Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-11-06

ness that We so often miss in the hurry
of our busy way
To the interest Of the text is added the
charm of a number of Photographic views.
A LADY OF THE OLD REGIME. BY
Ernest F. Henderson. New York:
The Macmillan Company. Washing
ton: BrentanO'S.
This particular lady was the sister-in-
law Of Louis XIV. whose letters have sur
vived to give an intimate insight into
the social happenings Of that monarch's
reign. Written with a disregard OF pru-
dence permissible in one who is dishing
up court fetes. scandals and family de-
tails for a gossip-loving aunt, these
budgets show. as no formal chronicle
could, the real character OF the man who
lives in history as the most magniicently
extravagant ruler in the annals Of France.
Madame admits the fabulous fortunes
spent on the gardens and fountains OF
Versailles and describes with 1eSt the
constant succession of festivities and ever
new fabrics and laces that taxed the
looms Of the land. But she also finds I'm
Louis seeming recklessness a shrewd
scheme TO give the people work and cites
throve as never before i'm the history OF
France
Madames associates are frequently vic
Tins Of her assailing pen. but she also
displays generous responsiveness that
proves she could love as earnestly as she
despised.
There are many illustrations depicting
the fetes and ceremonies of the court.
together with copies from portraits of
Louis XIV and Of the women whose ca
reers were so closely allied with his own.
THE CLUE. By Carolyn Wells. With
frontispiece by Frances Rogers.
Philadelphia: ]. r. Lippincott Com
pany.
The clue in this case was a small silver
coated cachou which the murderer care
lessly dropped upon the drawing room
floor on the way to or from the scene of
crime. 1t was not until a real profess
sonal detective had been brought into
the case that he recognized the impor-
tance OF this little silver pellet and by
an extremely simple deduction fastened
the crime upon the guilty person. Up to
this time the amateurs who had been
daIlying with the. case. working along
lines of exclusion. were utterly at a loss
to know who had plunged q Venetian
dagger into the bosom of the fair heiress
on the eve Of her wedding. with an in
timation of suicidal intent lying under
her hand in a handwriting remarkably
like her own.
THE ISLE OF DEAD SHIPS. By Crit
tenden Marriott. illustrated by
Frank McKernan. Philadelphia: J.
b. Lippincott Company.
Mr. Marriott owes to the scientific world
an explanation of the process OF power
storage whereby it was possible for
Frank Howard to send a wireless mes
sage from the heart of the Sargasso sea.
whittier he and his companions had been
drifted after the shipwreck. When the
steamer Republic was wrecked by a col
lision a few months ago the wireless ap-
paratus was worked until the engines
were stopped. Possibly the steamer Ches-
ter. in which Howard was imprisoned by
the ruler OF the Sargasso colony, carried
some new system Of electrical concentra-
ton. But the wireless incident is not the
least surprising Of those which make up
this remarkable tale OF condolences and
adventures. Things happen so oppor-
tunely or inopportunely, according to the
point of view. that. the reader is never
left stra nded In a calm. This Is Mr.. Mar
RIOTS first long story after the -produc-
tion of number OF short ones. 1t is
lively to the point Of excitement. but 1t is
no narrative for an analytical reader. 1t
must % taken on trust.
THE PRODIGAL FATHER. BY JStorer
Clouston. author Of The Lunatic at
at Large" etc. New York: The Cen
fury Company.
Mr. Clouston should have carried this
: story a little fartilf along. To be sure
the romantic reasoyS for tracing the re-
markable' career a Mr.. Walkingshaw
ceased with+t the union OF those in whose
happiness the reader is interested. but
here is a man who. by reason Of q course
of electrical treatment has for a year or
so been growing steadily younger and
who has proRressed-or MISREPRESENTATION
sixty to a semblance of twenty. Is Mr..
Walkingshaw to revert to the cradle? Is
he to go out OF existence by the reverse
process. The author lays down his pen
at the most tantalizing moment. after
having told a story that for sheer good
humor and clever characterization will
win a host OF readers regardless Of its
scientific suggestion.
TRAVELS OF FOUR YEARS AND
HALF IN THE UNITED STATES
OF AMERICA DURING lids, 1909,
1900, 1901 AND 1897. BY John Davis.
With an Introduction and Notes by
A. j. Morrison. New York: Henry
Holt & Co. Washington: Vim. Bal
lantyne & Sons.
John Davis came to the United States
from England In 1873 for tho purpose of
studying the country. He was a wan
derer by nature, having Travelled widely
and with some exciting adventures both
In the navy and outside OF the service.
He was a voracious reader and a close
student, so that when he landed In this
country he was well equipped to observe
conditions in the new republic and to
express his opinions acceptably. After
four years spent here. in the course of
which he maintained himself by teaching
languages, he returned to England. and
two years later came back to the United
States. Thu account OF his travels in the