The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1910-02-05
Orient Capably Pictured in
Novel by Halle Ermi-
ME RiVeS.
TROLLEY TRAVELS
BY VISKHA'S SIDE
Even Curio Seeking Tourists Are
Carefully Drawn True
to Life.

Halle ErmInie Rives has done some
thing more than write story that IS
worth while IL 'aThe Kingdom of Slen-
Ger Swords" She has conclUsiveIy dis
proved the generally accepted theory
that life west u the 1SOth meridian in
cIines. one TO extrdvagance, and to that
form Of mental intoxiCatiOn which
makes for Incorporate expression.
Z IS a real Japan. peopled with hu-
nan beings, that forms the background
for the yiriIe Vord-picture the authoress
paints.
The reading public has been surfeited
with japanese stories Of the convention
IL type. The puppets in kinOnOs that
are made &c move through endless pages
Of fervid phraseOIOgy, have laid foun-
dat.on for the universal belief in the
JOv-fike character Of the Mikado's EN-
pire. IL is difficult to understand how
sensible people, with newspapers al
ways AT hand. should continue TO base
cir ideas on the supericialitie5 Cf the
average enchanted author- Is il because
not one person in a thousand who reads
viii ever ny any chance have OpportU-
nifty 10 verify the statements contained
ia these volumes
All these have nothing TO do with
The Kingdom Of Slender Swords, g"
however, because Halle Erminie Rives
has done a great thing Tor Japan IN her
newest novel She has pictured the PEG
PIE as they really areas they live and
move and breathe She mas gone far
Their than this She comes as near max
ing her readers Sc with oriental eyes
as any Occidental has ever done Her
Japan is The Japan Of tOday-the great
empire Of men ana women who are
working hard to maintain the place in
The world OF men 10 which tlrtunaJe
circumstance and genuine ability have
raised them The rick Sha. loses none Of
It's plCLurCsI uguesS because II slL times
travels beside a trolley car, or does
the smoke from the forest Of stacks
that mark The stepping stouc.l OF the
highest form of civilization mar the
beauty OF Old F'UjTs sacred heal
And so in The Kingdom Of Slender
swords none OF the roma ice, the
chiralry, the patriotism of the Jap
aneSe is lost because 1t is story Of
l9-e-beCause the aerODlaue is an i'm
puTtant element Of its plot Residence
of several years IN Japan has permitted
the aGthOTeSS 10 study closely II things
about which she writes, 70 get into the
atmosphere as all the readlug.. all the
study in the world would not bring
about
This. OF course, Is aside from the
story itself Il IS rarely thdL a book
a modern uOvel-uas two important
features 20 commend it as this volume
has The story tells Of the life, love.
and work OF q ued-blooded American
man and a wCmauIy American woman
1t IS Sketched deep and true. Without
mei0dramaLics Z is strong tale OF
EIeu and women The spirited
japanese EiTl almost the heroine Of
che story y the type found in many
parts of Japa1-in no books OF Japd-
uese life. the DrleuLaliZed CauCasiaus.
The CuTI0 seeking tourist are ali care
fully drawn and faithfully pictured
The book is by Tar the best thing the
auLEuUesS has cone. Whether IL IS read
TO while away an idle hour OF for gen
Uine instruction. IL repays the reader
the Eiue. spent
C-The Kingdom OF Slender swords
BIZ Halle E-uiue Rives- BObbs-5IeTriIi
COMPANY $LaC)