Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-10-18

that. on account of the peculiar charac-
| ter OF this business, and of the qualities
needed to insure its standing and sue
cess. Mr.. Yard lifts the publisher to a
middle ground of Importance and dignity
something above the purveyor of mere
goods, and shade below, perhaps so
much as a shade, below the purely pro-
fessional cloth. In intimate and breezy
way he tells how books are selected and
manufactured. and set out to attract the
pubic One comes out from this inter-
esting and many-sided discussion know
ng a deal more about the publisher than
when he went in. He comes out. too.
with a profound respect for the publish
er in his knowledge of people. in his
touch with events-past, present and
many of those that are only on the way
toward us-in his intimacy with literary
foundations on the one hand. and on the
other in his shrewd appraisal of the
depth and extent Of mere literary vogues.
II is, all in all. too, one judges from this
frank study, a pretty uphill thing-tnis
business of publishing books, calling Tor
many and varied powers on the part OF
the publisher. Some of the interesting
facts that lie between author ana pup
Usher come out in this open discussion.
1t is novel book. 1t is as certainly an
entertaining and informing one.
AFRICAN CAMP FIRES. By Stewart
Edward White F. r. G. s.. author
of 'In the Land of Footprints" etc
illustrated from photographs. New
York: Doubleday, Page Co. WASH
ington: Woodward & Lothrop.
Stewart Edward White is exclusively
an out-of- doors man. A long list OF books
on unhoused and open ways in one or an
other part of the world is part evidence
of this. african Camp Fires" the latest
of these, is a book calculated to rejoice
the heart of a man who. either In facs
or only in imagination. is the hunter OF
hig game. 1t is a book for the real or
ina ginary traveller In far lands. for the
student of strange peoples whom no wave
of civilization has yet approached MT.
White is an amazing observer. The open
taught him that. Seemingly no sight
escapes him. He possesses, moreover, the
gift not only of seeing what there is to
see, but of seeing also pretty much what
it means in its own place and time. he
is, too. a fine writer. direct. vigorous,
vernacular-a picturesque writer. Turn
these qualities over to the description OF
ha zardous and exciting experiences hunt
ing big game in Africa and you have IN
your hand african Camp Fires.
notable and thrilling book OF travel and
adventure.
ROBIN HOODS BARN. BY Alice
Brown. author Of "The Secret of
the Clan," etc. New York: The
Macmillan Company.
Rather too often does one feel the con-
science the working conscience, under
living Alice Browns work. In only
slight degree does this impression come.
but it does come, marring by just so
much the fine ingrained texture of this
writer's work 1t is, now and then, Ike
something applied. something light but
tangible applied, rather than that every
part is of the very warp and woof OF the
fabric itself. But 1t is In the nature or
praise that one cavils at all over fiction SO
thoroughly sincere, and competent, ana
essentially artistic, as that of Alice
Brown Much as if any least flaw were
being urged to betake itself on at once.
The plot Of the present romance Is
somewhat ambitious one. 1t is, likewise.
a well managed plot The story centers
about a young biographer's pursuit Of the
browning point in the life of the man for
whose story material has been brought
to him. Instinctively he knows that with
what lies to his hand he can build no
more than the shell of the great man
life. He knows that somewhere there is
an undiscovered key to the peculiar quail
Incidental to 1t, the young writer's own
romance buds and blooms. But to the
reader this remains a secondary concern.
The deep interest Of the story lies In a
dead man and woman, brought to life by
means of bundle of old letters, long
hidden and jealousy guarded. These let
ters are the key sought by the writer:
These make open avowal OF the source OF
the big mans inspiration. In the warmth
of a love that is only half apprehended
as SUCH his poetic vision expands, his
powers ripen, his schemes for the GOOD
of humanity mature. Robin HOOD
Barn"-so roundabout to reach, SO long