The daily morning journal and courier., 1907-10-14
Book Reviews and News Aboet Publishers.

neither time nor inclination for so- ciety verse or sensational rhapsodies, and no patience with poems that re- qulre university lecturer to interpret them. MT. Foss has a clear, ringing message that charms and amuses while making a point that is worth while. And let no one think his lat est and favorite title means that his is merely average verse, Most of the reading public know already that MT. Foss is a true poet and one appreci- ated by the general public. He has a keen way of showing up the foibles of humanity, but his humor is so gen. uine and so plentiful that one can laugh while acknowledging a Init, " The optimistic, cheering quality of his verses reflects the man, royal good fellow and delightful friend. Merle Johnson's clever pictures give a laughably correct interpretation of some of the brightest poems, and the very attractive binding fits it for a gift book.
 A cheery review and appreciative is MT. Shelley's in the Boston Herald. MT. Shelley says of Songs of the Average Man: It is good to come upon such singer as Sam Walter Foss Nothing abates his cheerful ness. No matter what the outlook of life in politics or religion or science, he maintains that wholesome optim- ism which can always find silver | lining back of every cloud.
 A warm welcome, then, should be assured for his latest volume of verse, happily entitled Songs of the Aver age Man" Instead of preface in prose he. strikes his keynote in verse. Let me cry when there's no help for
 crying
 And dance when the dancers spin, And join in the selling and buying, And laugh where the laugh comes in 1 Let me mix with the short men and tall
 With brain men and brawn men be free,
 And Knowing forever that all men
 Are good enough fellows like me. Let me mix with these good-enougt For they stretch from the Pole to the And the blacks and the browns and the
 Are ali fairly white in the soul. Though some men are better thar | some men
 And some men are wiser than some | The numb men in time may become
 As proper as men may become.
 That sentiment recurs again and again through these bright verses, but perhaps It finds its most suggestive expression in the poem entitled Him selling" the moral of which will be obvious from the concluding stanza: Let Stubbs keep on a-stubbing but tr, | not to shakespeare,
 l And Grubb continue grubbing not trS
 to meyerbeer;
 Let Streeter keep a-streetering. And Peters keep a-petering! 1 For in somebody -elsing there is m
 fame or nelf;
 | Let each man go himselfing and eacl
 man be himself.
 It is difficult to choose among thest breezy verses, which touch upon man, l topics of present and everyday inter est, and always with sure effect. Tn SldlA6SS OH DUSlISSS SuOW ,Wnd , large work still awaits doing in tn world; "The Creedless Love" is sur charged with fine charity. Now an, I then MT. Floss sounds minor note but in the climax always returns t his cheerful vein.
 Only one fault sha1 be found witt this delightful little volume. Was 1 not a mistake to include the poem written for occasions? Few singer are at their best when bidden to sin to order and MT. Foss need not b distressed if his muse fails him unde fsuch circumstances. For example the lines read at the dinner to Req Admiral Merry are apt to cause smile for their over-p painting of tha sailors perils.
 RUTH ERSKTNE'S sow; by Pans (Mrs. G. R. AIden) Illustrated by Louis Clark l2fllo cloth, $150; published b