Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-12-12

novel in its conception, its setting and its
style of narration.
By THE CHRISTMAS FIRE. By Sam
uel McChord Crothers. Boston:
Houghton, Miff1in Company.
Dr. Crothe. has attained to the rank
of one OF the foremost American essay
lists, and in the charming, whimsical pa
pers which comprise this volume, all sig
nificant Of and appropriate to the Christ
mas season, he is perhaps at his best.
He writes of Christmas and the Liiera-
ture Of Disillusion, Christmas and the
Democratic Spirit. On Being a Doct in
aire. and On the Ignominy of Being
Grown Up The spirit of happiness domi
mates every pagc. The genial quality OF
the authors philosophy is effectively re-
produced in the full-page pen and ink
drawings.
CAMPFIRES ON DESERT AND LAVA.
BY William 7. Hornaday. SGD. au-
thor of THE American Natural His
tory etc. Photographically illus
n Irated WITH Maps New YORK:
Charles Scribner's Sons. Washing
ton: Woodward & Lothrop.
A mass Of ragged red lava. rising to
peak, with tall cactus showing over the
edge and green spray of ocatilla branch
ing in the foreground. with four magnifi-
NSht Au1ho SAdiuhIs a. dttoh'ioAA VII s-.S
rock and gorgeous rainbow spanning
the sky above them! Such is the credu.
lity-challenging picture which forms the
frOntispiece of this volume, and Is repro
duced on the board and paper covers.
Bnt there are other pictures that would
test the faith of some Skept1cal readers
were they not obviously Of Photographic
origin. Mr.. Hornaday is in this book tell
ing Of a strange land. a region where
great mountain ranges are being buried
from nowhere into nothingness. where
the vegetation is totally different from
that of other parts of the continent: q
land of desoiation. yet of vivid color ana
ever changing interest. His trip was
undertaken in chief for the purpose OF
visiting and mapping the practically un-
known Pinacate mountain region. and IN
cidentally to study the flora and fauna OF
the great desert of southern Arizona ana
northwestern Mexico. He and his COM
panions had some exciting adventures and
some excellent sport. besides collecting
valuable specimens The scientist-author
is always entertaining in his text. ne nc,
has a fresh. vivid style of narration. VITA
a keen sense of humor to give point 70
his propositions. The volume Is re-
markedly beautiful specimen OF oooh-
making.
BACHELOR BELLIES. With lilustra-
tions by Harrison Fisher. Decora-
lions by Theodore B. Hapgood. New
York: Dodd. Mead & Co.
The Young women whom Mr.. Fisher pre-
sents in this beautiful volume as 'pacheiof
bellies are destined soon to dispense Win
hachelorhood There is not true SPIN
ster among them, not one whom Nupl"
will ever allow to escape. MT. rls!ei
draws an altogether lovely woman. hatu
raj. gentle and not mercy pIe'.s, ,,,,ym me
with a suggestion of mind. This volume
is a novelty in the way of artist si'
books in that the plates in color are &C
companied by appropriate verses lI .'n.
classic stories. With TINS conlp.na LII.
the Harrison Fisher Book OF l'oo IS
one Of the rare gems OF the season.
THE DARK CORNER. By Zach Nc
Ghee. New York: Tie Grafton Press.
MFR McGhee, who is we'll known IN
Washington as a newspaper correspond
ent, has written we'll balanced, inter
esting tale of life In the south. In one OF
those remote regions where the n.ht u
education penetrates but feeblY he
paints vivid picture of the folk life. Fils
description of a collegiate institute. under
the guidance of a pompous rascal, Is d
severe arraignment or metnou VI III
structing the youth which happily Is pass.
ing out Of vogue. The story itself is we'll
conceived, and told with much tender
ness and humor. Mr.. Mcihee's Guahty
as a writer Of fiction shows strongly IN
this DOCK.
INTERPLAY. BY Beatrice Harraden.
author Of "Ships That Pass in the
Night" New York: Frederick A.
Stokes Company.
Interplay presents question that IS
answered by each character in the DOCK.
1t is not hypothetical question. nor one
with compile atoms enough to worry IL
into problem. 1t is simply plain m
uuiry as to whether CT not woman who
has sinned should be privileged. as man
is privileged. to regain the respeceipli .l,,
she has lost. Whether or not she should
he forever banished from society. or be
allowed to begin life anew. as the non
ored wife of a man who condoneS her one
sin because of the many sins of his own.
Miss Harraden has created dozen very
real personalities who deal wit4 social
conditions in very real way. with the
execution of an amiabe Chinaman. who
performs perfect service throughout inc
book, and one titled specialist. Who mere
~ steps into a last chapter to pronounce
a death sentence the characters are taken
from the upper class of middle Enghsh
life and the time Is the immediate nov"
Two schoolgirl friends who nave drlfted
apart, come together in later years. one
Is divorced woman, whose lover IS
dead. and the other. unmarried and BUT
feted by lifc's chances. is making a dis-
creditable use of her intellect by reading
palms and crystals. The former lifts her
old friend cut of her degradation and
brings out the best of character that is
naturally fine. Harriet Rivers Is en-
lowed plentifully with all the qualities
needed by heroine, who Is lighting Tor
social redemption. but she must share
first hono1s with Margaret Tressider. who
possesses the humor. cleverness and trick
cries of a Becky Sharp. together with
a saving nobility that is entirely her
own. AS foil to these warm hearted.
spontaneous women, there is the tremen-
dously cultured Mrs. Ermyntrude Bend
ing who exacts homage and gets IT. and
Marsalet's Aunt Caroline, a tyrannicai Old
nerson. who is made to realize that the
,1ay of the broW-beaten. i'll paid compan-
ion is forever past, and who makes an
eleventh hour attempt to break out OF ier
lark age into the sunlight of a day that
demands woman's duty to woman.
Capt. Edward Bending, an arctic eN-
nlorer home with laurels. is d hearty
iovable fellow. and DR.. Edgar is force
ful tyDe of man, who recognizes that
he IS sacrificing honor for fame ana
puineas and who saves dllmsef before
il is too late There are other characters,
notably Paul. whom nature has not Gone
quite the fair thing by, and young Bess'
whom Margaret descr bes as Suggesting
fresh spring leaves. There is glimpse
~ far-off Tromsoe. where Harriet and
Cant. Bending begin their romance, ana
an introduction to the whale lady, VINO
makes a fortune in oil. The Sr' lat qles-
ton of Harriet Rivers having been settied
IA the satisfaction of everybody In the
book. there is still another that concerns
only two: The question whether or MOI 1t
he lawful before God and man to hasten