Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-10-20

unsolved until near the end, a mother who
Is "a modern madonna comes near to
shipwreck. The conclusion will prove graft
flying to those who have followed the
fortunes of this sympathetic heroine. The
plot is unique and the story distinctly
dramatic and written with power and
interest to the end. Its setting of capt.
tai city makes strong local appeal;
but tragedy heaped on tragedy and the
forcible separation of the young mother
from her little son will arouse a general
heart interest. Through the strange Sc
Quence of evidence that makes the wronged
woman seem guilty of crime, with un-
abated faith she works until not only her
own troubles disappear but the barbarous
law is repealed. Mrs. Stanley has GER
-tainly gone much beyond the interest of
her first and very charming, Order No.
IL
WALT WHITMAN. HIS LIFE AND
WORK. By Bliss Perry, with illus
trations. Boston and New York:
Houghton. Mifflin & Co.
Mr.. Perry says most modestly in his
preface that the publishers had hoped that
John Burroughs, one of Walt Whitman's
oldest friends, would write Whitman's life
The reader however he may enjoy Mr.
Burroughs books, will not regret that the
Whitman has been ntrusted to Mr. Perry
This is the first attempt to present In a
book of moderate compass a full bio
graphical and critical study of the most
unique parsonage in American literature
Mr.. Perry has done his work sympathet-
ically and has with rare powers of selec-
ton brought together the best that has
been known and much that is new That
Whitman stood IN certain well-defined re-
lations to the thought and the literature
OF the past. mystic. romanticist and Amer
lean transcendental is made clear His
peculiarties of form and his gospel of
nudity are treated with scholarly discrimi-
nation. AT most. Whitman" Mr.. Perry
says, was immodest rather than indie
cent" His audience" he continues will
be limited to those who have the INTEL
lectual and moral generosity to understand
him. And finally he says, mo American
poet now seems more sure to be read by
fit persons after one hundred or five hun
dred years" Apart from the subtiety of Mr.
Perry's criticism of the great poets work
his telling of the story of the life must
delight readers who have not before been
drawn to the man by his poems. There
is a charm and completeness about the
book which will do much to make the life
the last and authoritative biography.
WHEN WAS A BOY IN JAPAN. BY
Sakae Shioya. Illustrated from photo
graphs. Boston: Lothrop, Lee & Shep-
ard Company.
This second volume of Children of Other
Lands Series.'' by Sakae Shioya of Yale
University, who has now returned to Japan
TO devote himself to the drama and litera-
ture, is most happily done Thoroughly
qualified to introduce the children of Japan
to those of America, he has performed
the ceremony in a manner that Will de-
light the children and perhaps give even
some of the parents entertaining informa-
ton The Intimate life of the home, the
young, and the stages by which the little
Jap is put through his school PAGES are
all given with a personal authority that
is both appealing and convincing.
FAMOUS AMERICAN SONGS. BY Gustav
kobbe. author of THE Loves of Great
Composers" Extra illustrated. New
York: Thomas Y. Crowell & Co.
Every lover of songs will be pleased with
this collection of songs including Home.
Sweet Home ''Old Folks at Home"
Dixie" Ben Bolt The Star-Spangied
Banner" Yankee Doodle" Hail Column
bia." America" and some war songs.
Irrespective of the attractive black letter
and the illustra tons. the book is pleasing
Tor the reason that the songs of which II
treats have entered into the national life
and have become part of the melodic
consciousness of the people. The origin
OF each song Is given. and the words and
music In each case traced to their cradles.
Reading the accounts of the origin of these
melodies and the stories of their recep-
ton one can easily understand why they
have taken on permanent character al
lotted but to little music. They will now
live as long as the nation lives, and 1t is
gratifying that the presentation of the
matter concerning them has been in such
capable hands those of Mr. Kobbe.
BREEZY. By ]. George Frederick Illus
trations by w. d. Stevens. New York:
Mcclure, Phillips & Co. Washington:
Woodward & Lothrop.
His surname was the leveling one of
Smith. and his Christian name-highly
Christian-HeZekiah his mother called him
Zeke,' and his companions Breezy" SO