Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-12-16

cere and ,lovable gentleman. deeply in.
terested in these matters and gifted with
! the art OF clear demonstration. 1t is he
! VINO opens and pursues these paths OF
| research. making them SO straight and
unobstructed that, in the fanciful Ian
guage of certain text book writer's. the
whole might stand under the name OIL
| Easy Steps for Little Feet" While the
| search goes on with energy and indus
try, one feels that except for the hon
est and absorbed leader, there is a good
deal OF pretence about it, the amiable
assumption of an interest not possessed.
1T is the true make-believe OF schooi
children. that realistic and convincing
attitude, taken on solely for its human
effect upon the teacher A love story,
thrown in for those who positively re-
fuse a book that does not contain at
| least one pair Of lovers. wends its alb
apparently absorbing pursuit of knowl-
edge.
SUNSHINE, RAIN AND ROSES. BY
Allie Sharpe Balch. New York: G. p.
Putnam's Sons.
Bubbling with life and good cheer,
this little volume Of verse sounds like
nothing else so much as a robin sing
ing in the rain. A plucky. high-perch-
ed robin singing a challenge to storm
and stress. Both poet and bird, set
ting out now and then to be a bit
pensive and pitiful, tune their voices
to minor lines-but, pshaw! life is. too
good to be sighed over. the world too
beautiful to be cried over. So, each
at once faces about to turn his dun
cloud inside out. and floor his garden
patch with light and laughter and
song. This is the good sort of poet
that does not measure his verse by its
power to steep one in further melan-
choly. This is the right sort, that
makes short work of the downcast
mood. fronting the reader sauarely
gracious world. Everybody will en-
joy the wholesome and invigorating
quality of these unpretentious songs.
The Washington reader, moreover. will
add a proprietary shade to this gen
eral feeling of approval. Appearing
in a capital newspaper under the
patronage Of one Of the best of the
brotherhood of the press. they i'm
mediately met a warm and popular
welcome. The present attractive VOL
ume rescues them from the transiency
of this earlier publication and places
them at the reading hand of those who
need the reinforcement of the spirit of
common daily living.
CHILDREN OF THE NIGHT. BY Mary
Hurlbert Rogers. New York: Duff
field & Co.
background OF blindness. AS sympa-
thetic and poetic invention it stands as
good work. As fact-a lamentable fact
faithfully depicted. though frightened as
much as may bet is still good work.
1t contains story. love story, of sort
1t is habitualy cheerful in tone. some
times even lively: but gloom il imminent
throughout nevertheless. A book on this
theme may serve two purposes. 1t may
by it's sincerity and truth bring attention
to an unfortunate class and In this way
secure whatever amelioration lies in the
situation. Or it may serve to broaden and
deepen generally the readers feeling for
suffering outside his own, leading to
some kind of helpful activity. In either
case such work is of great value As a
source OF intellectual and emotional
pleasure, however-and this, is a legiti-
mate. il not the supreme, aim of litera-
ture-the book is less worthy. Its inner
ency is too narrowing. Lay the poignant
story aside till some day when you need
to suffer for your goods sake.
"sON." By Ethel Train. New York:
Charles Scribner's Sons. Washing
ton: Brentano's.
Soma little friend of the world,
deep well Of sympathy. wiser than his
parents, capable of the ordinary activi-
ties of boy, but gifted with keen in
sight into things that are often dark to
older minds. Mrs. Train has created in
this lovable little fellow a character who
stands in the front rank of the wonder
full children of fiction. 1t is impossible
to read of his activities in these nine
short tales without feeling envious of his
father and mother, gifted beyond their
knowledge in the possession of a child
of such rare qualities. At first they had
no concept of Sons real character,
but gradually they came to know that
they were blessed beyond the usual need
of parents in this wonderful little boy.
Do not think that Son was a prig. He
was d warm-hearted, thoughtful, happy
child. without affectation and gifted ex-
ceptionally with genius for friendship
These tales relate his little adventures
progressively, carrying him along from a