Evening star., 1909-08-21

ences which have evolved the
many types of citizenship in the
great prairie lands beyond the Missis-
sippi. could have written so Illuminating
i novel as that which Mr. White has pro-
duced The story is distinctly kansan.
II begins with the Indian days and
,ouches lightly upon the fight for terri
toriaI organization. and then within two
chapters has sent a company of patriots
into the war for the preservation of the
Union Thus tie tale begins in strife and
battle, the elements which so deeply mark
the character of the commonwealth of to-
day. In particular, Mr. White has writ
ten tire story of a captain of industry,
a trust maker. a ruthless. schemfng,
graspine. sacrificing tyrant. man who
uses everybody and anybody to his ends.
who breaks his friends In business WHO
jeopar1izeS their honor who ruins their
lives for the sake of his own temporal
gain. Such is John Barclay. creator of
the National Provision Company. proto-
typc of the trust magnates who have
within very short time been conspicu-
ously ir the public eye. Mr.. White has
treated this subject broadly. showing the
stages by which promoter advances and
Sweepiuglv reviewing the historical condi-
tions that contribute To his success. Tn
uuestiouably there are portraits here and
there among the characters which will be
cult IL conceive that Gen. Philemon
Ward will he recognized readily west OF
st Louis. and that Col. Martin Culpep-
per he of the kindly heart and the i'm
uulsive generosity and totally impractical
nature will he welcomed an old friend.
Mr. White draws his characters with
clear-cut lines and precision of detail.
There is one misfortune about this
work aud that is that the author has
rot fo1itented himself with a Straightfor-
"a SaoIrarfial narrative instead OF his
Indirect method of presentation. 1t Is
confusing and iii nowise advantageous 10
he told in terms of 1901. for instance.
through retrospect. of the happenings of
1870 MIR White writes we'll. with
grace and force that cannot be derned.
Int his story would be more effective II
be would trea, it in places more as di-
rect appeal to tile reader
THE GOOSE Girl. By Harold Mac
Grath With illustrations by An
Dire Castaisne Indianapolis: The
Robbs- Merrill Company
MIR. Harrison Fisher has provided for
loose cover To this story very attractive
picture of a laughing beauty in knit cap
and a sweater. distinctly of modern
type Just what connection there is be-
tween this picture and the story within
the covers remains a mystery. The story
IS supposed TO occur in Germany about
two years after the civil war in this coun-
try and neither the goose girl nor the
grand dukes daughter. about whom the
story centers, wears such costume How
ever, that is a small detail. for when one
gets beyond Mr. Fishers attractive pic
tlre one is quickly absorbed IN the narra-
tive which moves briskly and insists upon
perfect attention Mr.. MdcGrath has put
I'm not unusual combination of the case
of mixed identity. and the rather familiar
scheme OF an American in love with a
royal princess with all the hopeless COM
nIications that ensue in such situation.
lust to balance the affair he has king
in disguise in love with the peasant girl.
and Cupid seems to be doomed TO dlsap-
pointment all around until explanations
are made and everything is Strengthened
out in perfect satisfaction An effective
picture is presented of a German princi-
pality before the consolidation affected by
Bismarck under Emperor William ].
THE NEED OF CHANGE. BY Julian
Street, author of MY Enemy. the
Motor New York: John Lane Com
pany,
Possibly two Americans of good sense
and average education might behave as
idioticaliy as did the Two in this story.
who unexpectedly find themselves guests
In palatial home in England. surround
cd by the refinements of wealth, when
they had thought themselves TO be headed
for a simple household. But it is per-
mitted to doubt whether one in good
senses would be abashed by a mere
valet as was Mr. Wooley in the horne OF
Rev. Mr.. Denbeigh. There are some un-
doubtedly funny passages in the tale. but
it does not add TO American self-esteem to
think that our tourists abroad can play
such preposterous roles. And being i'm
probable. ii is not good fiction.
THERE SHE BLOWS: Whaling Yarn.
BY James Cooper Wheeler. author
of Captain Pete Of Puget Sound
etc. New York f. p Dutton <
Company
Gone the DAYS Of he old sailing
~halers tilat started out of New Bedford
for their cruises of three or four Years
IN length. Nowadays whaling is carried
on Chiefly hx steam vessels that make
quick trips and reduce ali perils Of the
industry to a minimum few of the
old whalers are left in commission. but
hey are hopelessiv distanced in the race
Mr.. Wheeler tells story in this volume
OF thrilling experience before the mast
or whaling bark that vividlv reproduces
the spirit of the old days The narrative
is given in the words of Young Long
island man who offers himself fo- a
three-year cruise. II is evident that much
ot u Is based upon personal experience
Tor the story is replete with little details
'hdt reveal an intimate knowledge of the
conditions. II IS admirably illustrated
THE PATIENCE OF JOHN NOR
i.AND. BY Mary Dillon author OF
The Rose of Old ST Louis" etc IL
iastrated by c. NJ. Relyea New
- York: Doubleday. Page & Co Wash
ington: Woodward < Lothrop
- cannot hope. saws the author in
ler foreword. thar even the most super
heial student of American history will not
recognize my heroine at glance de-
spite her change of name" IT, indeed.
ftiere Is any reader of history who can
get into the third page of the text with
out realizing that lie is about to perlse a
fctiou nara tive about Peggy o Neiu and
Gid Hickory. her presidential champion.
u Is because Of a feeling that Mrs Dill
ION las struck 4 false alarm i'm this first
chapter. For Peggy ONeill read Kitty
McCabe. and the rest IS Sin.ple The
other characters. save John Morland him
self. are all presented in their proper uer-
soIiS. Nofland being the only actual par
Heipant in the famous O'NeiIi episode
who outside of the heroine is not intro
auced historically There is President
Monroe, and there are also John Quincy
Adams. Jackson Clay Calhoun Weh-
ster Benton. Randolph Van Ruren
Buchanan. Scott. Hayne Writ and Lee
arc all III the picture. which indeed an
HnleS becomes rather oVercrowded wifi
1ha distinguished personages In her mar
rttive the autror follows tile outlines of
the O'Neill affair closely. b1It IenarYs
sufficiently 10 lend 4 romantic interest TO
the story. She reproduees the Washing
tor OF that time with a precision which
discioseS a careful reading of local his
terry.