undoing. He can
not stand the strain of society. He fees
precipitately. has later horrible experience
at a dinner party, and then finds Ann,
servant In one of the houses where he has
been entertained, and elopes with her.
Subsequent events follow rational line
of procedure. Kipps Is foolishly happy for
a time, and then the chasm of failure and
bankruptcy opens at his feet. But he
gets across and tie reader leaves him with
sincere regret for the early parting,
contented tradesman in an atmosphere
which suits him. with checks coming In
from a venture that he had contributed to
In his green and salad days of liberal
spending.
r-l1.. -k-1 H., !, IT,