Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-01-12

bent form and long, white hair, needless
of passersby, or curious query, pausing
only at some accustomed farm house for
needle and thread to darn his much-worn
suit and for food and a nights lodging.
To the present generation this figure may
seem as visionary and mythical as The
Wandering Jew Flying Dutchman' and
Headess Horseman' of tradition but there
are many now living who can recall wildly
to remembrance the Old Darned Man.
According to tradition he heard of the
death of his plighted bride just he had
arrayed himself in his wedding garments,
and unbalanced by the shock, passed the
remainder of his life in search Of the lost
one. darning and redarning the bridal
clothes. which he refused to give up MT
Goodell has told this story with perfect APP
probation of its pathos
| WEST GULF BLOCKiDING SQUADRON.
from fro January to December 81. 81: 1854:
Government Printing Office.
Volume II of the Official Records of the
Union and Confederate Navies in the War
| of the Rebellion is published under the d.
! rection of Hon. Charles J. Bonaparte. Secre-
| tary of the Navy by Mr.. Charles W. Stew
art superintendent of library and naval
| war records, by authority of act of Con-
| gress approved July 81. 1894. 1t includes
the correspondence regarding naval opera
| tons. both Union and confederate. along
| the coast of the Gulf of Mexico from st.
| Andrews bay, near Pensacola. Fla. to the
| Rio Grande. The Union naval force was
called the West Gulf Blockading Squadron.
The volume abounds with accounts of brisk
| engagements between shore batteries and
naval vessels, running of the blockade.
| chase and sometimes the capture of the
daring blockade runners.
The most important event in the volume
| is the battle of Mobile bay. August 5. 1864.
| in which Farragut sailed the Union fleet
| past heavy forts and defeated the confed-
| crate vessels in Mobile bay. capturing the
trST nl a6 Tnpn Goo hip Of 1yf,ip o.
Franklin Buchanan.
The confederates states ironclad Tennes-
see is shown as the frontispiece: fine
picture of the old Hartford. Farraguts
shows the forts. distractions. lines of tor
| pedoes and locations of the vessels.
The monitor Tecumseh, commanded by
T. A. Craven, was sunk by a torpedo on
entering the bay in this battle. Craven
and the pilot were in the small iron pilot
house when the torpedo exploded The only
means of escape was down a small ladder.
Craven drew back and let the p lot pass
down first. saying. After you. pilot. but
there was no one escaped after the pilot,
as the TecumSeh went down almost imme-
diately. At this moment Farrasut gave
his famous order to disregard the torpedoes
and go ahead. and dashed straight ahead
over the line of torpedo Duoys and engaged
the confederate vessels inside the bay.
The detailed confederate reports of this
battle are full of interesting description.
The volume is copiously fndexed and Illus
trated with accurate pictures showing the
types of vessels engaged.
MARS AND IT'S CANALS. BY Percival
Lowell, director of the astronomical
observatory at Flagstaff Arz Illus
Company. Washington: Woodward &
Lothrop.
That Mars is inhabited by beings of some
sort or other we may consider as certain
as it is uncertain what those beings may
be-" So writes Prof Lowell in his conclu-
sion.
Nothing in all the astounding revelations
and suggestions of astronomy appeals more
to the imagination than this possibility,
long ago suggested. of life on other worlds
than our own. For some time astronomers
in various parts of the world have declared
that their telescopes gave them much
evidence of the existence of both vegetable
and animal life on the small but aged
planet Mars that they were compelled to
put faith in their existence. Inc facts re-
quired by the theory are now regarded as
demonstra ble-Martian life, perhaps Mar
tan people, is a scientific reality,
Foremost among the astronomers engaged
in this investigation. Prof Lowell has been
able. by reason largely of the peculiarly ia
vorable position of his famous observatory.
to get clearer views-more precise observa-
lions of the planet-than his fellow work
ers. and his observations have been long
continued and pondered upon that he has
been universally acknowledged supreme in
this speciality.
A great number of illustrations clarity as
well embellish the text of his book, in
Guiding a most interesting series of colored
plates. showing the aspect of Mars at diff
ferent seasons. now freshly green with
vegetation, then paling with the advance of
autumn.
CONFESSIONS OF A DETECTIVE. BY
Alfred Henry Lewis. author of The
Boss" illustrated by e. M. Ashe. New
York: A. S. Barnes & Co.
Through the confessions Of a fictitious po-
lice officer of New York city Mr.. Lewis
portrays the method by which honest re-
| cruits to the iaw-preservng force Of the
metropolis are gradually transformed into
full-fedged operators of the modern sys-
tenn of graft" The author has had no
little to say about the corruption of
nicipal officials in general. and in the first
part of the book under consideration he
shows the sources of illegal revenue levied
by the police in the various grades and
ranks. The second part of the book, which
consists of the further adventures Of In
spector Val, contributes far more than the
first part to Mr.. Lewis reputation as an
entertaining writer. The stories of the
clever sleuth's experiences possess all the
interest and fascination that attaches to
the unraveling of problems in crime and
mystery.
THE FAIR HILLS OF IRELAND. By.
Stephen Gwynn. With Illustrations
by Hugh Thomson. New York: The
Macmillan Company. Washington
Woodward & Lothrop.
Mr.. Gwynn has made most entertaining
and valuable book on Ireland. after ex-
cellent plan. The most hasty of tourists,
as well as the thoughtful traveller, will find
it well worth carrying in his handbag.
while no one really interested in Ireland.
it's thrilling history or its prospects can at
ford to omit this book from his library.
The author says that his volume is the
outcome of a pilgrimage made by himself
and Mr.. Hugh Thomson, the English artist
whose Illustrations -four in colors) enrich
the work. to a series of places chosen as
those most characteristic of Ireland and
Irish life in some other of its phases.
In effect, therefore, these genial travellers
| have complied guide book to Irish historic
| places. but they have done more. for each
| page is repete with picturesque and humor
| Gus human interest. Every chapter calls
up associations covering great range in
, the quaint legend and curious history OF the
| Irish race, and the chapters have been
| grouped in a chronological sequence. begin
ming with those places where the salient in
terest belongs to very remote age.
THE CHIEF IEGATEE, By Anna kath-