The Washington herald., 1909-10-17

nate attributes are discernable In the
little group Of stories issued by Richard
l.. Metcalfe. under the title Of the lead
ing one, Bishop Sunbeam" which is
the recital of the trials and successes Of
character who from childhood to old
age was a personihcatiOn of his name,
spreading the benihcent influence OF a
pure life among those with whom he Is
brought in contact. Just as the sunbeams
enliven the whole face OF nature.
1t Is followed by list of others equally
as graceful. all designed 70 inculcate in
the mind the value Of right living, espe-
cially bringing out the beauties Of human
fellowship and faith in the divine. The
most potent feature Of the sketches lies
IN their humanity and character glimpses.
the latter quality being exemplified by
his description OF Uncle Ben who
seemed born into privileges and respon-
sibilities and counselship. He had the
frame OF a giant. the mind Of sage. and
the heart of child. His old-style hair
and beard were as white as the SHOWS
Of the seventy winSers he had seen-with
soul to match it all for purity We
have met few such men in our time.
and believe The world would be better for
more Of them. The collection Of stories
viii be helpful in creating an optimistic
and genial tendency in the mind Of the
reader.
TREsPAss BY Mrs Henry Dudeuay Boston:
Small. Maynard & Co
! Under the title Of 1.-The Thief in the
| Orchard" Mrs. Dudenay's novel Tres
/ pass" first made its appearance IN Eng
| land, and the present volume is a reprint
The English critics mention the work as
able" distinctly interesting" and "a
mine OF witty sayings" They neglect
| however, to compare it with Thomas
] Hardy at his best. fact which there
should be no hesitation 20 record.
/ AS a study OF some depth, involving a
! people IN middle class British life. IL Is
probably OF greater interest 20 our cOus-
4 ms over the sea than 10 purely American
readers, but since atmosphere is readily
/ transported, via the novel, It would be
! unfair 70 say that a large class Of Amer
/ leans will not find It an entertainment Of
| considerable merit.
! The son as an innkeeper, orphaned at
/ the beginning OF the story. inherits his
/ fathers long-established business. and Is
( contemplating marriage with Julia, q
/ girl OF the vicinity who is apprenticed 20
I a London dressmaker, the girls mother
| once having been a servant IN a city
family The humble surroundings Of the
/ young couple cause them much tribula-
ton Of spirit. the man having the added
grievance Of mean physique and common
| place physiOgnOmy. He signs, even in
the opening chapter, for chance 20 do
/ great deeds of valor to prove his Ju-
liza that he is no ordinary man. In spite
| OF his Inferior stature He affects the
belief that only extraordinary heroism
can win when personal pulchritude is
4 lacking. .
or course, the argument proceeds logi-
cally along the lines OF the girls fan, a
man IN a higher stratum of life being
her despoiler. II IS here, Of course, that
the heroism OF the poor innkeeper's son,
Stephen. is pat 90 the test, and he re-
spends nObly, marrying Julia. despite the
/ existence Of a child. Thus, one is at once
/ reminded not only OF Hardy but OF that
disgustingly brutal and frank novel. "Bac-
carat" of the sensational school. But
! Mrs. Dudenay's style has none OF the
malicious poison Of the Frank DENLY
school; 1t Is pursued along more idylllc
and even plausible lines. The return OF
the man who has wrecked her life con-
fronts Julia with the problem of choos-
ing between a handsome villain and ar
i
she solves 10 the satisfaction OF The
reader.
The book is, indeed. brilliant and the
epigram and caustic satire are merci-
less. The characters are ridfculed mainly
little sympathy being shown toward them
IL IS as II the writer had more regard foI
style and for effect than fof the crea.
ton or the humanizing OF types.
ACTIONS AND REACTIoNs.-By Rudyard Kip
ling. New York: Doubleday. Page & Co.
The appearance of a new Kipling book
is the signal for a rush Of sreaders who
realize the significance OF the event in the
literary field. Unfortunately, Actions and
Reactions" which has just been publish.
ed by Doubleday. Page & Co. is not a
new book. except In the literal sense. A
series Of previously published short sto-
ries. interpreted with some Of his newer
poems, constitute the contents OF this
volume. All who have read with the
Night Mall" that weird and imaginative
romance. viii be glad to renew acquaint-
ance with it, and An Habitation En-
forced" win also be pleasurably re-weI-
coined.
The stories include ''Garm-A Hostage
a sympathetic and human narrative Of a
dog; "A Deal in Cotton" THE Mother
Hive" and half a dozen or more others
The poems embrace some twenty, per
haps the best OF which are THE Recall, "
The New Knighthood,' The Four An
gels" ''The Puzzler." THE Power of the
Dog" and "GaIlios Song"
All these are typically Kipling-they
could not be otherwise. The atmospheric
charm of India is missing from some o.
the tales, but there is the unmistakablt
humor and intelligence OF the writer
through them all. Kipling may be re-
garded, without cxaggeration, as the sol.
idest and most widely read of all The
modern English authors, and factions
and Reactions" represents him at hi:
best and at his worst The reader may
take his own selections for the two cate
gories, and at the same time find plenty
of material for in-between classification
Actions and Reactions" will be added
to the collectors bookshelf for two rea
sons, the first because it Is interesting
and readable. and. secondly, because M
modern collection is complete without {
full set of Kiplfng.