The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-03-10

ehib hhiiitli iiittltsts anu lhc sAVAf out as a work of fine intellect in its broadness and comprehension.
 PETER AND 'WENDY."
 By J. NJ. Barrie With illustrations by F.
 D. Bedford. Charles ecribner's Sons New York.
 There is no theme that could reach 70 many people of the English speaking world as another story about "Peter and Wendy," which MT. Barrie has lately given us-meaning. of course, that 1t is merely continuation of our friends Of Peter Pan days in a dress. Maude Adams has made the play famous, her triumph being of such an as- tonishing nature that it embraced every class and every creed, no matter where And why?
 Merely because .Peter Pan" and MT. Barrie and Miss Adams are human item selves and lend their humanity to a good cause. Q Peter and wendy," like Peter Pan. !" Is a story for "grown-ups". as well as children, and prevailing it Is an atmos- phere of literature as we'll as life which appeals to us alls E
 In Peter Pan'' in new dress. alias Peter and Wendyn we find Peter the boy who didn't want to grow up and be President. and pretty little Wendy grown up. and Captain Hook and the pursuing crockodiles, which finally with the clash- ing jaws swallowed up the pirates. Yes, these and all the others are there in the adventures in the wonderful Never Land.
 "On these magic shores children are for teyer bleaching their corcales. We, too, have been there;s we can still hear the sound of the surf, though we shall land no more"
 Peter, the seeker after adventure, is left alone on the rock with the sea rising about him, "standng erect with that smile on his face" and a drum beating within him. ~@. IL
 It was saying: ITO die would be an aw- fully big adventure"
 Peter and Wendy has all the charm and invention and imaginative flights which characterize MT. Barrie at bis best, and the book Is valuable addition to any library.
 DOWN OUR STREET. "A PROVINCIAL. COMEDY" By J. F.
 Buckrose. c. P. Putnam's Sons, New
 York
 Two rows of dull houses-some grimy
 trees, i,. That's all the eye of the stranger sees, But the heart that goes there Is. sure to
 meet 3 IA, .sss..s4f sx.N33 issA,sssl Love, pity and happiness down our
 street"
 A great London critic paid Mrs. J. F. Buckrose. the author of Down Our Street." the compliment of saying that the character of Mrs. Bean in the story was a creation of which any writer might be proud.
 Indeed, she is the dominant figure of the very charming story of suburban life which the author has delineated in most delightful and pleasing manner
 There ista bouyancy of soul, an unwav erlng generosity and helpfulness about Mrs Bean that appeals to everybody, so much so that we easily forgive her unfor- givable costumes and impossible hats, all because of her delightful traits and fine character.
 After reading Down Our Street. one easily sees that merely because environ ments are dull and unbeautiful that life in them may not have the same dull and unbeautful color.
 The dwellers in "Our Street" are for the most part of the ordinary run of human ity, but with the love spirit of the true Samaritan the. author has probed deeply into their virtues and found beneath their limitations that there Is much to ad- mire and love in them-much to pity and help, and withal field to be opened which has hitherto been neglected to great ex- tent
 There is a delightful aroma of optiuffsm about Down Our Street" which the au- thor has gathered and much pathos as well as humor. and after reading the story an interest is engendered which is hard to shake off-in fact, an interest which one doesn't want to shake off, but treasure in ones mind for some time to come.