The Detroit times., 1908-10-24
BOOKS

7 DOONO
Peter" by +. Hopkinson Smith.
Peter Gray son, an elderly bank teller
is the chief character. though not nom
inally the hero. The author intro
duces a chivalrous and high'minded
Young southerner Ia 10 the heroic
work. This young man comes up out
Of The provinces and accepts posi-
ton with his uncle's brokerage firm IN
Wnll-st. When he finds that things
are rather crooked and that lambs
are really and truly shorn he becomes
righteously and suddenly indignant
tells his employer that he is scoun-
drel and leaves the business Win the
intention OF earning living Tor MIN
self He is a nice, conventional young
hero; and there Is an equally nice
conventional young heroine. For MS
real edification the reader turns 10
Peter Grayson and finds In him 10.
table character. He Is gentleman OF
taste and refinement, and plays most
important part. too; one that reai'y
entities him TO the honor OF hero, al
though Mr.. Smith entities his WORK,
Peter, Novel OF Which he Is NOT
the Hero" Peter" involves strands
OF business and strands OF romance
in due proportion. and II IL written
after the fine optimistic spirit fof
which the author Is SO we'll known IN
his capacity OF writer.
(Chas. Scribner's Sons. New YORK;
Macauley's. Sheehan's and HUDSON b.
Detroit)
The Panther" by Anne Warner. A
very beautiful allegory 10 THIS IN
which, to the woman whom tate mas
separated from her mate, comes the
panther OF temptation. at nrst as
shadowy. harmless kitten. but stead
lily growing before the woman's eyes
every time she yields IL caress or
lets 1t lick her hand. When she nrst
saw IL in company with the man sue
shuddered with loathing, and then sne
wrung from him the explanation--as
long as men and men only had deal
ings with the panther II would be iraiI
and helpless. But with woman 10
abhor. to shrink from II was the only
safeguard. Aversion was their shield.
Ignorance and isolation their only sal
walton. The smile is worked out In
a beautiful descriptive narrative; the
panther grows and grows, but In the
end the woman triumphs by dying.
the invisible panther having torn out
her heart. The Panther" is very las
cinating. The Illustrations by Paul
X. NJ. Thomas, and the press work and
binding are all high class.
(Small, Maynard & Co.. Boston;
Macauley's, Sheehan's. and Hudsons.
Detroit.)
Lewis Rand" by Mary Johnston.
The characters in Lewis Rand are all
virginians, and all except Rand him
self are OF the Virginian nobility.
Thomas Jefferson Is one Of the import
ant people Of the book. II Is Jefferson
who takes Lewis Rand. son OF de-
graded white laborer In the tobacco
fields, makes a man of him, gives him
the advantage of education and sets
him on the road that opens up before
the upstarts boundless ambition. This
young man aims high-he would be
nothing less than king. He becomes
entangled in the Aaron Burr conspir-
acy and is rescuted from the net by
the efforts of very devoted friend.
Later on this friend Is murdered by
Rand. The remarkable young man
marries a daughter Of the aristocracy
and, in his passionate way, Is devoted
to her. He becomes a great and I'm
portant man. but in his ascent he Tor
gets those who have benefited him on
the way. fhe end of the tale Is, Heees-
sarily. very tragic. Lewis Rand" Is
notable achievement. Ii is up to
all lovers Of good reading matter to
purchase a copy of this excellent book.
(Houghton, Mifflin & Co., Boston;
Macauleys, Sheehan's and Hudsons.
Detroit.)
1.-The Devil" by Adrian Schade van
Westrum. A novel founded on the
popular play Of Ferenc Molnar, as pro-
duced at the Belasco theater, New
York, by Harrison Grey Fiske. For
the benefit of those who do not knew
the play, 1t may be said that the plot
is of q man and woman. she unhap-
PLY married, but both fighting against
and both falling because
of the Vaccinations OF the devil. who
beguiles, fools until weak nature
yields. The devil Is pictured as
modern. fascinating man OF the world,
who appeared from the depths OF
chair In the studio OF an artist, at a
crucial moment, In highly dramatic
scene. The change from play to novel
form Is an excellent piece OF work and
makes an exceedingly readable book.
The illustrations are from scenes In
the play.
CO. w. Dillingham; Co.. New York:
Sheehan's and Hudson's.