Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-12-04

honors. If portrait has been intended
by Mr.. Hereford. he has discreetly re-
sisted the temptation to linn the features
of his model with Photographic accuracy.
There are just enough differences to en-
able him to disclaim any such purpose.
The working out of David Holman's
scheme to control his party and secure its
nomination for the presidency involves de-
tails which the author has skllfully ham
died. He is not SO convincing in those
phases of his story which deal with the
newspaper game in New York, although
one might easily guess him to be mem
her of the writing fraternity himself. 1t is
permissible to question the plausibiity OF
Boss McQuade demanding and Holman
giving a check for million dollars in
consideration of the boss pledge of sup
port. Checks are awkward things in pol
itics. But these are details. Mr.. Here
ford works his story to tremendous eli
max. when at the conclusion, at the very
hour of triumph Holmans plans are
wrecked by the single slip of the tongue
of his faithful. devoted nominator-
THE MASTER: Reing in Part Copied
from the Minutes of the School for
Novelsts. Round Table Of Good
Fellows Who, Long Since, Dined
Every Saturday at the Sign O. the
Lanthorne on Golden Hill. In New
York City. BY Irving Bachelor.
New York: Doubleday. Page & Co.
Washington: Woodward & Lothrop.
Mr.. Bachelor begins his tale in Liver
pool, where Richard Holm receives a
mysterious mute messenger from over
the seas summonng him to his uncle in
the new world. The death Of the mes
senger before he discloses the place of
his uncles dwelling embarrasses young
Mr.. Holm, but nevertheless he sets out
to find his relative. His purpose falters
in New York, where he falls in with an
interesting company of writer's and soon
joins their ranks and places himself on
the high road to prosperity. Some strik-
ing characters enter his life. notably the
wicked old captain whose wooden
leg thumps its way through the tale with
accentuating sharpness: also the gentle
shoemaker of wonderful perception and
intuition. the master. There is a
secret organization of outlaws headed by
a man of power honored by those high
in the state and caught between his own
mature judgment and the impetuouS de-
sires of his radical followers. A MUIR
derous crew, these frebrands of the
under world. Young Holm is kidnapped.
strangely enough in order that he may
find his uncle under the guidance of the
wicked old sea dog. The way leads INTO
Canada and tragedies are enacted In the
York by all the characters, and a some
what melodramatic and unreal de-
movement. Mr.. Bachelor keeps his
readers nose in the book from the be-
ginning TO end through sheer
as to the next development.
LABOR AND THE RAILROADS. By
James O. Pagan. author of The Con-
fessions of a Railroad Signalman
Boston: HoughtOn Miff1in Company.
Since the publication of Mr.. Fagans
confessions he has been regarded by
railroad men an authority on questions
relating to the personnel of the operating
forces. He is signal towerman in Bos-
ton, and withal lecturer at Harvard, a
combination to stamp him as a remark
able personality, and the impression thus
conveyed in the abstract is confirmed by
this second volume of essays on questions
of railroad organization and admnistra-
ton, in which he discusses the relations
between the union and the transportation
lines. He is no non-unon man. He has a
card. But he can see the faults of the
union system clearly, and he does not
hesitate to state them just as he ex-
presses his criticism of the railroad cor
porations. 1t would be we'll for every
railroad worker in the United States to
read these papers. Better understanding
of the great truth that in mutually lies
prosperity for both sides would follow.
FORTY MINUTES LATE: and Other
Stories. BY +. Hopkinson Smith. H.
Illustrated. New York: Charles Serb
ner's Sons. Washington: Woodward
& LOthrop.
The volume title of this collection of
nine stories from Mr.. Smiths pen has
been derived from the little sketch with
which it opens. a tale of lecturers ex-
perience in a country town in snow
storm 1t is Just an episode. but it IS
narrated with the delicacy and artistic
precision of expression which character
ICES this authors prose. The other titles
are: Gentlemans Gentleman, IAbijah' s
Bubble, A List to Starboard. The Little
Grey Lady, The Man in the High-water
Boots. Riddles, Homo, The Parthenon by
Way of Papendrecht.
A WAVE OF LIFE: Novel. By Clyde
Fitch. New York: Mitchell kenner-
ley.
Clyde Fitch wrote only one novel, which
was published in Lippincott's Magazine