Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-04-18

the negroes by what they believed mani
festations of the ancestral 'ha'nt' is very
wildly done.
"Four-Pools'' is a stock farm set in the
beautiful Shenandoah valley. To this
quiet spot a worn-out New York lawyer.
cousin of the owner of the stock farm
goes for vacation. and he is the mar
rator of the story. There are bitter quar-
rels between Radnor and his father, hot
satrited both: and Polly and Radnor hur'
where they care most. There were queer
doings on the plantation. and when the
old colonel Is found foul'y murdered sus-
p1clon falls upon Radnor. The unraVeling
of the succession of mysteries which come
thick and fast and of the final tragedy
which seems to involve in its disaster the
life and hopes of the last of this Inflated
family is the clever work of clever New
York newspaper chap.
Altogether THE Four-Pools Mystery"
is a book which will keep it's readers W
o nights.
THE REAPING. BY Mary INLAY Tay-
Tor. author of "On the Red Stair
case" ETC. With a Frontispiece in
Color by George Alfred Williams.
Boston: Little, Brown & Co.
Miss Taylor's new Washington story
opens with promise of great things. The
suggestions of character of the leading
personages. the pervadng atmosphere of
preston of brillancy which the author
has known how to produce. go far to Gre
ate a conviction of the real weight of the
book as an analysis of Washington life.
But the promise is not fulfilled. AS the
story progresses it becomes evident that
it is a somewhat conventional and senti-
mental romance. in which the brilliant
and forceful personality of possible
statesman becomes metamorphosed into
~ syr@ &c no
cause of the brilliancy Of the authors
adaptation of certain phases Of Washing
ton political and social life. the general
impression of largeness of motive and
weight Of personality that the reader is
somewhat unreasonably disappointed and
thereby fails to enjoy what is really an
admra BILE and brilliant story.
Praise must be given to Miss Taylor's
clever seizure of the Washington atmos-
phere. While 1t is possible that it is in
the superficial aspects that her work Is
most successful. 1t Is still undoubtedly
true that Washngtonians will, recognize
many of the influences that go to make
the individuality of the city they know.
The survival of old social standards in
the opposed personalities of Mrs. Alestree
and Mrs. O'Neal. the rivalries of the Off
cial set and the rigor of the Puritan sur
vival in the Judge and his daughter Rose
make up composite picture that is at
least c'ose to its original. 1t is In the
later stages of the love story that GER
tain crudity and feminine weakness mar
the effect. And the discerning reader is
inclined to believe that 1t Is the stronger
elements of the authors work that will
in some later work. prevail. There is real
cleverness in the dialogue and much
grasp of character shown in the portrai-
ture In which the book aboundS, pOr-
traiture which is perhaps more completely
successful in the minor personages than
in the main actors in the romance
THE MARQUIS AND PAMELA. BY
Edward H. Cooper. author IF The
Monk Wins" etc. Pictures by Julia
Roper New York: Duff1eld & Co.
The exasperated reader is forced into
wonder as to just why Mr. Cooper has
written this book. The undeniable inter
est in his portrayal of an English sport
ing set is interrupted by SO many changes
of front regarding his characters that the
resulting combustion of an unenlightened
public will cause that long-suffering pub
lie to close the book with bang. For
example the author has just succeeded in
presenting a thoroughly repulsve picture
Of moral ruin when, by an altogether dis
eliminating suicide on the part of the
ruin the whole social fabric of the very
British mlieu is-right face.-forced into
an attitude of thoroughly British shock
which results In the social ostracism of
the young lady who has-with an uneX-
pected gIimmer of good sense-Jilted the
moral ruin. Again. Mr.. Cooper has but
just worked his audience into sympathy
with the outra gad British sporting public
when he again reversas front and expects
the audience to be satisfied with the YER
dict of the novelist presiding providence
which rewards the foully Tilted young
woman by the poss oSsiOn of the marquis.
who being less thoroughly morally ruined
In OF nf on0r lie "a
the matrimonial catch of the book. His
eligibility is further increased by the fact
that he is rising fifty-fve, and therefore
apt. in the course of nature, to leave Pa
mela in possession of vantage from
which no amount of her native worthless
ness can dislodge her. AS a picture OF
the corrupting influence of completely
idle existence the novel may be of great
value. But in his literary mans capacity
of censor Of manners and morals. wha.
is Mr.. Cooper's point of view? He owes
the public. no less than the critic. an ex
PLANTATION.
WILLIAM JORDAN, JUNIOR. BY ]. c.
Snaith. author of Broke of Coven-
den," etc. New York: Moffat. Yard &
Co.
This is a book of curious and reconcile
interest AS an attempt to portray the in
huences that go to create a genius. the
attitude the genius to"diu tHc WI ~
and the fate which overtakes him, it has
lndoubted elements of greatness. But in
the development of the theme the long al
legory becomes somewhat dreary. the con-
trasting realistic passages are out of key
beyond what they should be for purposes
of artistic contrast. and. finally. the ro-
nance Is too bloodless to completely hoid
the sympathy OF the reader throughout
ito course. The element which Jimmy
Dodson brings into the book OF simple
hearted affection on the part OF man
Who feels in some dumb way the great
mass of the poet while he is in complete
darkness with regard to his thought Efe.
is most grateful in the midst of the gen
eral insubstantiality. AS an attempt 10
represent the almost impossible, the re-
,.tion between the material world and the
60 of genius. Mr. Snaith has won the
resnectful acknowledgment of the THINK
to World AS work of art the book Is
far from satisfactory. AIlegory Is the
rock on which more than one great writer
80 struck And this particular expert
mont Of representing the allegorlcal sue
NV eide with the baldest realism has pre-
santed nroblems which were too great
for the author to successfully solve
uANNELE. DREAM POEM. Ry
Gereart Hauptmann, author o: Inc
SurSen Bell" etc Rendered into
English verse and prose by Charles
Henry Meltzer. Decorated New
York: Doubleday. Page & co.
~, reason of the controversy which for
q time ragged over this dream play OF
it attained an even create;
potoriety than it's inherent qualities would