The Washington herald., 1913-09-14

the reader takes part in its sorrows, its
joys, and its love affairs.
RUE AND ROSES: By Angela LANCER. with intro
duction by W. L. Courtney. NeT York-George
II. Doran Company.
The unburdened soul, whether OF man
or woman OF youth or age, is not un-
known in literature. Inspiration TO the
writing of many a novel has come from
the human passion for confession. Some.
times IL has resulted in a sincere feeling
OF truth; sometimes It has arisen out OF
the writer's imagination. In every in
stance, however. the satisfaction Of
listening to the revelations, especially If
they are OF temptation. of sin, of suffer
ing, or of punishment, has brought them
many readers, frequently far beyond
their deserts.
Rue and Roses" suggests a measure Of
sincerity and truth: its sentimental title
casts a shadow of suspicion upon it. In
any event II is obviously a successor to
and in part an imitation OF Marie
Claire" Without Marguerite Audoux
there would be no Angela LANCER, with
out Marie Claire there would he no
Rue and Roses" What differences exist
between the two are due to tempers .nent,
TO environment. and to nationality, for
Marie Claire was French and Angela
Langer's Anna presumably heTselD. is
German.
The great fact in Annals life was not
the discomfort of her nome, nor was il
the varying life that she led as a servan;
or Roverness. At the town OF KreGs, at
Budapesth, in Vienna, in London, and in
rural England she made her way through
childhood to early womanhood. Although
her story is half over before she meets
the man she comes to love. he is always
present in her mind from its beginning.
He is above her in birth. In education
and in rank, and he endeavurs to stimu-
late her mind into thought that is worth
while. She seeks him when he fails to
seek her and she finds that it Is his
conscience that prevents him making her
either his mistress or his wife. When he
tells her that he is a wolf in Sleeps
clothing the world seems dark to her. The
crisis comes when she is in England.
She has always hoped against hope that
the man she loved would come to her or
that she would be asked TO go to him,
when suddenly the death knell Of her
expectations was sounded.
And this is the end Of Angela Langers
story. biography or confession. II is com
mendably sustained despite its stress
upon the one aspect of life, without small
reference to which no book seems TO be
complete, and without which life itself is
Incomplete 1t is German in its serious
and solid persistence and It is all the
more convincing, because il lacks
ecstatic and emotional touches that SO
frequently characterize books Of its
kind.
THE NEW TESTAMENT PERIOD AND ITS
LEADERS: BY Rev. DR. FTAnk 7. Lee. BOs-
ton-Sheman. French & Co. Price, SIS net
The casual reader or superficial student
OF the New Testament little realizes the
stupendous obstacle which Christianity
had to overcome before IL could enter
upon its mission as the universal and final
religion. In a very readable and interest
ing way the autho' has attempted to
make this clear. In the first part, the
providential preparation for Christ and
Christianity, the historical, political and
religious situation at the time OF the ad
vent. together with the actual Inaugural
tion of the new faith, historically con-
sidered. are discussed.
In the second part in connection with
the character studies Of the early lead
ers is traced the development of Christi
anity as 1t outgrew and finally freed it.
self from the Jewish customs. and. un-
trammeled. made its way among the
Gentiles. The gradual growth OF q con
viCtion among the leaders that this new
religion was intended to be independent OF
Judaism and for all mankind (although.