Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-02-27
BOOK REVIEWS.

THE THREE BROTHERS. BY Eden
Phillpotts. author of The Secret
Woman" etc. New York: The Mac
milan Company. Washington: Bren-
tanos.
IN some respects this is Mr.. Phil
potts strongest novel. His eXcep-
tional powers of psychological anal
ysis. which have Yielded such dra-
matte stirring character presenta-
lions as The Secret Woman. are in
The Three Brothers" at their height OF
development 1t is altogether character
istic of this writer that he should con-
Centrate the readers attention. not upon
the romance of the young. but upon the
soul growth of an elderly man. OF the
three brothers Humphrey Baskerville is
at the outset of the narrative the least
admirable. Crusty. pesSimistic' suspi-
cious and narrow in view. he held nothing
in fun favor and was himself rated low
in the esteem of his fellow men. His
eldest brother Vivian had giant s.
strength and an inordinate love of work:
He was the masterfu man, jovial and
kind but intolerant of sloth save in his
favorite son. an idler and ne'er-do-well.
Nathan Baskerville loved the praise OF
men. was the neighborhoOd banker and
adviser held up to all model of in
dustry. virtue and geniality. How first
Vivian died i'm disappointment, after driv
ing his most worthy son from him for
daring to choose a wife in his own way
and time, Mr.. PhillpOttS tells effectively.
Then Nathan fails not merely in health
and fortune. but in the regard of his
former friends, and great reputation is
blasted. while the gossiping world round
about only tardily learns of even more
shameful facts in the life of the once
popular hero. Thus Humphrey remains
the last of the Baskerville brothers.
scarecrow in his miserly clothes and
man apart from the community. yet
growing steadily in spirit and developing
a humanity passing far beyond the trum-
perry virtues accredited to his brothers
ny the populace. His secret discharge of
Nathan's Indebtedness, with fierce fear
of discovery, brings about climax
which has few equals in English fiction
for sincere effectiveness.
The story is thfckly peopled. with in
terestfng characters, after Mr. Phillpotts'
generous fashion. The parish clerk and
his sister who resent the innovations of
the new vicar: the thieving vicarage gar
dener: Jack Head. the radical and trou-
BILE maker: Susan Hacker. Humphreys
housekeeper. with her fondneSs for the
drop of gin that unlocked the storehouse
of her secrets: the Lnterns, of mysteri-
Gus origin. especially Cora, the tickle,
calculating beauty. who stands forth as
one of Mr.. Phillpotts' most distinct char
acter creations-these are some of the
personages who make 1.-The Three Broth
ers' convincing tale OF Devonshire life
of absorbing interest.
CHRISTOPHER HIBBAULT. ROAD
MAKER. By Marguerite Bryant
New York: Duf1eld & Co.
Just why the author of this story of
English life should give her heros name
In the title as ''Hibbault'' Is to be re-
saIded with speculative interest. He was
born Masters. became Hibbault in his
infancy and early youth through the die
tum of his mother upon leaving her rich
husband for reasons that were salts
factory to her. was given the name Aston
when he was adopted from the poorhouse.
where his mother had died in her wander
ings, and finally, for legal reasons. re-
sumed his true name, the name of his
father, whom he hated. But, whether
Hibbault,- Masters or Aston. Christopher
is worthy of first place In a story and his
name should be blazoned. for he is
character of strength and loving qualities.
that will be easy to travel on and that
will last" All, how well qualified was
that poor little chap to pass upon the
wretchedness of the roads, over which
she fed FROM the evil of bad mems in
huencei The man who loved her and lost
her found him. waif. himself hopeless
cripple and hungering for, love. This
promise of a man grow into one life and
are of great help mutually. The boy
is trained carefully out of the ways of
laxity learned by him in the slums despite
his mothers care. He is trained to be
honest and steadfast and ambitious, and
then he is tempted by a wonderful OPP
portunity. But his love for the man who
rescued him from poverty calls him back
into his lines of wholesome usefulness,
and it is not until he proves his worth
and solves the problems on which he has
been working that an accident summons
him to take his place at the head of the
activities which In his heart he despises,
but which he is determined to utilize for
the benefit Of his workers ChristOpher's
love story is subordinate to the develop
ment Of his sense of moral obligation.
His relations to Aymer Aston. his adopted
father and to Peter Masters. his real
father constitute one of the most adeptly
conceived and effectively written novels
Of long period. 1t is story Of insight
and power.
THE WEB OF THE GOLDEN SPIDER.
BY Frederick Grin Bartlett. author
of Joan of the Alley" etc. Illus
trated by Harrison Fisher and
Charles NJ Relyea. Boston: Small,
Maynard & Co.
Leaving logic all aside and granting
that a theological student without
penny would knock a policeman down in
order to rescue a strange young woman
from arrest, and would then break into a
house to avoid capture with her. the
reader will have no difficulty following