The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-03-07

| in London but he spent the interval be- tween leaving Bundelrs school and go- ing up to Oxford in the care of the Rev. Stephen Bronker, a friend of his father, | who was vicar of st. Uny in the Land $ | End district of Cornwall
 The same thing stopped Paul from be- | coming a minister that has been stop | ping men-when they wished to call It
 that. for 5,eoO years that is since men | began to talk and write about why they | did this or that.
 Of course that red signal was as eves. l some woman. In this case. where th9 l Kiss of Helen stung Paul was while the latter was studying to be priest in
 the Established church at St. Uny in l the Lands End district of Cornwall.
 The same thing happened to Paul that | has happened to practically every man who is worth anything. That is, all Of | sudden he discovers that the census re ports are all wrong as to the female | population of his district, his county his entire country; it flashes to his mind that | there is but one woman in the whole | world.
 Paul was kissed by a very curious 1 combination of woman, older than Paul
 of course, lovely fascinating, very l charming. The hsseree was Miss Joan 1 Keverne who was spending her vacation | in Paul's town. Joan has peculiar ideas
 
 not easy to discuss in a review. You must guess the answer She didn't be- 1 lieVe thoroughly in marriage but there l are indications in this volume to show ! that Joan was willing to be convinced Of | things if the argument had been made ! by the correct party.
 Now the argument of the Kiss of Helen" of course is that here these two l strangers met at St Uny's; they saw each other for only two days; kissed, then ran away to live and kiss another day, i but that those few kisses made or marred i as you may personally decide, the future lives of both Paul and Joan.
 Paul gives up his study to be priest. When he returns to London, after Joans hy-by night from St. Unys, he finds out that loans manner of living had nos been quite the proper thing, so to speak. So Paul will forget her and it. He thinks he does both. But you, the read er can SC that the author will not let CT, can see that the author will not let sleep on the Joan question there would be hardly any excuse for "'rhe Kiss of Helen" 10 continue on its way and it does go a long way after Paul discovers a few things in regard to Joan's past life and her present environment, too, for that matter.
 But when that kiss of Helen, Alice Mabel or Maude, CT any old kiss from the right woman sets the virus to work ing the writers of novels tell us that there is nothing doing but to surrender or run away. Railroad fare in this day and generation of no passes is expen- sive. It is cheaper to stay and fight the virus or kiss as the case may be. Paul tried the game of loving and engaging himself to another woman. That didn't work, that is. to- say. it worked all right until Joan returned to the scene of the trouble-whel Paul-wel Paul did just what every man always does-he fol- lows the flag, if permitted or dies in the attempt.
 The power contained in some little 2xf women's twist of the wrist, ability to wind one around the little finger, glance of the eye-if all that power could be harnessed, put to some commercial or otherwise good use in this so-called prac- tical age-we would really have no need to tie up Niagara Falls electrically.
 Well, Paul meets Joan again and again. Her past life, her ideas things in general her immoral view of things are all shocking to Paul, but what's the diff 1 ference? Nothing at all The virus is on | to it's game; you can't lose the virus of the kiss, so they tell us in books. Paul breaks his engagement to the other wom an, rushes to Joan to be quickly ac- cepted. at what he considered the psy- CuOlOBlCa1 HOHlttlt, IHen WOKE up lTOiu the dream. The book is well worth read ing to find out about Paul and Joan. Really, Paul should have been named Harold, Percy or Clarence. Paul wasn't very much. He did the best he knew how The author accepting Paul as he was, having in Joan Keverne a real good character. one of strength and charm, has made a really interesting book out of ''The Kiss of Helen" Not a book to hrt tn ''The American As He Is," by Nicholas | Murray Butler cThe Macmillan Co) There are three chapters in ''rhe Amer ican As He Is," which include the lec- lures given by the distinguished presi- dent of Columbia university at the Uni- versity of Copenhagen during last Septem- Der. In the first chapter or lecture pr. Butler discusses the American as a polit- !! ical type. In the second lecture, the American apart from his political life is treated. In the third chapter or lecture we read of the intellectual life of the American nation. The book is a small one, having, including index, etc., only a little over 100 pages, but in it there is a remarkable amount of information for the student and the general reader
 Dr. Butler was invited by the Univer- sity of Copenhagen 10 deliver these three lectures. Dr. Butler had great deal to compress within his three talks and he succeeded through the straightforward manner of a well-informed gentleman in covering much that there was to tell of this country.
 There is no bragging; on the contrary there are a few suggestions that America Is not yet perfect; for instance, that our civilization is likely to be impeded by oyer-legislation and mob law both of which Dr. Butler argues tend to bring the law into contempt. The tone of the book Is hopeful. Dr. Butler gives an array of facts which prove that this country is well and happily situated viewed from any standpoint He discusses the unity of the American nation; the American at titude toward money, the religious char acter of the people, American business ethics, the attitude of the people toward education, the development of the aes- thetic spirit in America and the present movement of the people from country to city.
 pr. Butler leaves out the spread-eagle oratory, usually employed by Americans in discussing their country. He speaks calmly of our national advantages and rates them very high.
 "The American As He Is'' is we'll worth reading.
 Peggy at Spinster Farm" by Helen NJ.
 Winslow. OL. c. Page & Co)
 The old bachelor who had always loved the spinster went to see her and in ef- feet told her that it was time to quit, after this 80 years more or less of delay all this foolishness and get married.
 There was no fatted calf for the old bachelor-he was gently slapped, once, twice, thrice on the wrist. Listen:
 I "a ael lraa