The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-12-08
REALN OF BOOKS
BY PAUL PRY.

1 'princess Pocahontas,. by Mitte Owen
 McDavid Published by the Neale Pulp
 fishing company.
 Notwithstanding the fact that mention has been made previously in the columns of The Age-Herald of Mrs. MeDayfd s little story, entitled "Pocahontas,' the receipt of the book must be acknowledged and an appreciation of 1t eXpreseds It is very simply and unpretentiously writ tetn. yet most entertaining and delight fully written. It is not a new theme, yet treated with so much lndividuaNy and freshness of thought that it appeals with unaffected sincerity. The best part Of the effort is the promise it gives, of true literary merit on the part of Mrs. Me David, the evidence of the ability to con- ceive, to construct and to portray with genuine sympathy and verlty. The open ing lines of the little volume can scarce ly be excelled anywhere for power of word painting; the sweet suggestiveness of the mental picture is wonderfully strong and vivid and carries It's own subtle pervading atmosphere and charm.
 All night the snow had drifted steadily down, and now the earth lay white and silent beneath it's caress. Only the river stirred and it moved lazily, shivering by through an erstwhile tangle of ice, striv HE u LcAtil US Sodls 1pDil iNO LII AOhos &Sih bosom moved a long. rude barge, thread ing it's way slowly up the stream. At tho helm stood a figure, a man bronzed by the winds of many winters and scorching sun of many climes.
 Princess Pocahontas' makes an excel lent little gift book for youthful readers, and of course we take special interest and pride in the book from the fact that the author, Mrs. Ned McDavid, is ,r Id. .If, ,O1l l. among us.
 P'rhe Maxims of Methuselah." by Gelett
 Burgess. Published by Frederick A.
 Stokes company.
 ''frhe MaXims of Methuselah' is re- print of an old work by Gelett Burgess, who will be remembered as tho very clever author of nonsense work
 These "Maxims of Methuselah" are supposed to be the advice given by the Patriarch in his "Nine-hundred sixty and ninth year to his great grandson at Shem's coming of age" It is nonsense wisdom,' if such a combination of words is permissible.
 "The Suburban Whirl,' by Mary Stewart
 Cutting. Published by the Mcclure
 company
 The volume takes it's title from the ini- lldl story III lne DOOR, IL DellS COilpO5eu of some four or five short stories.
 "The Suburban Whirl'' gives very in- innate portrayal of the life of two young people just starting out in life, yet who endeavor to keep up with the ''strenuous whirl' upon a very meager income. Good sense finally prevails, melted thereto by genuine love and compassion and so the story points very pretty and widely needed moral, yet in a delicately
  well written, very true in it's familiar de- lneations of modern social life, pervaded through and through with touch of humor that is very delicate and artful. "Milly X oily" by Mrs. Humphrey Ward.
 Published by Doubleday, Page X Go.
 This is d rarely charming and simply written story, which shows the distin- suished novelist to be as discerning in depicting children as she has so often proved herself in portraying their elders. The scene is laid in the picturesque and romantic Lake Country of England. The book is now printed for the first time in America, though some copies of the for mer English edition were imported. "A Sovereign People" by Henry Demar- est Lloyd Published by Doubleday, Page X Go.
 LII l5uI anu lju- lltliN 1eHldItSl hlOyu paid two long visits to Switzerland, we read in the preface, in order to make d close study of the structure and work of democracy as expressed in the social in- stltutions of that country.
 The author did not live to complete the work so auspiciously conceived, and the completion was placed in the hands of John A. Hobson. While the work is of special value, of course, to the student of political economy and institutions. yet so little is known of the brave little repub- lie that it has much of interest also to the general reader.
 "'rhe Soul Market" by Olive Christian Malvery. Published by Mcclure, Phillips & Co.
 Tn the preface Olive Christian Malvery the author, who Is Mrs. Archibald Mack irdy. writes:
 "These are prodigal days. Every man who. is insolent enough to bully his fellow creatures is political power; every woman who can entice a crowd into her house is a social leader; every mu- sical or other public entertainer if risque enough to secure extensive free adver- Using. is an artiste."
 With this reflection the author starts out ito find out things for herself" Mrs. Mackirdy began life in India, then went to London for vocal training and from the outlook of her profession, and in it, she was successful. She tells the story of her varied experiences. It is her first book and for the Ieisurely reader who takes his lteratures lowly and de-