Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-10-12

demand of life, but cannot because, like
dumb creatures, we can only feel.
In so vast a field, covering nearly 2,OO(
pages and. in point of history, q life that
| exceeds the Bible allowance. one might
| expect a dull paragraph, here and there,
but every line has its share in the splen-
or appreciates good biography can afford
| to miss a. word. Mark TWAIN lived his
life in the open, and If all men did not
know his faults it was because they
Of them He had no failings except
those that made him more lovably kin to
the rest Of us, and he set no false value
on the genius that made him a torchfight
in comparison with the tallow dip power
of the everyday man. with his strength
he had inherited the weaknesses Of our
kind. With him, as with another, q
myriad Of dreams and schemes and pur-
poses daily fitted by. With him. as
with another. the spirit of desire led him
rudely put aside. but Hngeringiy-and
often invited to return. With him, as
with another, crowd of jealOusdes and
resentments. and wishes for the Ill of
others, daily went seething and scorching
along the highways of the soul. With
him. as with another, regret, remorse and
shame stood at the bedside during long
watches OF the night; and in the end,
with him. the better thing triumphed-
forgiveness and generosity and justice-in
a word, humanity"
Added to the literary valve Of the worx
are many photographs Of Mark Twain,
members Of his family, and Of the men
and women identified with his literary
and social life both in this country and
abroad.
author Of The Cali Of the Wild"
etc. illustrated by p. ]. Monahan.
New York: The Century Company.
"Smoke Bellew is a first-class story.
It's adventures are vital and Of the COM
plete sort. such as whip the courage and
edge the wits while they pull upon mus
Gle and sinew without rest-an all-around
supreme experience of both body and
soul. It is, moreover, a communicable ad-
venture, put with such color Of picture
and sweep Of action as to give the reader
very real though vicariOus part in its
dangers and escapes.
Smoke Bellew is the unexpected hero of
this tale-a soft fellow of mild weathers.
who hardens with splendid swiftness and
vigor under the rigid exactions of life in
the Klondike and beyond. Besides being
one of Jack London's best stories-origi-
nal. picturesque, man-size-this adventure
is also another witness that this writer
stretch as much as he may to reach his
full height OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES at his
highest only In the region Of his first
literary triumph-a triumph SO far I'M
surpassed.
NCHARGE IT", or Keeping Up With
Of Keeping Up With Lizzie" etc.
New York: Harper & Bros.
The Hon. Socrates Potter comes this
year like an old friend. Such good sense,
such shrewd seeing, such sturdy. home
bred opinions. and himself generally such
a genial and original manner of man, stir
h,,h xxyh{1 <ho
Socrates has no more than made his en-
trance bow. Well do we remember this
laughing philosopher of last year who,
before our eyes, steered a whole cOmmu-
nifty away from the material and moral
bankruptcy involved in keeping Up with
Lizzie" Now this year, bethOughtful OF
fair play, as one expects Socrates Potter
to be, he takes the men in hand to point
the mOney-mad, debt-ridden, speed-crazed
frenzy that seiZes upon those who try to
with the laughter Of rid1cule and carica-
ture bent to the uses Of showing how
these things look from the safe and sane
corner where Socrates Potter stands.
LONDON LAVENDER; an Entertain
ment. BY e. ". Lucas, author OF
cover Bemertons," etc. New York:
The Macmillan Company.
Mr.. Lucas is hardly to be regarded as
a novelist. and this is reason for giving
thanks. He writes So delightfully."- and
intimately Of people whom he has Gre
ated that it would be a pity to enmesh
them in the artificial Limitation Of plot.
In London Lavender he brings back
upon the scene a number of characters
whom he has heretofore introduced in
Listeners Lure" Mr.. Ingleside" and
"Over Bemertons,'' and without any at
tempt to work out romance he carries
them through various relationships and
experiences. and incidentally reveals anew
his close acquaintance with London and
his keen understanding of modern Eng
lish life. The particular speciality Of
London Lavender" Is movement to
collect and preserve old folk songs and
ballads, the story teller becoming inter-
ested as secretary Of the society, and in
his researches with his director Uni earth
ing some distinctly refreshing individuals
in the country districts. The reader is
introduced to the geological gardens in
Regents Park and to the remarkable
anthropoids over which MIR. Wiles is in
charge. But must be borne in mind
that apes are not monkeys, else there
will be heartburnings and trouble. In
none Of his previous works has Mr.. Lucas
been more attractive or readable.
THE FACE OF AIR. BY George L.
Knapp, author of 1.-The Scales of
Justice" etc. New York: John Lane
Company.
A ship adrift upon the face of the
sea, with not soul on board, with no
sign Of disease! This ship taken as a.
derelict and renamed with a prize crew
and again npeopled and a second time
abandoned in the same mysterious man.