The morning journal-courier., 1908-11-19
Book Reviews.

and "A Critical Examination of Soc ialism, and as controversialist WMt- CT on the rallacjos of socialism is rec nowned both for his vigorous ard his scholarly treatment of the subject Of his new book the New York American reviewer remarks:
 "In the elaboration of the incidents that bring Bartun's climax of sorrow, Ml. Mallock has distinguished himself ably Where he has failed is in break
 Ing off the second relation, between Sir Rawlm stanton and Nest Vivian, with an abruptness and lndecison of intention that make us suspect he found himself at a loss how to deal with it. Apart from this fault how ever the story Is curIously interest Ing Mr. MallOCk incidentally dls- plays more than superficial acqualn- lanae with the results Of the latest re- searches Into the phenomena of double and multiple personality, In the per- son of Dr. Thistlewood he creates sa- want of unusual eruditIon and gifted with uncommon powers of logical thinking, The arguments between hm and Barton are st forth with a breadth of statement, for both the scientist and the theologIan, that admirably pre- sents each point of view with excellent appreciation Tho story is unusual and deserves morethan a passing attcntlon.' THE DISTRIBUTORS. By Anthony
 Partridge. Published by the Mcclure
 Company New York. Sl,5Oi at
 Judd's,
 Mir, Partridge has given us a very
 Ingenious and well written story In "The Distribution" It is a clever satire on modern English society The plot turns on the efforts of a secret society of wealthy, high bred dillettantes to cx- tract new new sensations and excite, ments out of every day life which for them has become dull and played out They were cynical men and women not old In years, not al all dccrepit or Oslerized but they had drank the cup of pleasure to the dregs and craved some new excitement They hit upon an expedlent nt last to beguile away the tedium of existence. and struck oIl' when they had almost reached despair, when as ono of them said wcarily: "Wc came to the front where We loked around and found the burden of existence day by day becoming al- most insupportahlc. We had eaten ur all our energies the ways about us were scattered with the Fragments of our broken dreams There was not a person left who could add to life the flavor which keeps us from madness.
 They became distributors" of ill- gotten wealth which they had burglar. i2cd from the possossors and gave vast sums anonymously to hospitals and other charitable institutions and all London was agog with interest over these great bcnefactions Tho press went wild over these distributions and likewise over stupcndous robberies or burglarics which had occurred at the same time Detectives wore them. selves thin In their efforts to ferret out the burglars whose spoils were jewel, of immense value besides cash in largc sums, etc. The book, IS has been well remarked Is an exposition of clever criminalIty equaling the exploits Of famous characters in fiction and is a clever exposure of fallacy in human reasoning on one of life's great prob. lens, The characters who compose tho sccrt society Ghosts" they tern themselves Include a beautiful young Duchess married when a mere slip ol 2 girl and separated from her husband at twenty polished lord who al thirty eight has seen about all the so, cial pleasures of life, and whom th, Duchess is deeply in love with: an au. thoress; an old professor and sevcia others There Is also a beautiful, art less, unspoled girl, who is tho daughter of the fabulously rich, educated ln valid who plays the role of the pawn
 broker 10 turn into cash the proceeds of the burglares through agencies r 1 France and other foreign countries ! The beautiful girl plays a big ant beautiful part in the story and in on, mans life. There Is rich American girl also who brings on the danger O exposure to the Ghosts" and Is th, means of the disruption of the society 1 Mir. Partridge has given Us a thorough l ly absorbing story,