Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-11-23

SuJiro Honda Edlted ny AilCe We
bel Bacon. New cfK. IouSHlon'
Mifflin & Co.
The title of this remarkable book is
descriptive. The spirit of unquestionlng
obedience, the perfect subordination OF
each man in the japanese army to the
directing power that makes of the whole
a machine, is. in part, expressed by the
term. 1t is only in part. however. for
of the patriotism, the passionate loyalty.
the deeply religious devotion which makes
the service not only voluntary Duts an
eager one, the title offers no sugyes-
ton.
Lieut.. Sakurai begins his narrative with
the mobilization OF the japanese army.
He tells of the emotions of the supor-
dinate who saw war and bloodshed for
the first time. The horror of the real
istic details is transcribed by the dom
inant realization of the meaning OF 1t
all, combination of perceptions so rare
that the book is worthy OF note on tnat
account, If on no other. The author
was wounded and left for dead in an
attack on Port Arthur. His rescue by
soldier in the ranks-whom he had
previously never seen-and his JOY on
hearing the well done. You have done
WE'LL" of the surgeons, and his greater
JOY on receiving the news of the capitu-
laton of Port Arthur. form the final in
cidents of the book. The magnanlmity
toward enemies, the fellowship between
every part of the Japanese army, existing
by the side of desperate valor make a
strong appeal to the admiration of the
occidental reader.
The Japanese emperor Endorsed the
book by givin~ Lieut.. Sakurai an au-
dience, an honor that no other of his
rank in the army has ever received.
Judging from the character he has re-
vealed in the naive honesty of his story
it is probable the author felt himself
of his right arm. That, so soon. after
the mutilation, he has taught himself
to write with his left hand. and even
tn paint-as the colored frontispiece
bears WITNESSES an evidence of the un-
has grown to expect of his race.
MY MERRY ROCKHURST. By Agnes
and Egerton Castle. authors of The
Pride of Jennico," etc. New York:
The Macmillan Company. Wash
ington: Woodward & Lothrop.
This latest book of the Castles is a
favorable example of their talent for
storytelling. Rockhurst, the friend of
Charles II. faithful companion of his
wandering and constable of his mai
esty's tower of London" when the king
had come into his own again is the
hero of many adventures The book is
not a novel in the strictest sense. 1t is
rather series of stories grouped around
the king and RockhurSt. More truly a
series of pictures of one of the most pic
turesque periods of English life. My
Merry Rockhurst, the hero. is named
by Charles in Difference to his long
saturnine countenance. which makes more
flashing the wit; .Rakehell Rockhurst'
he is called by the people because OF his
reckless life. In short, he was what the
restoration made of many gallant
cavalier gentleman 10 70
that belonged to his time and his order.
But he has also the finer traits that the
court cannot corrupt; and it IS these
qualities of chivalry, bravery and devo-
ton to an unsupported ideal that the
Castles have chosen to represent in their
very Charming story.
AN INTERRUPTED HONEYMOON. By
Jane Grosvenor Cooke, author of
The Ancient Miracle" New York
a. S. Barnes & Co.
A romance which begins with a we'd
ding continues with a quarrel while
the bride and groom are on their way
to their new home. and ends, four years
later, with a honeymoon, is certainly
unorthodox. But the author has made
of it very convincing tale. The bride
is opinionated-if charming; the groom
is of Dutch ancestry. 1t is not sur
prising that the world of kirton had
had time to pass through every stage
of feeling regarding the singular couple,
from wonder to a settled conviction that
things were to remain as they were pc
fore the end came. 1t is in the hap
penings of the interim that the author
has shown skill. The small community
is lifelike; the stubborn lovers compel
sympathy; the reader grows TO be fond
OF them before he is required TO witness
their second courtship, as filed with
palpitaunS uncertainty as though the
church had not already bound them to-
gether. The development. through which
the two young people, at first TOO self
contained TO feel deeply, grow into a
realization of the true meaning of life
is an interesting story. There is quiet
humor in the story and a vivid repre-
sentatioh of the life of thrifty town.
NICOLETE. A Novel. BY Evelyn
Sharp. New York; Brentano's.
A tender and beautiful romance, which,
together with its keen analysis OF people
as they are, is a triumphant vinIi ton
of the right of the ideal and spiritual
to exist, is this story of Evelyn Sharp's
The early child life of Nicoete in the
home made beautiful by her mother
Daphne. and made romantic by he sud-
den advents and exits of the artist father
is full of mingled charm and humor
The complete expression of a rare per
sonality. one of the most difficult feats OF
literature, has been achieved in this
portrait of the girl who grows from
childhood into womanhood before the
readers eyes. and who preserves, in hel
gracious womanhood, the spirit that EaI
marked the child. The other pc opie in
the book are very real: Daphne, that
exquisite personality, the charming no.
madic genius of a father, the brood o1
brothers and sisters the lover and tht
other men and women who pitied ad
mlred the Hamer clan. The final chap,
ter. with its return of the married MEG
lete to the home that had been the shrtn,
for the earlier romance. is an artistic
as well as a tender piece of work.
THE GENTLEST ART. A Choice al
Letters by Entertaining Hands Ed.
tied by h. V. Lucas, author of -,
Wanderer in Holland" etc. New
York: The Macmillan Company
Washington: Woodward & Lothrop
Ii these days of the apotheosis of tn,
telephone and telegraph do. as pessimist.
say. prophesy the decay of the "gentles
art OF letter writing. it is surely dut,
TO gather together the best examples o.
the doomed art.
The present collection is a delightful
one. While the editor does not C ain
that the collection is either Representative,
or complete, it is adapted TO the enjoy
cause. as is somehow evident, ii is tn
result of the enjoyment of the collector.
THE HOUSE OF THE VAMPIRE. B,
Geosge Sylvester Viereck, author O
'Nineveh and Other Poems" Nev