Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-08-10

daughter Of the murdered man, the child of
the elopement of a daughter of the south
ern aristocracy with poor white rascal.
Stella. who is a most unpleasant young
woman In the beginning, undergoes a sud
den and surprising development into a
vision of all that is bright and good.
HALF HOURS IN SOUTHERN HISTORY.
By Jno Leslie Hall. Ph.D., professor
of English and of General History in
the College of William and Mary.
Richmond: b. F. johnson Publishing
Company.
One of the most interesting books on the
south which has been written recently is
this volume of DR.. Halls. The feature in
its publication is the fact that 1t Is written
by southern man and reveals the southern
standpoint On the other hand, the fact
that Mr.. Hall was born too late to be bitter
toward the north. together with the author S
generally impartial spirit, 1nsures a fair
treatment of veXed questions. The plan of
the work deserves comment. 1t is divided
into nine chapters. comprising the main
topics of interest. Each of these chapters
is divided into a number of short related
passages, informal and conversational in
their character. 1t is thus an excellent
book of reference. while the author has
yet been able to reveal his own personality
and that of his countrymen more clearly
than a more formal method would have
! made possible. The northern reader will
! be able to find out what the attitude of
| southern men and women today is on
contemporary as we'll as how the Con-
| federates really felt during the civil war.
THE SERF. By Guy Thorne, author of
When 1t Was Dark" New York: R.
F. Fenno K Co.
A story of the early middle ages-the ac-
tual date being 1136-when assorted crime
and variegated wickedness were abroad and
France was the happy hunting ground of
evil In the adventures of Hyla, the serf
his daring, his cunning, his dash for liberty
after killing his obnoxious master, may be
recognized the first faint flare of that great
political idea which now burns, world wide.
with so steady flame. The rising of the
serfs, their flight through the great Hlgay
fen ard the final tragedy on the top of the
Outfansthef tower at sunset are realisti-
cally set down. The publishers say that
although The Serf' is primarily a Story of
excitement 1T is doubtful If more ac-
curate picture of life in the early rAddle
ages has been publ shed for very many
years. This may be so and 1t may not. AT
any rate the average reader will not under
take journey to the British Museum to
satisfy himself on the point. The book
dwells uselessly at times upon the bath.ess
condition OF the twelfth century nobility
and upon other unpleasant and inSan-
itary matters which have since been cor
rected by the wider diffusion of open
plumbing and general knowledge. but IS
pretty fair material for the heavy meat
course in a literary table d'hote.
THE GREAT AMERICAN PIE COM
PANY. By Ellis Parker Butler, au-
thor of Pigs Is Pigs" Illustrated by
Will Crawford. New York: Mcclure,
Phillips & Co. Washington: Wood
ward & Lothrop.
This is another of Mr.. Buffers inimitable
short stories. Eph and Phin sent to deliver
home made pies by their respective ener.
getic wives halt to demonstrate with each
other on the subject of prices and end with
a glorious scheme-built in the air-whereby
they picture themselves joint monopolists
of the industries. not only of Gloning, but
of the world. The story is of course. a
shrewd comment on the methods of cap
tains of industry"
ROMAN SCULPTURE; From Augustus to
Constantine. BY Mrs. Arthur strong,
LID, associate of the British School
at Rome, corresponding member of
the German Imperial Archaeological
Institute. London: Duckwerth 81 Co.
New York: Charles Scribners Sons.
Washington: Woodward & Lothrop.
Imported by Charles Scribners Sons.
Mrs Strong starts with a defense Of the
right Of Rome to claim a place in the his