Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-05-23


from a modest bank clerk to a man of
fashion. whose sole object, for the space
of one year, was to be the pursuit Of
pleasure. At the end of this period. pro-
vided he accepted the terms Of this year
Of probation. he was to learn the tesla
tors further plans concerning himself.
The condition went into effect on VIM
pany's birthday-An Fools day. This
whimsically. clever story bushes itself
with the metamorphosis of Vfmpany
from grub to butterfly. and with the
colorful adventures of his brief butter
fly existence. And very lovable EEL
low it makes of the quiet bank clerk
turned man-about-town. London perils
and lures of every sort appear to go out
of their way to meet Vimpany. And IN
the midst of these he remains the gen.
timely good. determined, dependable gen.
tleman and all-around fine fellow that
he was as third cashier OF the old bank
BY the end of this trial year everybody
the reader as well as the gay folks
with whom Vimpany has been keeping
company along its course-is enamored
of the kind little man. And then it
comes out that this legacy is only one of
Malgornie's little pleasantries. a huge
sardonic joke-an "April fool for the
son OF the woman whom he hated. Its
intent. to ruin vimpany, to leave him fat
at the end of the year and without fur
Their resource. But the joke turns upon
cd Malgornie's ghost, for no one could
.,e happier than Vimpany is to return to
the dusty ledgers of his beloved bank.
This whimsical tale is wonderfully vel,
old. To be sure, its adventures now and
then approach the line that separates the
believable from the unbelievable. But
sr,x-
of the incredible. or, if they do. the
reader stretches his powers of belief TO
accommodate them, for he is bound IN
any event to reserve to himself the JOY
of full acceptance of this most lovaole
FOOL of April.
;'ENROD. BY Booth darlington. author
of THE Gentleman From Indiana,
etc. illustrated by Gordon Grant.
New York: Doubleday. Page & Co
Washington: Woodward & Lothrop-
good deal of the joy that t1nmis-
.kably went into the making of this book
bubbles out from the work itself. giving
throughout an amazingly fresh ana
3uoyant quality. Certainly no other boy
tory. contains fuller measure of real
boy than Mr. Harrington has put into
-.Penrod'' This moving and exciting taie
brins with the hourly adventures of Fen
rod Schofeld-aged twelve or thereapout-
md his dog. Duke. The drama OF zen,
DDS strenuous days marches IN tne iui.
havor of boy. This drama is generally OF
The tragic order to Peurod himself, how
yer much it may appear to the reader 10
be of comic cast. By the time that one
is well into the first chapter OF tnls ap-
sorbing narrative he is lost to tie out
side and goes chuckling along in par
ticipatory glee over the literal reaIsm OF
its events To this good fun is added also
the pleasure that springs from the sheer
artistry and fine finish of the work II
Is all delicious. 1t is Illuminating. besides.
II shows by what means the tribe. boy,
Is through the general forgetfulness ana
stupidity of it's elders, gradually convert
ed into the tribe of lshmael Fathers
and mothers-fussily obstructive and gen
ventures of P,enrod School teachers too;
should read thenr-narticuiariy shou'd
they read of Penrod's embarrassed ana
retellious part as a enid sir l-aace1o.'
in the silly. homemade Pageant On the
Table Round" and of his other expert
ences in education. The book is an aston
ishing example of man re-embodied as
boy. 1t is too an eXquisitely humorous,
a delicately artistic piece of work
FORTY YEARS OF 1T. BY Brand Whit
lock. New York: D. Appleton & Co.
Mr.. Brand Whitlock writes like novel
ist of quite the better sort And in this
manner of the romancer he here tells the
story of the political evolution of an
Ohio town toward a more general partci-
patton in municipal control. more gen
eral sharing of municipal benefits. This
is the story that is now going the rounds.
II is the modern theme of universal APP
peal. Everybody who can tell story at
all is in one form or another. telling this
one. But not every one tells 1t in JUST
the personal Vein, and out of the full civic
NI,N Not
many make it the concrete, near-at-hano
matter that Mr.. Whitlock makes IT.
Names and dates and the whole indus
trial and political web Of this little mid
western city combine here to make an
object lesson of what is going on pretty
much the world over. And. in this case,
the facts are set in the midst Of classic
allusion and unfolded with uncommon lit
crary suavity. The keynote of this en-
saging story Is reform. Its purpose is,
manifestly, educative. with an admirably
recorded practical civic experience in the
role of teacher. 1t is notably sincere. II
is also uniquely appealing contribution
to the one-sided public education so val
jartly advancing in the present by way oil
the reform magazine and news press
Yet, we remain waiting for some of the
lessons Of the other side-waiting fol
some Of those who have achieved SC
splendidly for the industrial growth OF
the country to find time to give out the
the vast accomplishments for which. SC
far, they have received little but abuse
Ono cannot resist the thought that, Il
these men Of continental vision and
achievement were only a little commune
cative whore those of the other side are
volunanously laxative. the system OF
public education and reform, going or
by way Of the press. would have. at least
the advantage Of q more balanced, more
symmetrical foundation than that upon
which It now rests.
SOCIAL FORCES IN ENGLAND AND
AMERICA. By II. G. Wells. author
Of Socialism and the Great State
etc New York: Harper G. Bros.
This volume OF essays. already publish
ed In England under the title An Eng
hshman Looks at His World" contains
according to Mr. Wells, practically all Of
Ids miscellaneous writings for the past foul
or f1ve years, and gives a fairly complet,
Wow Of his opinions upon the most press
ing OF the general topics now under pub
He consideration. Therefore the theme.
discussed here range widely-from doc
tors and divorce to the instability O
modern governments and the possible col
lapse Of civilization. There is, besides
and to be sure. an outlook upon the pres
ent trend of socialism and an examina
ton into the causes. and extent, and pos
sible cure of the labor unrest. The ii.
that binds these diverse themes int
unity of effect is the critical attitude Of
the writer in approaching them. Mr.
Wells is essentially critic. So whether
his tonic be notifies industry literature