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

them on behalf of the Royal National Mis-
sion to Deep-sea Fishermen, they were vir-
tua1ly without medical assistance in the
times of their greatest need. Now they
have in him not only a member of hurts,
but a healer of spiritual woes, true friend
a guide and counselor.
Mr.. Duncan has written a work of fiction
in which are described the labors of a deep
sea healer, ''Dr. Luke but he notes in his
preface that DIR. Grenfell is not the original
of that character. The author knows the
waters of the fishing field perfectly and the
men who toll there. and his chapters are
vivid with the incidents of their life and
the difficulties surrounding the mission
work of DR.. Grenfell
THE TROLL GARDEN. BY Villa Sibert
Gather. New York: Mcclure. Phil
lips & Co. Washington: Woodward
q Lothrop.
Once in while. in the midst of the great
ruck of printed vapidites passing muster
nowadays as short stories," CLEANS a
gem. reminder of other times, when the
demand had not grown so great that the
supply went beyond the capacity for arts
tic production In this volume are seven
such exceptional bits of literature, each
telling a tale. presenting a character or
outlining psychological problem. The
author has found her title in a line from
Charles Kingsley. "A fairy palace, with a
fairy garden; inside the trolls dwell, work
ing at their magic FORCES, making and
making always things rare and strange"
From each of these seven. artistic bits
the thoughtful reader may get something
fresh and new and suggestive. Perhaps
"Flavia and Her Artists is the most
elaborate and significant in its satire upon
modern faddishness and social lnSncer1ty.
But 1t is in such works as "A Wagner
Matinee" that the author shows a keen
knowledge of the tragedies of life. the I'M
written heroism, the bitter deprivations,
the terrible hunger of souls. In "A Death
in the Desert minor chord is sounded.
Indeed the book is varying expression
of sadness, of the undertones of life. But
in every of the seven tales Is shown
the touch of the student of style and con-
StructiOn.
CHARLES THE CHAUFFEUR. By S. E.
Kiser, author of Love Sonnets of an
Office Boy" &c. Illustrated. New
York Frederick A. Stokes Company.
Washington: BrentanOS S.
Here is the Book of the Record Buster.
1t is the point of view of the professional
motorist brought to a sharp focus, and
made the keener by being sent through the
medium of Mr. Kiser's humOr. Charles the
chauffeur-he calls himself "shawfer''-is
an original creation in print A philosopher
in his way. shrewd, fearless, audacious and
distinctly individual Charles tells of his
adventures with fair ladies and cowardly
men and cows and other cumbererS of the
the inveterate enemy of the automobile to
laugh uproariously. Charles is Stung with
the ambition to marry his fair employer,
a rich widow, but he falls from grace when
he takes too pronounced a dislike to Lord
Fourfush," who is also an aspirant for her
hand and means. During his ''Shawhng
for Mrs. Thurlow he runs the gamut of
characteristic automobile tricks, taking
buttons off the coats of fright-strcken old
gentlemen. bluffing armed and irate farm
ers, cutting through funeral professions
and smashing the laws to smithereens, al
ways with the calm spirit of the confident
expert. Mr.. Kiser has done nothing fun
nier than this little book, which Is recon-
mended as a sure cure for blues and pro-
voker of hilarity in any circle in which 1t
is read aloud.
ALASKA AND THE KLONDIKE. BY
John Scudder McLain. Illustrated
from photographs. New York: Nc
Clure, Phillips & Co.
After legislating for several sessions to
meet the needs of Alaska, the Senate com
mittee on territories came to the conclu-
sion during the winter of 1923 that lit
tie first-hand knowledge of the situation in
that corner of the world would not come
amiss, and, accordingly. subcommittee
was designated to visit the region and as
certain the exact conditions, consisting of
Senators Dillingham; CT Vermonti Burnham
of New Hampshire, Nelson of Minnesota
ana Patterson OF lHeS Wtilt UP
summer before last. sailing June % from
Seattle. With them, by special arrange
ment, went Mr.. McLain, who is editor OF
the Minneapolis Journal. This was a for
tunate conjunction for not only has MIR. Nc
Lain printed many columns descriptive of
his journey in his own paper, but he has
now reprinted that matter, with ameni-
ments of statistics and some other slight
changes, in book form. Thus the whole
country is given access to the story OF an
important visitation, disclosing the facts
about one of the richest and, despite the
extraordinary "rushes OF the past rev
years undeveloped portions of the United
States In the course of the tour through
Alaska and into the Klondke, Mr. McLaia
saw the possibilities which lie awaiting the
magic touch of enterprise. The ground has
been broken. The courses have been lald
down. What Alaska chiefly needs today Is
trans portation. Given two or three rail-
road Lines into the interior and some har-
Dor facilities, and the possibilities of the
region are infinite, Notwithstanding the ex
treme climate. In his story of the visit Mr..
McI.ain is both instructive and entertaining
He crowds deal of valuable information
into his pages and al the same time tells
some amusing stories of personal adven-
lures and odd characters or the typical ex-
periences of pioneers. His volume Is the
best book on Alaska and the hlondlke that
has vet appeared, and il has the unique ad-
vantage of embodying practically the out
line of an official inquiry. 1t is exception
ally well Illustrated from photographs
MRS. DANES DEFENSE; a Play in
Four Acts. By Henry Arthur Jones.
New York: The Macmillan Company.
Washington Brentano's.
Mrs. Danes Defense" was produced In
London in 1900, and has since then been on
the American boards. 1t Is drama of to-
day in the English society world, and when
met in text makes an entertaining book.
1t is difficult task to render good read
ir,,r MI ItlfM Nv
touch which has been recognized by large
public at the theaters, has accomplished this
end
AFTER THE DIVORCE; a Romance.
BY Grazia Deledda Translated from
the Italian by Maria Hornor Lans-
dale. New York: Henry Holt & CO.
Washington: William Ballantyne &
Sons.
This tale OF Sandman peasant life re-
veals a picture of sordid passion. cruelty,
superstition, revenge and tragedy. 1t turns
upon an Italian law which permits the wife
OF a man convicted OF a crime to secure a
divorce, despite the prohibitions of the
the church. Constantine, a young husband
Is unjustly convicted of numbering his I'M
Gle. His wife is distraught with explosive
grief. but in the course of year or so she