Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-11-05

Patrfcks on board our men of war and
perhaps there are combinations of them
as in this case. All that is needed in
approaching this delightful volume of in-
cidents in the life of sailormen ashore
is a willingness to read what is offered
without regard to its source or plausible
ity. In this spirit it will be sad read
er, indeed, who does not pass from
chuckling to indecorous laughter and
who does not quickly develop desire
to tell of his find to all the world. For
1t will be a selfish one. too. who. on
reading this series of six tales, does not
try to share his joy with friend. These
stories of Shorty and Patrick" will
stand reading aloud. which is one Of the
severest tests to which humorous writing
can be put. Mr.. Whitman has wisely left
open the possibility of giving more of
these rafting good stories.
LADY GOOD-FOR-NOTHING Mans
Portrait Of q Woman. BY A. r.
Ouller-Couch. New York: Charles
Scribners Sons. Washington: :
Woodward & Lothrop.
Mr.. Quiller-Couch has a tendency occa-
sionally to dip into history for his sources
and inspirations, and in doing SO now and
then he pulls out prize, but often at the
expense of his town native Invention,
which is always sufficient FOR his reliance
in the making of stories. He has chosen
as his initial episode in this case the chiv-
d TIC dCtlOu VI Sdpt wen III SltlIIB III
the stocks at Port Nassau in order to ex-
press his disapproval of the brutality OF
the town officials in whipping a girl who
had resisted an unwarranted attack. Sir
Oliver adopts the girl and takes her to
Boston to educate her, seeing in her Won
derful possibilities of development. which
she amply justifies. 1t is not a pleasant
story that Mr.. Quiller-Couch unfolds.
turning as it does upon the rejection by
this glorious creature of the convention
a1i Of on6 Cir O1iuorsS n.
quiescence. But this clever craftsman
tells the tale artistically. though he finds
himself hampered from time to time with
historical limitations and with the neces-
sity of filing in the outlines afforded by
letters, Inscriptions and documentary al
lusions Lady Good For Nothing will
not carry Mr. Quiller-Couch's reputation
forward. though it may find some interest
ed readers.
THE BATTLE OF THE WILDERNESS.
BY Morris Schaff, author of 1.-THE
Spirit of Old West Point" With
maps and plans. Boston: HoughtOn
Miff1in Company.
Gen. Schaf participated in the Wilder
ness campaign as assistant to the chief
of ordnance of the Army of the Potomac,
being then first lieutenant, twenty-three
years old. He believes now, with the
war story all told. that the turning point
of the great sectional struggle was the
battle of the Wilderness. the first of the
titanic struggles between Grant and Lee
in the country south Of the Rapidan.
Not at Gettysburg. according to Gen.
Schaff, was the fate of the Confederacy
sealed, for even with that defeat 1t would
have been possible, had Grant failed in
his eastern campaign, for the south to
effect compromise. Cen. schaff does
not regard the Wilderness as a great
Federal victory: In point Of fact. he
analyses it rather as a drawn battle in
which the points had been mainly
that had it not been for the wounding
Of Longstreet at moment when the
Confederate chances of success were
greatest the gray lines would have swept
Rapidan. Grants prestige would have
been seriously diminished and the subse-
,quent history Of the war would have
been materially changed.
Apart from possible controversial mat
tiers, however. this Is q remarkable &C
count of a battle which has no parallel
In the history Of modern warfare. II
was like no other engagement between
bodies Of troops. The two armies Crap
pied at times without seeing one another.
so thick and impenetrable was the for
est, so broken the ground. In his e.
scription of the battle Gen. Schaf in
dulges in a pardonable tendency to
apostrophise his subject. lapsing into elo-
quent passages of personal characterize
ton. He draws some remarkably vivid
pen pictures Of the participants in this
fight, and his work will be OF unques-
tionabfe value to the future historian,
who will find in II ffrst-hand impressions
of men and events. s,s~'s 4 !.
= - -, 49,, ee.s $50 =. = a. 4
COMMON SENSE IN POLITICS. BY Job
+. Hedges. New York: Moffat, Yard
& Company.
'It is time for the American people,"
says Mr.. Hedges. ito take themselves
into their own confidence" AS an aid