Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-05-06

| are open to the same criticism, while THE
Descendent of the ID brings few of the
writer's best faculties into play. AS a rule
| the sonnets are intellgently written, but
not altogether convincing in their structure.
So much for the limitations of the volume.
Ora Pro Nobis" deserves high praise. 1t
Is exquisite in conception, and the metrical
harmony, which is wholly inseparable from
the theme, shows an instructive sense of
English rhythm. English, because of its
f1exibility and its freedom, is probably the
most poetic language in the world but only
the perfect ear can avail itself OF the rich
resources. The irregularities limit a writer
who must remember rules and forms. But
in this volume the words make music, and
the passion advances and recedes with that
slow movement which art has taken from
the wave. 1t is real poetry.
THE AMETHYST BOX. BY Anna Kath-
crime Green, author of The Filigree
Ball" &c. Indianapolis: The Bobbs-
Merrill Company
A rarely curious little box made of sim
gle amethyst contains the tiny flask upon
which centers the interest of this story.
The bit of glass is SO small and delicately
wrought that 1t Is quite filled by the single
drop of deadly poison which CLEANS yellow
in the gaslight, as Sinclair exhibits his Gu
rio to an admiring company. Sinclair Is
about to be married to Gilbertine Murray
and these two, together with Dorothy
Camerden and her lover, the narrator, are
the leading figures in the story. 1t is the
eve of Sinclair's wedding, and as he holds
out the little box of amethyst and utters
the word poison with mock gravity,
"a low cry escapes from some one
in the bridal party. The note is I'M
mistakably tragic. Sinclair turns alb
ruptly, to find two women pressing
close behind him. They are Miss Gamer
den and his prospective bride. And this
same evening the box is stolen from the
cabinet. Here is the mystery, and the in
terest of the reader is promptly captured
Although the ending is a bit inadequate the
plot is worked out neatly, and the story
is short and well worth reading. Anna
katherine Green is an artist in her &C
cepted field. Ever since the appearance
of that remarkable production "The Leav-
enworth Case" the public has welcomed
with delight her entertaining and ingenious
tales. Her manipulation of human curiosity
amounts almost to mastery. And the schoi-
arly reader who rarely yields his interest
to the detective story must recognize that
its success largely depends upon definite
| knowledge of very practical psychology.
This volume is the first issue of series
to be entitled 1.-THE Pocket Books" repre-
senting the three aspects of American ro-
mance-adventure, mystery and humor.
APPLETON'S BUSINESS SERIES
MODERN ADVERTISING. BY Earn
est Elmo Calkins and Ralph Holden.
& Co.
This carefully prepared work might well
be designated high school text book on
advertising, to distinguish it from the nu-
merous elementary text books which have
appeared Of late on the same subject. 1t is
So thorough and comprehensive that it is
virtually a treatise Those readers who
have at least a partial knowledge of the
great business of advertising in modern
times will more keenly appreciate Its merits
than will the general reader TO the
student Of the newspaper as an institution
the book will prove OF value and interest
as an exposition of the great work of pub
LEFTY in which the daily paper plays SO i'm
portant part. 1t treats mainly of the
placing and handling of the vast volume OF
advertising of today, from every conceiv-
able point of view. To the worker In this
field, the advertiser himself. the middle
man and the publisher, 1t is an excellent
guide to the best methods.
ITALIAN BACKGROUNDS. BY Edith
Wharton. Illustrated by E. C. Peix-
otto New York: Charles Scribnel's
Sons. Washington: Woodward &
Lothrop.
In the most successful books of travel
there is a touch of delicious futility. After
all is said and done the reader loves a vag-
abond, and vastly prefers the interesting
tramp to the conscientious tourist. Mrs.
Wharton is bit too clever to be the ideal
travelling companion. Her style lacks the
Incidence that most surely attracts the
average reader. She is cosmopolitan, So
phisticated but she lacks abandon. Never
theless the book-lover will find in this
charming edition Of Italian sketches q
source of real pleasure. Mrs Wharton
writes with ability, Feixottos pictures are
delightful and Italy is always Italy-a
kind of fairy land into which green vistas