The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-06-21
Literary Lights and ShadoDs
BY s. MAYS BALL

Montgomery f1agg Of whom one IS al- ways hoping that that artist will de- sist in his attempt to copy C. D. Gib- son and do some work of his own. Many books these days have pictures in them-few are illustrated.
 Bobby Burnit was a likable, sweet natured, jolly, fresh, young chap who burnt something like 12 candlepower mentally when the book opens. You will know instinctively that the author will make a killing in his building up of Bobbys character, force also Grape Nuts"-before the book is finished.
 So it is in this really bright in teresting volume. Bobbys father left his fortune to Bobby i'll a strange will knowing his sons faults which the old man realized were more those of training than of character as Mir Ches- ter in time shows us.
 For a good time, out under the trees, for a diversion from things that at times do worry us all-the best of us, sometimes the worst of us-"The Max ing of Bobby Burnit" will please im- mensely.
 Mike Flannery," by Ellis Parker But Ter Doubleday, Page & Co)
 The friend or enemy who once Whis- pered or yelled to MT Butler that Pigs Is Pigs" was a great piece of humor, in the opinion, humble as it is of this reviewer, there was a great injustice done to MT. Butler. For the reason There's reason"-that MT. Butler will not turn loose Mike Flannery,' who was the orig inal express agent of the Interurban EX- press company at Westeote, in Pigs Is Pigs" but gives us from time to time further dissertations on or from Mike that occasionally more particularly for the nonce, grow very monotonous.
 f- ~frl,t all -iy1lf in Pigs Is Pigs but when 1t comes to growing enthusiastic over Mike in other affairs, as depicted in this discussed vol ume, for instance; "F1eas Will Be Pleas" giving Mikes experiences with a French professor of educated fieas; in Just Like a Cat" being his experiences as express agent with a dead feline sent through his office, and '"The Three Hundred,' de- scribing Mikes. trying times with sim plifed spelling-the line must be drawn somewhere or the law invoked. So be it.
 There are no doubt a lot of people who still laugh over and with Mike Elan nery, just as there are said to be some people who think the Letters of a Jap anese School Boy excruciatingly funny. Cross out this reviewer, if you please.
 This department might be willing to accept Mike for breakfast and raise no serious kick, but when it comes to having Mike for the other two meals of the day with no limit as to the number of days and weeks, in the language of the street, there is nothing doing.
 ''The Winning Chance" by Elizabeth De-
 Jeans. c. P. Lippincott Co.)
 In this very interesting volume, Leo Varek,' is daring and interruptions stock broker of St. Louis. The story deals with the pitfalls ever ready for the strug- gling girl who has to work for her liv ing. In this case Jane Carewe, who went as a stenographer in Vareks office, is the heroine of the story in which "The Winning Chance" is offered and better than that, eharmngly discussed by the author of the novel.
 Jane Carewe, going as a bread-winner into Leo Vareks office soon becomes aware of the conception by her employer of relentless passion for her. The hard ness of the lot of a pretty girl forced to do battle with the world on unequal terms Is shown.
 Driven to the wall, Jane Is forced to yield to Varek, and her mother and brother are saved.
 Varek grows to love the girl for the goodness that is in her. In Jane's case, the gilded shame fails to take from her the nobility of soul. Varek soon repents his act of ruthfulness; his wife divorces him and he would wed Jane Carewe.
 But Jane had met and learned to love a Virginia youth who knew her when she was the daughter of a wealthy plant CT. It is through a force of pitiful cir cumstances that Jane Is compelled to di- vulge to her Virginia lover her past life. Of course such a situation is very trying the book leads one to believe that Janes and the Virginia youths souls were slightly shaken up bit and no won der.
 Jane holds converse with Leo Varek, who prepares to renounce his now great est desire, namely Jane. Varek while befriending a former business rival, who turns out to be his father, is shot by the latter. On his deathbed varek mar ries Jane and insists that after he Is gone she shall accept her long deferred happiness with the man from Virginia whom she loves.
 All is well-the lights go up-we take a good long breath, and bid good luck to Jane Carewe, who had such a diff cult time of it.
 "The Winning Chance is really first rate book. Try it to see!
 By Right of Conquest" by Arthur Horn blow. (G. W. Dillingham; Co.).
 MT Hornblow, who is the editor of the Theatre Magazine, New York, has written some first-class stories in the
 
 able to handle themes that come very near to being an appeal to the reader of the "feshy y-school- fiction" But he always seems to be able to get his peo- pie close enough to the brink without permitting them to jump. be pushed or fall off-a rather difficult feat that is, and one in which MT. Hornblow really excels.
 In his new book By Right of Con- quest" some writers, never mind who but a great many all may recall-would have made the theme and the plot more than disgusting. But it is different with Mr. Hornblow, for which relief much thanks.
 The plot really hinges on what would be the result if beautiful girl, delicate ly reared, accustomed to all the luxuries of life and to the point of view which goes with such endowment of material sort and a common laborer, who has spent most of his life among the dregs of humanity, are the sole survivors upon an uninhabited island of a shipwreck.
 The questions are, of course, will the man drag the girl down to his own level or will she, with her refinement and gentleness, help him upward Co a nobler plane?
 Soon after the shipwreck this pair start upon cruise around the world the girl, who Is the daughter of a multi millionaire, in the best suite on the steamer and the man shoveler