Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-12-05

ting forth the limitations which circum-
stances have placed upon the activities
of the powers acting in concert.
THE AMERICAN STAGE OF TODAY.
BY Walter Prichard Eaton. Boston:
Small Maynard & Co.
1t is the fashion of some commentators
upon the dramatic tendencies Of the day
to decry the American stage as deca-
dent to deplore the lack of native talent
and of strong tendencies toward the evo-
luton of the ideal of the drama. Mr..
Eaton, who occupies a distinct place
among the prominent critics Of New York
city. does not lean to this view. He is
an optimist. seeing in the failures and
successes Of the modern stage only the
working out of a normal problem and
with hope high and undiminished for the
future of the theater. In his capacity
critic he recognizes the limitations of
the playwright. the necessities of prac-
teal living, the needs of the hour. and
he Is at no time patroniZing nor does
he compromise with the high principles
that should govern in any intellectual
enterprise. In his Confessions of
Critic" a paper which closes this highly
interesting volume. he says: eve do not
know what the drama of tomorrow will
be. nor do we know what the truth of
tomorrow will be. But they will surely
be something different and let us have
the courage to believe that through our
human efforts they will be something
better" In this faith he looks upon the
plays that fail as being contributors to
the end as well the plays that sue
coed. The chapters. which were printed
in the main at the time of their writing in
the columns of the New York Sun. en-
The Witching Hour" Paid in Full"
rens of Virginia. THE TESTERS The
Secret Orchard and other notable pro-
auctions of the past few seasons. Incl
dentally there is a great deal in Mr..
Eaton's text. which treats of the funda-
mental principles of dramatic construc-
ton and production His style is sincere.
though not heavy. 1t is the expression
of quietly humorous philosopher upon a
subject of the most ltal interest to the
great majority Of people today.
THE WISDOM OF ABRAHAM LIN
COLIN; Being extracts from the
speeches. state papers and letters Of
the great President. New York: A.
Vessels Company. Washington:
William Ballantyne & Sons.
This little book. presenting extracts
from Lincoln's writings and speeches, will
be Of value this winter when the cente-
nary of his birth is celebrated. There is
wide range in the text. The compiler
has chosen not only from Lincoln's seri-
Gus expressions. but has reproduced some
of his humorous stories, his witty and
satirical comments upon his contempo-
raries and the anecdotes for which he
was famous.
THE CAROLYN WELLS YEAR BOOK;
of Old Favorites and New Fancies
for 1909. New York: Henry Hol. &
Co. Washington: William Bailan-
tyne & Sons.
Those who hold that "a little nonsense
now and then is relished by the best OF
men, have always found Miss Carolyn
Wells good friend to ease the burdens
of modern life. In this year book she has
made it possible for those who possess
it to keep a record of the year and at
the same time to smile every day, for
1t is impossible to open the pages with
out finding something's limerick or a
comparatively long poem or a whimsical
bit Of prose in the familiar CarOlynwellS-
ian style. The illustrations, by various
artists. are in apt relation to the text.
TWENTY YEARS IN PERSIA; A Mar
rative Of Life Under the Last Three
Shahs. By John G. Wishard, MA,
Md. director of the American
Presbyterian Hospital. Teheran. New
York: Fleming H. Revell Company.
Recent events in Persia caused by the
awakened political consciousness of the
people and eliminating in the granting
and later withdrawal of constitution by
the shah lave drawn to that land the
attention Of all students of political af-
fairs throughout the world and have rem
dered of value the testimony of those
who have visited Persia and carried from
1t distinct impressions of it's institutions
and people. The present work is of this
character DR.. Wishard. who has spent
many years in Teheran as director of the
American Presbyterian Hospital, has had
an exceptional opportunity to judge of the
conditions and his present work has the
authority of personal research. He writes
in an easy style about things which have
come under his direct observation and
gives his volume journalistic value by
reciting the circumstances of the recent
poli;i changes. The book is freely il
Illustrated from photographs.
CORRIE WHOs BY Macmillan Foster
Illustrations by George Brehm. Ros-
ton: Small, Maynard & Co.
This is a brisk, fascinating story OF
New York life, treating of the efforts of
a young woman to discover her identity
and the reason why she was kept in doubt
regarding her parentage and origin. The
tale centers around the attempt Of vul-
gar. r.ch woman to establish herself as
social factor in the metropolis, and the
author presents a humorous picture OF
her salon. with it's collection of freaks
and imitation Bohemians. The tale car
ries the reader down into Greenwich
village, that quaint relic of old New York
on the west side, where even now may be
found traces of a former gentility. The
story is inSiStent in it's demands upon the
attention, and there will be few readers
who starting it will stop before reach
ing the last page. Mr. Foster, the author,
was to have gone aloft in the Wright
aeroplane at Fort Myer on the day when
Lieut. Selfrdge was killed. but an &C
cident prevented him from keeping his
engagement, and he was thus probably
saved from the fate that overlook the
unfortunate army officer
THE GENTLE CRATER By o.
Henry, author of The Voice ~ the
City. New York: The Mcclure
Company. Washington: Woodward
& Lothrop.
If this is not actually the funniest book
of the year it is perhaps because Mr..
Henry has written another. This master
of the short story of humor tells in these
fourteen tales of the experiences of a
pair of financiers. jeff Peters and Andy
Tucker, who regard the whole world as
their oyster, and use their cleverness as
an ODenin1 knife They do everything