The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-11-28
literary Lights and 5hadohs
BY s. MAYS BALL

"Sparrows, the Story of an Unproteet- i ed Girl" by Horace w. C. Newte. Mitchell Kennerley, Esq.)-
 Whenever Mavis Reeves, the pretty un- protected young person in wicked un- friendly London would be discouraged. downhearted over the thoughts or her struggles for mere existence, she remem- bered, and on her knees she prayed that Il might be true as related in Matthew K 29.31-"Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? And one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. Pear ye not, therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows." MaVis Reeves hoped so, but she had very hard time, believing it, diagramins it satisfac- torily to herself.
 The author of this strong, meaty, and for people who have sense and discrim- nation most worthy novel, says hn his preface that nowadays all nice people fall Asleep of nights. trusting more or less implicitly to Providence (and the police man) to protect them from harm That the while those nice people rest in seeur- ity; outside, in the night, pitiless strug- gle is waged between various species of animals and insects, which prey on one another with ruthless ferocity in order to exist. Moreover, that the contrast be- tween those who rest in safety and the
 
 Is much the same as that furnished by the lives of protected and unprotected women. MT. Newte states further that his novel "Sparrows," Is an attempt to describe, with some approximate ton to truth, the life of one unprotected girl.
 There are two kinds of books which deal with. exploit unprotected" women; one sort that shows the primrose path of dalliance without any jumping off place, which in life is just at the end, some times not even half way of the afore- said path. The other sort of novel deal- ing with the subject in question is that one which shows us life, with the real big capital l., in which necessarily not only spades designated by their correct names, but like a surgeon, in his att tempts to benefit his patient, the author uses his knife to cut and seemingly and harshly sometimes scar society in his rev. citations, discussions and so forth. Such a book is "Sparrows.'
 In this book, "Sparrows,' there are things discussed, which, offhand, one would say at once should positively not be read about by the enternal young person particularly of the female sex. Now, just why the young person" of the female sex should be denied the read ing of certain kinds of books, and noth ing is said as to the average mutton headed youth-well, what is the answer, you good people7
 There is no book yet written that can in anyway injuriously affect the morals or lack of them, possessed by the reader, if that reader happens to burn requisite candle power mentally, using therefor all the amperes volts, etc., like a wise virgin or youth should. The trouble is, of course, that so few people in this poor old afflicted world have any sense at all. You and this scribe understand, of course, how that cannot be prevented. We can only try, therefore, to keep such books as "Sparrows" out of the hands. from under the eyes of fools. For the wise 'un, there isn't any book that he or she would be likely to find that will give more genuine pleasure than Spar rows" at the same time put ones wheels to working, turning rapidly with good oil there, between, and remove from our heart. or what most of us use in its place, those thoughts of how much better we are (only through the grace of God than the poor caught sinner, that demol- isher of the eleventh commandment.
 The story of "Sparrows?" Why, of course. Mavis Reeves was a poor. un- protected young girl, lovely. beautiful in fact, who was thrown upon the world, literally in London, after tke sudden death of her father who had Host all of his money. The book relates with start ling fidelity to the truth all the strug- ges of Miss Reeves in London; her experiences in department stores and so forth. The description of Dawes store. where the shop girls were obligated to live in dormitories, reads like fact; MT. Newte says that Dawes has its or iginal in London today.
 The real merits of the novel are it's ex- 1 ,4,+s +s<o,r -R Po among the working women of London which would apply just as well to New York or any large American city-and it's fearless exposure of certain abuses in modern society. "Sparrows' is a splendid production in the literary line. as heretofore stated, not for the fool. The book is not intended for nor should it be read by the young men and wom- en: that is to say those who have not as yet caught and held securely their second mental wind. But if you are mem tally strong enough not to be pushed, then "Sparrows" is your meat, a delight ful meal awaiting you, whenever you press the button.
 Three Thousand Dollars" by Anna
 Katharine Green (Richard G. Badger.
 Gorham Press).
 There was an old captain of industry in New York in contradistinction to those captains of matrimony we all know and love so well. we don't think-who had a way of going off and leaving his large office and force to themselves while he travelled about. sent them cable or telegrams in cipher giving directions as to the market and so on. The cable grams could only be read by certain per .ons in the office. Only one person in