Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-12-28

&~1 1ITH Central Park for a back
ground and a native imasi-
M ton whose windows all look
wv out on some sort of Area
dian field, Mr.. Allen achieves
the paradox of a city pastoral. The three
titles of this novel ought to be changer
so that the last one may stand first. For
the bronze heroine is merely beauti-
full lampbearer standing steadfast on the
desk of "A young novelist struggling Tor
success and fame, and gifted by MN
with fanciful powers of inspiration ana
a kind of esthetic symbolism And the
portrait, though that of vivid ana
beautiful girl, is simply the medium
through which this youthful author pours
out his IDEAS and ardors, his advances
and retreats, his fruitful seasons and fal-
low i'm fhe field of his chosen work
True, the love story circling this por-
trait is an engaging one of fine remi-
niscent flavor a distinctly southern naVor
of chivalric attitudes. and romantic no
tons. and delicate eloquences or phrase.
But. above all this, the charm or the
story lies i'm the art with which the au-
thor has converted one corner OF great
city into dewy fields and into long free
stretches of simple outlook and unen-
tangled action.
A PICKED COMPANY; Novel. BY
Mary Hallock Foote, author OF The
Led Horse Claim" etc. Boston:
Houghton Mifflin Company.
The story is an achievement. as all
of this authors work has come to be-
a fine story that reads like believe
able transcription of American pio-
neer life in the late forties and early
ffties of the last century. In this IN
stance. "a whole church. with its auto
cratic and pious pastor at it's head.
moves out into the western wilderness
there to found a colony of the elect.
one of the pastors own stern sitting
The adventure reads like the far1ng
forth into a strange land of some Bible
patriarch with his household and his
6ocks. Had it not been for one SIN
ner. strayed into the fold, this exodus
would have progressed like a religious
ceremonial. But the sinner was there
and by way of her the saints OF the
company learned great many things
about themselves and about the strange
and unexpected ways of human feel
ings and passions. This long and
thrilling crusade so full of adventure
and danger and strict companiOnship.
failed to redeem the sinner. but. as
sometimes happens in such company, 1t
did redeem some of the saints. very
picturesque and dramatic portrayal OF
life.
THE OUTPOST OF ETERNITY. BY
Cosmo Hamilton. New York: d.
Appleton & Co.
The exaggerations of this novel are so
plainly marked throughout and so pre-
vailing as to give the whole the color Of
melodrama Yet, the book Is, above
everything else, one written with
straight and serious intent, other than
that of displaying the skill or artistry Of
its author. This purpose represents. too
matter of much present. concern, acute
and general concern. Its subject is mar
rage in it's bearing upon the quality OF
children. In such circumstances one Is
led to count these dramatic Over-stress-
lngs, not as the uncontrOl of an inexpert
workman, but as the reiteration OF one
bound to reach the preoccupied. or I'M
aroused minds of readers. In outline the
story traces in two beautiful sisters the
effects of disastrous parentage. The
father is a big, wholesome boy OF man,
meant to be right. but all wrong and weak
and a fool in the hands of a woman. The
mother is the very last bit of the dregs
of a wornout stock. 1t is revolving
story. in parts almost unreliable. II Is
ones business to read II. however, since
il is without question true in It's essence
II is, moreover, written with distinction,
and daring, and with dramatic honesty.
eORFEIT; a Novel BY Clara Lathrop
Strong. Boston: Houghton Mifflin
Company.
A woman reading this story of old Ply
mouth Colony comes on. of it thankful
hat the star of her advent into time and
space did not point her upon that particu-
ar period and place. Then, to escape be-
ng accused and condemned as a witch
-equired such sobriety of mien and such
submission of conduct that only the very
plain and undesirable women and girls
,ould count themselves in any degree safe.
IF course, Hannah Glover, the heroine of
This old tale. was witch She was beau
iful, and daring, and Independent. All
the young men desired her. And so all
he young women were jealous OF her
harms. And. since but one, If any, of
.hese youths could win her, the vindictive
disappointment of the boys was added to
he feline jealousy of the girls. 1t was as
plain as day that Hannah Glover was a
witch. Around this heroine Mrs Strong
weaves a robust. fresh love story. upon a
most dramatic groundwork of colonial su-
oerstitions, and hard Hebraic religion, and
,arly social customs, and lean unf1owering
.motionalism.
MODERN PHILANTHROPY, q Study
of Efficient appealing and Giving.
BY William III. Allen, director Blu
Tedu lNeStdTth anu -NduOHdi
Training School for Public Service.
author of Efficient Democracy"
etc. New York: Dodd, Mead & Co.
During a single two years Mrs. E. H.
larriman received 5000 letters making
appeals for gifts that in the aggregate
amounted to $4,000 CO., This enormous
bulk of material was given over to scien-
life experts for analysis and classif1ca-
ion in order to ascertain certain facts,
f possible. that might serve as perma-
tent guides both TO those making appeals
md to those interested in what Mr..
Rockefeller calls the difficult art of CIV