Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-06-06
BOOK REVIEWS.

the seriousness of purpose with
which the author has written
this book than of the unusual
interest of the product. In the
complex social structure of The Iah1or-
MANS" the process of amalgamation ns-
tween the new and the old. the Spanish
and the Yankee. elements is represented In
all of it's varying shades OF completeness
The successful '.forty-niner" and his d.
scendants the modern importation from
the east, the Mexican und arstructurc, the
Spaniard who has adapted himself to new
conditions, and the old grandee WHO has
been vorsted in the contest with Yankee
landsrabpers. these are the more signih-
can, of the types that crowd Miss Ather-
toms canvas.
With this wonderful. shifting, colorful
background, the main personages OF the
romance need be forceful to enable them
TO detach themselves and step forward
into the neces sary relief. 1t is no small
tribute to the authors skill that this has
been accomplished. The interest centers
around two families. dashing, dissipated
kindly Jack Belmont, and his equally
brilliant daughter. and the .Yorba family.
Don Roberto. who has saved himself
from the ruin that overlook his brother
grandees by allying himself with the cleV-
er Yankee speculator, Polk. and also by
marrying Folks sister. The Belmonts
represent the picturesque mining adNen-
turers who remained to rear the struc-
ture Of San Franciscos "old families en-
trenched on Mob Hill. The Yorbas eX-
hibit the results of Spanish pride and pas
sion grated on to the cool and master
full energies of New England.
Don Roberto Yorha is a keen and pow
erful study. With little ability of his own,
with the inherent Incidence and eXtrava-
gance Of his race. he has yet been able
10 grasp the fact that in the Yankees is
to be found the dominant race. Because
of his admiration for Polk and the IA
natical belief in him and the tendencies
he represents, Yorba is able to curb his
own recklessness and has made of him.
self. when the story opens, one of the
ruling financiers of his native California.
All things American are to him fetch.
He carries business caution to the point
of niggardliness. he worships the flag as
the symbol of the power that had saved
him from ruin. The reader sees his
obsession approach the point of mania. On
the occasion of the death bf Polk the
latent insanity develops itself. Fear that
his native tendencies will reassert them
selves so works upon Yorbas mind that
he becomes in the midst of millions the
gloomiest of madmen. suicide from ab-
Ject fear Of poverty.
II Yorba represents the grating on to
an alien stock of new principles. in Mag
dalena, his daughter. the reader is able
to observe the warfare of opposing ten
QenClGS, until the maj TeSOlntlOU lHtO ilIie
balance and power. There are few more
significant creations in literature than
the spectacle of this girl, in whom min
gle what at first appear to be the least
admirable traits of the two races. setting
herself with the tenacity and clearness of
purpose of New England forbears to Gre
ate for herself a personality of power and
distinction. With no beauty, with GER
tain sluggishness of mind to overcome,
with all of the passion and intensity of
grace and charm, she wages continual
warfare for an ideal of character which
she has. In some mysterious fashion
evolved Through neglect. disappointment.
sacrifice, sordtd tragedy, all of which Gull
inmate in a wild storm of feeling where
her own revolted tendencies are In SYM
pathy with the winds of one of San
FranciSco's sandstorms, she struggles
painfully into ultimate peace and happi-
ness. The main conception of personal
ity has been maintained by such consist
ent sincerity of incident and detail that
Magdalena stands out an achievement
OF a nature to make the authors former
work. brilliant as it has been. seem a
preparation for this latest development.
THE SMALL COUNTRY PLACE. BY
Samuel T. Maynard. professor of
botany and horticulture at the Mas
sachusetts College, etc. One Hundred
illustrations Philadelphia: j. B.
Lippincott Company.
This is a valuable book for the man
who. having the love for country life, !
has but small resources with which to
crafty it. There are suggestions for re-
modelling and improving old buildings at
moderate cost. with practical Informal
ton on such subjects as roofs and gut
tiers. shingles, the purity of the water sup
ply. farming tools, poultry houses. paint
ing old buildings. kinds of paint. etc. In
connection with building new houses, con-
tract and day labor. location, houses of
wood brick. stone and cement houses are
discussed. The matter of outside decora-
ton. lawns and flower gardens, we'll as
industrial occupations. fruit growing. mar
ket gardening. poultry keeping, dairying
and the like complete the subject-matter
of the book. The illustrations are plenti-
full and illuminative.
THE LOVE SONNETS OF CIR con-
DUCTOR. BY Wallace Irwin author
of The Love Sonnets Of a Hoodlum.
etc. With a harmless and instructive
Introduction by Woligang Coperni-
Gus Addleburger. professor of liter
airy bi-products. University of Monte
Carlo. New York: Paul Elder & Co.
The uttermost limit of street slang as
source of humorous intention is reached
in this latest effort of the jingle-producer
There may be some readers who will be
amused at the heart history of the
amorous conductor and his Pansy. but the
fun Is too forced and the slang too recon-
dte to do much more than arouse an oc-
casional well-intentioned smile.
Low TWELVE. BY Edward S. Ellis
AN, PM. Trenton IN. j. Lodge,
No. ). F. and A. NJ. New York: F.
r. Niglutsch.
The author has brought together
series Of incidents illustrative of the
fidelity of Free Masons to one another in
narrative OF the collection takes the
reader into the dangers of Indian war
fare. when the ruthless Geronimo was on
the warpath. Even there a Mason proves
himself a faithful ally OF the whites. The
book Is prefaced by a history of Free
masonry. Z
THE GRAY KNIGHT. by Mrs. Henry
de La Pasture. author of Peters
Mother" etc New York: E. p. Dut-
ton & Co.
A gentle young widow lovely Eng
lish landscape. an old gray castle and
q man past his youth but with the heart
of a knight are the chief elements in
Mrs. de la Pastures quiet romance. The
stor, pursues a level which is not many-
degrees above monotony. but which is
pervaded by certain sympathy and by
faithful portraits of English ~ pes. The
heroine. Louise, is an appealing creature.
and the reader is pleased to take his
leave of her safe in the haven she most
desires. The book is marked by the re-
straint and good taste of an earlier Eng
fish school
THE GIRL IN QUESTION; Story Of