Evening star., 1914-12-12

thor writes with spirit and enthusiasm
Of her singing seasons In Europe ana
America She makes also most inter-
esting account of her collaborations
with Wagner at Bayreuth. The book
is rich in anecdotes bearing upon the
profession of music and through these
innuuerab artists of the operate
stage come and go in this volume. 1t
is n book of gcnerosities toward friends
and rivals alike. 1t is a large and
rooIay view OF music as an art and Of
singers as ezpositors OF this art.
THr; KAISER; = Book About the Most
Interesting Man In Europe. Edited
by Asa Don Dickinson. illustrated.
New York: Doubleday. Page & Co.
Washington: woodward & Lothrop.
Ii is perhaps unfortunate that the
fron;ispiece to this work, prepared In
the time when neutrality is the
American national cry. should comprise
a portrait of the Emperor OF Germany in
the character of Roman emperor. a
reproduction of a painting made by
imperial command. There are many
other portraits interspersed in tho
work, showing the kaiser from infancy
up to the present time. in various
uniforms. in civilian clothes. alone and
in company, and almost any one of
these would have been more suitable
and less provocative Of the feeling of
pai tisanship which this portrayal nee
essarily inspires. This is well bal
anced analysis of the character and
career of the German emperor. pre-
pared with a view to an exposition OF
his personality and his influences with
reference to the present great struggle
in Europe. 1t praises him for his ac-
complishments and criticises him for
the tendencies which are believed to
have made for war. Altogether 1t sets
him forth as the most interesting man
in Europe" and whatever may be one s
the book is well worth reading for the
sake of the clear view 1t affords of the
predominant figure.
HANS ANDERsEN's FAIRY TALES
AND WONDER STORIES. With
over one hundred illustrations and
decorations by Louis Rhead. and
an introduction by w. d. Howells.
New York: Harper & Brothers.
New editions of Hans Andersen's
fairy tales are to be expected annually
before Christmas, for there is no other
work which is more suitable for Juve-
nile gifts than this classic. The pres
ent edition is particularly attractive.
with an unusual richness Of illustra-
tion and decoration. Mr.. Rhead's pic
torial style is admirably adapted to
ellis has presented brief appreciatory
introduction.
SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN BOY SERIES
PICK, SHOVEL AND PLUCK,
Further Experiences "With the
Men who Do Things" By A. Russell
Bond. author of the Scientific
American Boy" etc. New York:
Mum & Co.
The material from which this work
is compiled has appeared in the main
in the pages of st. Nicholas Magazine.
These chapters deal with the expert
ences of two boys who are guided by
an adult friend to the scenes of great
engineering works. which he explains
simply and graphically. The boys are
permitted to inspect these works at
close range and have some thrilling
adventures. AS In the previous volume
with the Men Who Do Things" they
learn how the biggest undertakings
of the present time are planned and ex-
ecuted. They see the conquest Of the
Chagres river and the severing Of the
isthmus; they witness the raising OF
the wreck of the Maine and note the
process of constructing the KeokuA
dam, along with several other notable
enterprises. All the chapters are pro.
and diagrams. and the volume is mos,
instructive of the way in which pick
shovel and pluck" overcome obstacles
and produce results for the benefit OF
mankind.
STORIES WITHOUT TEARS. BY Barry
Pain, author of -One Kind and An
other" etc New York: Frederick
A. Stokes Company.
From one point of view those are
barely short stories: they are rather
outlines of stories, but they all have
the charm of the story structure and
are most satisfying in their incomplete
firish. Mr.. Pain has developed highly
the art of telling much in little. in
outlining character and sketcnlng per
sonalities. While these are stories
without tears" they come at times
close to the line of tragedy, but there
is always a genial optimism in the
treatment that saves the situation.
Twenty-ii live of the stories are what
may be called actuali+ies, while twenty
of them are brief 'moralities." Mr..
Pains work is rated highly in England.
where his books circulate in great
numbers.
THE CLEAN HEART. BY A S. NJ.
Hutchinson, author of The Happy
Warrior" With a frontispiece by
r. NJ. Crosby. Boston: Little, Brown
& Co.
Mr. wriford was undoubtedly -'one
success in the London world of let
ters, had written successful novels and
had gained a highly paid editorial po-
sition. But he accomplished these re-
suits without sufficient relaxation. He
had undertaken too heavy burden at
the outset and did not adjust as his
circumstances became easier, but drove
and drove, until finally something gave
way in his brain, and he flew off in a
tangent from the crowded London life
and became a vagabond. He early met
one who identified himself as Mr..
Puddlebox," a man of paunch and great
good humor and bibulous capacity. but
with q tremendous power of affection
that stood Wriford in good stead in his
sad state of mind. Eventually Pud-
dlebox gave his life for Wriford. who
became again a derelict in a new sense
and finally drifted to shore Of peace.
Then again came distress and doubt.
but eventually love brought him
clean heart and finally peace and hap
piness This is d book OF strain and
struggle, a story Of great stress OF
mind 1t is chiefly notable for the &C.
centrically beautiful character of Es-
sic, who is the light that finally leads
Wriford out of his own wilderness.
CHRISTOPHER QUARLEs: College