Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-05-13

| figures in this great book-world of which
! Mr., Lang is a charmed explorer, and there
| is no incongruity. The first essay, which is a
| general survey, gives the title. 1t Is fol-
| lowed by a chapter on recollections of
| Stevenson, one on the poems of William
| Norris. notes on Oliver Wendell Holmes,
| and "Rabs Friend DR. Brown. One of the
| subjects is Mrs. Radcliffe's novels and
| there several studies in slightly mys-
| tic vein. The last essay is THE Boy a
| subject far removed from mysticism.
| In the opening pages Mr.. Lang confesses
| himself to be "a veteran who remembers a
| great deal about books and very little about
| people" 1t is always dangerous to disasso-
| ciate books from life. and this general sem
| the first few paragraphs, for point of
| view distinctly literary Certainly there
| are too many books on books: but few of
| them are graced with the delicate artistic
| touch of Andrew Lang.
THE WING OF LOVE. By Katharine
| Mary Cheever Meredith. New York:
Mcclure Phillips & Co. Washington:
| Woodward & Lothrop
| Here is one of the dainty delights of the
| book year, a story that holds, style that
| fascinates, a taste that charms and flesh
! and blood character with genuine quail
| fty Life IN a New York attic, and three
| "atticeers'' playing the male roles, with
| two newcomers disturbing their quiet and
| causing them to wonder if the world will
| ever turn around regularly as before.
| The three original occupants of the attic
| are strongly contrasted, a tall blond young
writing chap who sends half his money
home to his mother and scods himself in
| his letter for squandering too much on him.
| self-one cheap necktie; a moody cello
| player in the grand opera orchestra, wear
ing out his heart for love of woman to
whom he has never spoken hanger-on in
| the great social world, impecunious, we'll
dressed. an artist in making the most Of
a practically non-existent income.
The newcomers in the attic a widow
and her dainty little girl. fresh from
village life. The mother thinks she can
market her blue-rlbboned manuscripts. The
child makes friends with the men and
chats UNI eservedIy with young Harrington
the wrfter-chap, tells him about her aunt
Lii da. Who has told tales of Il friend whom
she called Rose, who loved a man at Heidel-
b6rg, the Duke of New York Mrs. Mere
dith gently admits her reader into her
confidence by half eonfessing the identity
of the Duke OF New York and limiting
that Rose and Linda" are Identical But
even when the suspicion becomes GER
taintY and a beautiful romance is disclosed
there seems no way out for the young peo-
pie who are kept apart by the walls of
gold.
Then it all happens, quickly. beautifully,
satisfactorily, and the Duke of New York
enters into his realm of love and honor, and
all are happy save perhaps poor Van
Gelder. who will continue to dodge duns
and exc out his existence as social but
terfy. and maybe the soul of Schubert, who
has passed on 10 another life. There is
nothing more tender and affecting in late
writing than this authors description of the
death of Schubert. the one sad factor in
an otherwise sprightly, dainty and soul
refreshing little story.
| THE WINE-PRESS. By Anna Robson
Ir~ - 49,,
Son" New York: D. Appleton & Co.
The 'sex-problem" novel is never thor
oughly pleasant product, and it is a ques-
ton whether it needs to be written. But
occasionally it appears in a form that COM
mards attention and respect and even ad-
miration, especially when it offers, from q
woman's point of view, an estimate of the
| relations of the sexes that does justice to
| both sides. Two young women, of dia-
| metrically opposite temperaments, are
| thrown into relationship by unusual cir
| Gums stances. They are half-ssters, daugh-
| tiers of celebrated Italian poet by differ
| ent mothers, enc his wife and the other a
| great Polish actress. The legitimate daugh-
! ter has inherited a hatred for her father
| because of the cruelty of his treatment of
| her mother, and from this hatred springs a
| spirit of intolerance for all men and espe-
| cially for marriage. She would have de-
voted herself TO the cause of education had
| she not met Guida, her half-sister But to
safeguard the younger girl when Guida de-
| teImines to go into the world and become
a singer, Giovanni leaves her chosen field
and the two exist factors of that great
turmoil of life known as New York. There
a pitiful fate awaits Guida and a black
suspicion falls upon Giovanni. undeServed
but shade wing her subsequent life.
The story finally centers upon this young
wOman'S determined attitude of hostility to-
ward men in all relationships but that of
the purest friendship. She finally sur
renders to love after dalliance for the sake
OF revenge upon the man supposed to be
guilty of causing Guida's misfortune.
Throughout the story pulses powerful
current of sentiment and incidentally it
affords a revealing view of the workings
of a great school for the higher educa ton
of women. An Intimate portrait of the
dean of this establishment is one of the dis
tnct achievements of the novel.
PORT ARTHUR; a Monster Heroism.
By Richard Barry. Illustrated from
photographs taken on the field by
the author. New York: Moffat, Yard
& Co.
This is q notable volume for two reasons:
First. it is the initial issue from the newly
formed house of Moffat, Yard & Company,
the latest conner in the New York publish
ing field; second. it is the first book-priat
relating to the capture of the supposedly
impregnable Russian stronghold at the tip
of Manchuria. Mr. Barry's writings have
been appearing from time to time in the
monthly and weekly periodicals, as rapidly
as he could get his matter through the
lines. They have been assembled with
some new material, in this book where
they form one of the most interesting prod
ucts thus far turned out by the corps of
war correspondents al the front
As consecutive account of the siege of
Port Arthur, Mr.. Barrys book will cause
disappointment 1t traverses the subject to
and fro as the authors fancy dictates. and
II leaves much to be desired on the score
of progressive quality. But in it's unse-
quential description of the momentous hap
penings of the siege. it is a stirring in
structive work. dramatic and analytical.
personal presentation of the remarkable
Japanese soldier a discussion and an ex-
PLANTATION of the strategy of the besieging
generals One of the most important items
of the book is the chapter dealing with
Gen. kodama, the Japanese chief of staff
whom Mr.. Barry regards as the man of the
hour in Japan. the real power behind the
throne, the military master mind He was
derided by the higher statesmen of Japan