Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-10-13
A SPINNER IN THE SUN. BY Myrtle


which were features of The Love Letters
Of a Musician and OF later books by
Myrtle Reed make "A Spinner in the Sun
one of the most desirable stories of this
seasons offerings The woman who Is
presented in the opening chapter Is most
pathetic figure For, hurt to the soul by
treachery she has. of her own VOW hidden
her face from men and women and maze
OF herself shadow among the living.
The history of which this decision has
been the desolate outcome is revealed very
skillfulIy through almost impalpable de-
grees. 1t is only near the conclusion Oh
the story that the reader learns what face
is in truth, behind the shimmer1ng folds
with which Evelina Grey has elected to veil
her face. BY that time the links that are
to bind her to the appealing young lovers
as we'll as to that cid lover Piper Tom,
have been forged.
The events by which the sick soul is cured
and the soul of the man who had been a
coward, who had not been held by the
honor of the spoken word. is revealed, are
well conceived and well constructed. Inc
story as story is a good one. The love
fdyl of DR.. Ralph and little Araminta Is
original and charming. 1t is so compound
ed of pathos and delicate humor that the
reader is uncertain which is in the ascend
ency. For it is rather late in her story
that Araminta. who has been trained by
her warped old aunt to pray-"keep me
from the contamination of marriage" learns
to make her petition-"Keep me from the
cOntamina ton of-not being married to him,
for thy sake. Amen The romance OF the
older Sunderland yet more joyous-lovers
Is. in altogether different way, as oeau-
tfful and sweet.
Some readers however, will be tempted
to say that the romance is the least at
traction of "A Spinner in the Sun 1t Is so
filled with elusive poetry and symbolism
with tenderness that these
things are the qualities that remain Piper
Tom. quaint pilgrim from an older time.
who il trying to make the world bit
easier for all women because woman
gave him life. and because he loves AN
other woman in another way is real
creation. That both he and Evelina are
unsubstantal, vaporish. in their ideality,
does not interfere in the least with their
human calm. Araminta and her lover. on
the other hand. fully satisfying in their
fuilness of April hopes. 1t is by clever
mana cement of the two threads OF her
story that the author is able to lay claim
to two sources of charm. The sides of love
are many and not the least of them is
that which lays claim TO the larger is
sues of human life.
IA Spinner in the Sun" is daintIly bound
And attractively put together.
CAMPAIGNING WITH GRANT. BY Cen
eral Horace Porter. LID. New York:
The Century Company.
In the new and popular edition of
work which. while it has been published
before was TO be had only on subscription,
the Century Company has done the public
q service. For Gen. Porters intimate study
OF Gen. Grants personality, at close range
us the author had abundant opportunity
to observe him. cannot but make vivid the
conception in the students mind of one of
the greatest of our national characters.
Gen Porter's account of Gen. Grant be-
gins with the first meeting between the
two men on the 23d of October. 1853. This
was Il few days after Grants command
had been enlarged to include the depart
ment of Mississippi. AT that time Porter
was serving on the staff of Gen. Thomas.
Soon after this Porter. then lieutenant
colonel. received appointment on the
staff of Gen. Grant, and from that time
forward there was the closest association
between the two men. The confidence which
Grant always felt for Porter is we'll known
Probably no man was better fitted to act
as historian of his superior officer. Cam
paigning With Grant ends with the war.
There - nothing of eulogy In this record
of military campaigns. For this reason Gen
Porter's portrait of the is more i'm
pressive. Grants directness, rapidity of de-
cision, military genius, modesty, his fair
ness with other men, his readiness to praise
touches of humor-of which Gen. Porter
had a keen sense, and bits OF homely in
cident which make very real the subject
Of the reco.lectiOnS. one such story Is the
history of the white cotton gloves which
General Grant wore through the first days
of the battle of the Wilderness-wore until
they dropped 10 pieces. And all because
Mrs Grant, who was afraid hat her hus-
band might not show to advantage beside
more tremendously attired officers had
bought them for him and insisted that he
wear them-to his great discomfort
MODERN MADONNA. BY Caroline Abb
bott Stanley. author Of order No H."
New ork: The Century Company.
Mrs. Stanley has utilized in her novel the
abuses possible in the operation in a little
known law of the District of Columbia. n
law which was in existence until ten years
ago. by which a man could viii the custody
of his child, even OF an unborn child. to
any one whom he might choose. Through
this statute and through a murder mystery
unsolved until near the cad a mother who
Is IA modern madonna comes near to
ShipWreck. The conclusion will prove graft
flying TO those who have followed the for
tunes of this sympathetic heroine
and Original Sources and Documents
Together with an Appendix of Notes
and New Letters. BY Walter Sichel
authof of "Bolinbroke and His Times
''DisraelI. study" Illustrated by Dor
traits of Lady Hamilton. New York
Dodd. Mead * Co.
The discovery of many manuscripts bear
ing upon the life of Emma. Lady Hamil-
ton, and more exhaustive research into
contemporary records containing references
to the career of this remarkable woman
have furnished Mr.. Schei with both apoI-
ogy and incentive for his thoroughly sat
isfactory volume. There could be little
fault found with either the scholarship or
the spirit with which ne has performed
his task.
The life of the English servant girl who
rising from worse than sordidness. came
10 have 4 part in the Counscls OF Maria
Carolina, Queen of Naples. furnishes OF
itself n story OF almost incredible vicissi-
tudes. The incidents in her career. her
early msfortunes the respectable me-
mage in which she was installed by the
prudent Grevi!le. the bargain with which
she was betrayed. her growing influence
over Lord Hamilton. which ended in mar
ri2Se; her popularity with the Neapolitans
the par, size played IN the struggle against
Napoleon's aggressions. the pitifui priva-
lions OF her later days-all these events, of
spectacular vvidness. are given by Mr.
Sichel with sufficient dramatic effect and
with discretion.
* evident that il tho