Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-04-11

work untangles and pieces together the
fragmentary threads of the early Spanish
records and NeaveS them into a clear anu
consecutive narrative that makes the
story of the great peninsula vivid. Many
readers VIII learn for the first time thal
Lower California is not an utterly barren
waste: that it is tropical country with a
sa!ubrlous climate and many regions OF
luEuria1t vegetation: that its northern
and southern parts are utterly unlike one
! another and that rich resources abound
| that are certain to be developed. The book
closes with a present. ton of the many
reasons why purchase of this TERRITORY
| by the United States would be reasonable
and advantageous. II is a pioneer book
| iii A new field.
OLD WIVES FOR NEW. BY David
Graham Phillips. New York: d. APP
pleton & Co.
Mr. Phillips latest novel is predestined
to occasion a great deal of dscu sion. II
las the qualities Of realism. force. I'M
compromising Americanism that have
| marked former works. and III addition
bears more heavily than its author has
yet done upon certain phases of the
seamX side of life. Its realism is unre-
ieHed. often crude in its quality.
Allowing for somewhat undue en-
phasis. the reader VIII be sure to recog
ern social system are presented with
considerable force. He will probably BE-
come somewhat bored by the persistent
chrunlcllDg of the mutations of Sophy's
aG1pose tissue and the most eXactpg
physical culture disciple will he more
than satisfied with the srace given to the
varying tints of her complexion CORE
spending 10 the various states of cha
cite liver. The treatment of the influence
o. taste and careful grooming upon fem
hn dos u Ill I-,1cr
powers of obse. walton. and the several
sketches of the under world give rise to
the usual queries to their adviSablity.
That the book attacks one point until
Ii IS hammered into unm.stakable shape
annCt be doubted. or that il is a useful
point to he emphasized. The condition
Of inertia that prevails with many wom-
OF past their first youth and bound TO
no necessity for industry in any l.ne-an
inertia which undoubtedly leads to many
of the conditions Mr.. Phillips 50 graph
icsly describes-is undoubtedly some
thing worth while entering into de
against. The picture of Sophy'S candy
eating. understanding laziness. with its
retribution in the shape OF fat is one
that most readers will recognize. III so
far as the book is an argument in favor
of divorce it is an argument that does
rot seem to be particularly needed But
il is possible that the strongest influence
Of the book will be to induce many a fat
delight and live laborious days'-and do
her ten miles day.
THE HEART OF A CHILD: Being Pas
sages from the Early Life of Sally
Shape. Lady kidderminster. BY
Frank Dandy. author OF Pigs in
Clover etc. New York: The Mac
milan Company. Washington:
Woodward Il Lothrop.
The strong point of this really beautiful
story by Frank Dandy is its human APP
peal. No one can fail to fall in love with
Sally: she is one of the most appealing
and spontaneous beings that has appeared
in fiction for long time. The author has
succeeded in creating a girl who could
credibly work the miracle Sally is cred
tied with performing-pass through the
road of a fashionable millinery esta blish-
ment. and the music hall and variety
stage. graduate into the English aristoc-
racy and still retain her child heart and
her honest righteousness. 1t Is not re-
marka BILE that she succeeds in convincing
her manly young lover. kidderminster.
his somewhat more difficult family, and
the even more difficult smart world when
she so entirely convnces her too-wise
readers of her complete desirab'ity. AS
an argument in favor of the victory of
good and pure traits over evil environ
ment the book is document in favor of
optimism. 1t is more than that a thor
Oughly delightful and sunny story. with
not dull page and with many tliat have
remarkably strong appeal to the emo
tons Nor Is the optimism secured by
surring over the corruption through
which Sally moves her honest way
There are not many more forcible stud
les OF thoroushgoins innate depravty in
fiction than that of Lady Dorothea Ly-
than. Nor are the men and women of
cpt al no dob
painted in any but uncompromisng
terms. But the sweet and wholesome
idyl of Sally and her Kidderminster out
weighs them all.
YARD AND GARDEN: Book of Prac-
tica1 1nforma ton for the Amateur
Gardener N City. Town or Suburb
BY Harrington Baker. Illustrated
with PhotOgra phs and DiaeramS
Indianapolis: The Bobbs Merrill
Company
Since this is the season OF the year when
everybody wants to he making a garden.
this volume will be found timely indeed
The author begins by analyzing the pos
sibilities of the ordinary city backyard
He proposes plans of decoration. methods
of cultivating lawns. flower beds. window
boxes. trees, vines. ANIMALS, perennials IN
fact plants of al varieties. There are
practical suggestions on fertilizers hints
10 insects and diseases. all il such com
pact. easily located. paragraphs that the
perjurbed garden maker may discover. the
root of any difficulty with the minimum of
time. The book is completed with a
chart which shows what hardy bulbs TO
plant. with the time of their pla nting in
order 10 insure succession of flowers of
this class practically all the year round
THE WONDER BOOK OF THE .TNos-
PHERE. By Edwin J. Houston.
Ph.D.. author of The Wonder Book
of Volcanoes and Earthnur keS y
With 60 illustrations New York
Frederick a. Stokes Company.
The purpose of "The Wonder Books of
Science is to bring home to the young
reader the fascination of the marvels of
nature, and to explain the wonderful laws
which govern them. The author is singu-
larry happy in getting the point of view
ing his life. a practical scientist and a
successful teacher of boys. he combines
the most desirable forms of experience
The shape, height and composition of
the atmosphere: sound waves. echoes and
sound marvels: climate ''proba bilities''
and the methods of the weather bureau:
storms. cyclones. waterspouts. mysterious
showers: heat and light: mirag es and
raiabOws. are some of the subjects treat
ed in a way that makes the account more
fascinating than the most fanciful story.
THE MAN OF YESTERDAYS: Ro-
nance of a Vanishing Race By
Mary Holland Kinkaid. With Illus
trationS in color by Nolney A. Rich
ardson New York: Frederick A.
stokes Company.