Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-11-13

of her duties and responsibilities. The
first lesson she learns while under thu
influence of An anesthetic during surgi
cal operation, the second while under th'
influence OF a stimulating cordial ad
ministered by her physician, and thu
third while experiencing the effect OF
powerful electric vibration. In the strang'
lands which she visits In these instances
she comes to understand her obl1gation'
and purpose in life. The message con
veyed in this quaint and beautifully writ
ten story is one Of cheer and uplift Il
weary women. The decorations are ex
ceptionally artistic.
THE SUITABLE CHILD. BY Norman
Duncan. illustrated by Elizabeth
Shipper Green. New York: Flem-
ing II. Revell Company.
Journeying in a sleeper on the way tt
Winnepeg Christmas eve an old gentle
man with twtnkling eyes proposed to hit
fellow-passengers. lady in black. a big
farmer, and the narrator of this delightful
bit of short fiction, that they celebrate the
occasion appropriately by finding a child
on whom they could bestow gifts taken
from their trunks in the baggage car The
child is found. an orphan tagged back to
the asylum from home where he had
become unweloome. Mr.. Duncan has a
compelling vein OF sincerity In his han.
ding Of such a theme. He is at his best
when deallng Win thS TeIdtlOn6 UCSWCCi
parents and children. In his preface
strikingly headed stop, Thief! he puts
suuarely before his readers the PROPOSE
tion that no one has right to deprive inc
children Of the joy that is their due on
Christmas No one can read this book
without feeling better.
THE LADY OF THE BIG sHANTY. Ry
F. Berkeley Smith. New York: Dou-
bleday. Page e. Co. washington
Woodward & LothrOp.
Mr.. Smith is not yet in the class Of his
talented father a. q story teller, but II Is
appropriate and rather impressive TO read
the elder Smiths tribute to the younger In
acknowledgment Of the sons rendering OF
the power of the primeval. The story IT
self is of a slight texture. New York
banker goes into the woods ana sets up
an elaborate establishment. where ms
wife, a social butterfly Of frivolous. hckle
tendencies, Is first greatly bored. then
tempted, and finally saved from herseii
through the medium of menacing oisas,
ter. Mr.. Smith reproduces the atmospneie
of the woods effectively.
LADY Mechanic, or. Life as 1t
Should Be; Being Divers PreclGa ts
Nonpareille; q Farce In Filigre. by
Gelett Burgess. author Of 'Vivette,
etc. illustrated by the author. New
York: Frederick A. Stokes Com
pany.
Mr., BURGESS has an effective way Of dis
arming criticism by prefacing his works
of a nonsensical character with frank
disclaimer Of any serious purpose In Lady
Mechanic no one could by any possibility
conceive such a purpose. The author
seems to have started out deliberately to
be fantastic, to enjoy himself by writing
with the least possible regard for the
probabilities, the possibilities, the conven-
tions or the literary and social traditlons.
There is no particular reason why ne
should have closed the story. just as there
ia no reason why he should begin II, eX-
cept to furnish entertainment LOT MI, nia
readers and incidentally for himself. The
exploits of the burglars widow: VINO
Changes her name whenever she puts on q
new dress are altogether delignttui III
their absurdity and Inconsistency. There
are some delicious bits of satire. though
the author avows no intention OF satiriA,
ing anybody or anything. 1t IL, as ne
saws, a helter-skelter rigamarole. ana TOT
those who like good. wholesome run IL Is
all that could be desired.
MANORs OF VIRGINIA IN COLONIAL
TIMES. BY Edith Tunis saie. WI. WIZ
sixty-seven illustrations and TWEEN
ty-two coats-of-arms. Philadeiphla :
]. B. Lippincott Company.
virginia has today more examples of
fine colonial architecture, more tangible
relics of the old days than any other
state Appreciators Of the beautiful IN
masonry find throughout the common
wealth inspiring examples Of structural
style that has of late years been COPIED
and rendered in . multitude OF forms.