The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-12-12

, taI1St, has theory he insists Will always work; that Is, that a man who Is down" can help himself if he wills it so and gets out to hustle. To prove this theory and convince some friends from Mis- sour. Haggleton temporarily disguises himself, tries to forget that he is the owner of millions. mansions, yachts and railroads when he goes down into the slums to work things out. Of course, he has a real big motive for this stunning business. That motive, outside of con- yineing Missouri-minded people, is to re- gain the love and confidence of his long lost son, PhI'p, a wholesome young man, but who docs not dream for a moment .hat he has & father. Philip Is a sea- going. or what-you-may-call' diver, and has strong socialistic tendencies. Capitalists do not appeal strongly to Philip, on the contrary. Haggleton therefore has no easy task in winning the affections of Philip, but since Haggleton is of the opinion that he is a killer on removing obstacles, the winning of af- fectlons business, Is all strengthened out ' in the end.
 Of course, there is a girl in the book It wouldn't have been published else and this girl Is ever among those pres ent, quite leading character in the book Is this charming girl. She is full of that clinsing-vine feminine weakness, so beloved by the strong men, but even so, the lovely girl has much strength of purpose and Q strong will, which were ever making their presence felt
 The Battle" Is a good. interesting story.
 "other Peoples Houses" by D. B. Dew
 ing. Che Macmillan Co)
 One scene of this unusually strong worthy novel is laid in New England, where tt at N. E. conscience is said to be always at work, and shifts the scene. not the N. D. c. does, thank goodness, to New York. on the Mediterranean and at Atlantic City on the board walk.
 The main portion of this story is taken ID with life In New York and Paris. and with scenes natural to the career of a popular novelist who works herself into nervous prostration. through nervous prosperity and loves man who has for her only cousinly affection. The hero inc, the nove-writer, had achieved a rather notorious success with her first book, called 'The Cuckoo" The author Is drab little spinster who, having writ ten the sensational "The Cuckoo" her success results in an opportunity to plunge into the metropolitan life which in turn leads to trips abroad and a gay time in Paris. The heroine, Emily Stedman. Is the descendant of too many New Eng lang scholars, those who had ''too many bent shoulders and strained eyes: the learned blood was running thin. That she lived at all was triumph of mind over matter.
 But you can be sure that Emily did not quite appreciate the fact of her blood thinness and she had a very decided long ing to live in "her own house." for she was, oh, so tired of being a mere spec tator of life, of "other peoples houses" and things tlike that. She became a member of a party of pleasure-seekers a nobleman and his wife, an American woman of doubtful character and her beautiful daughter and an American mill lionaire and his son.
 There is in this novel the tragedy of Emily's love for her great big strong cousin. The character drawing of Mrs. Dench. the American of doubtful char acter. aforesaid, and her beautiful daueh- ter, Jane is splendldly done. Mrs. Dench Is a cosmopolitan of most doubtful prin- ciples, but is just saved from vulgarity by a sort of ever present humor; her daring is so frank that it seemed to dis arm prejudice.
 Other characters in the book are well handled Barlow, the ''Bun" milionaire David, his son, somewhat strange young man 10 whom TOT the nonce, when her cousin was away Emily Stedman Is at tracted and whose final mixup is connect ed with the daring Mrs. Dench "Other Peoples Houses is ono of the good books of the year. It is a book to read leisurly and it is indeed well worth reading.
 '@The Poplars," by Francis A. Taoulman. Cochrane Publishing Co)
 This story is a romance and the char acters in 1t cover about half the globe in their warnderings which wasn't very careful in them, at all.
 Among other things innumerable the book has to do with a professional gam bier who was in some respects better and in other respects so much worse. nat uraI1y, than the average man. The gam bier has a beautiful home life. having fooled a fine woman as some men have and no doubt will continue to do, forever and a day-and this charming wife had learned to love him before she knew of his vocation ip life. Her good influence, however, finally induces him to reform. without constitutional election or a sec tion No g. He had stolen a large bit of money with which he went to the gold mires, wherever they were became rich returns that which he had stolen and later. like aI' the "captains of nars+rv'' does considerable good with his fortune; who wouldn't under the circumstances7