Evening star., 1914-04-18

I'D for the comprehensive change in our
uanctal system that it embodies is eml
emily calculated as a text book for
.hich there is already an urgent and
idespread demand.
WE DOG AND THE CHILD AND THE
ANCIENT SAILOR MAN. BY Robert
Nlexander Wason, author of Happy
Hawkins. etc Frontispiece by Ar
.hur Hutchins. Boston: Small MAY
nard & Co.
olaf and Donald and Sinbad-the dog
I'd the child and the ancient sailor man
are about equal partners i'm this alto
;ther charming story. where the great
'ane and the old sailor rescue the little
ny from the fatal effects of clear case
'f overInothering. When Donald was a
ear old his father wanted him to have a
ioS. for the very good reason that every
'o% should have dog" The story opens
With the long argument between Donald's
ather and mother, for and against this
iew project. an argument that after
ouch trimming and many compromises
'esults in victory for the father. The
lrst chapter sets the stage as il were.
~o of the chief actors. by way Of intro
'iucing the baby and the big puppy to
each other. Incidentally. this chapter also
makes plain the category of mothers to
u
is six years later when Sinbad makes his
spectacular appearance. Donald and
Olaf were out in the yard together as
usual. In Donald's hand was an old
bronze lamp-Aladdin's to be sure. With
poised finger the little boy wondered
whether he should wish for the Magic
Rug, or Jack the Giant Killer. or E,inbad
the Sailor. Deciding upon Sinbad be-
cause "he would have so many stories to
tell" he set to vigorous rubbing of the
Ia INN Av,1 t06x
fence. rose the bare head of man. a
sailor man. When gravely asked if his
name were not Sinbad. the sailor admit
ted that the name told good many
things about him. even if il Were not the
particular one to which he answered upon
call This slight difference could make
no difficulty and Sinbad was then and
there adopted. Hereafter the story goes
on its delightful way in important daily
happenings. through which this writer
sits in unobtrusive and divining patience
beside the interviewer affairs of these
three. This beautiful story Is so intuitive
and true that il is pathetic even when it
is amusing. II is addressed to parents
in the hope, one Judges, of helping them
20 understand. 1t should do this-but
parents are hard to reach One does not
need to be a parent. however, to feel the
nimitable charm of this little story.
CONCERT PITCH. BY Frank Dandy.
author of THE Heart of Child"
etc. New York: The Macmillan Com
pany.
Wedding in haste and repenting at leis-
ere. is the somewhat common circum-
itsnce used here by Mrs Frankau to de-
velop the character and set out the life
"f Manuella Wagner. Manuella. from
Ter babyhood up acting on impulse to
he exclusion of any more reasonable and
considered motive. marrics. out of blue
u. and quite in the face of elaborate
'lans for her future the impecunious
oung musical genius. Harstcn Migotti
~ way Of celebrating the truth that ge
flAS Is designed for the large purposes
~ att rather than for the specific de-
nands of ma trimony, this writer provides
the robust and trying experiences that
serve both to bring out and chasten the
e1uberant character of the girl \ rich
web of incident and fine seizure of the
motives that inspire action. support and
animate the straight. firm line of plot di-
rectins the course of this story. Manuella
Is a Very lovablc and tormenting woman
In her vivid concrete reality. in the sum
OF her human qualities and in the CO.
hercnt and proportioned blend of these
qualities. Manuella comes easily within
the meaning that lies in the word type"
And this Is true Of every character here.
whether II be one of greater or lesser
Importance. Moro than most Frank
Danby has the power TO scr the clean
ires of denarcation that set off one in
divldual from another. one type from an
other. More than most. too. she pos
sesses the Complementary ability to ror-
ray these lines of distinct personality
with firm and assured confidence.
London society and London bohemia
PLAY into each others hands in this alb
sorbing romance. surrounding its people
and incidents with n variable atmosphere
Of decided charm and piquancy. Fine
feeling. fine discrimination and brilliant
workmanship characterize this novel of
artfully blended realism and romantic
fancy.
BARN BY Helen r. Martin,
author of "Tille; Mennonite Maid
etc New York. The Century Com
pany-
"Barnabetta' is the story of modern
Cinderella Certain superficial variations
from the original mark this new version.
but in its essentials the old story moves
fresh and unimpaired. In this case it is
the stepmother who is the girls good
fairy. and not her evil genius, in the
old tale, Here, too, il is Barnabetta s
father. a Pennsylvania Dutchman. and
her two loutish brothers who condemn
the girl to a slavish household drudgery.
The release comes by way of the friend
ship of this new stepmother. Leisure.
pleasure. pretty dresses, reading, and
finally college. are the good gifts OF this
modern fairy godmother. The prince in
this new Cinderella story is the great
man of the little college town where
Barnabetta wins so much favor by virtue
of her beauty, and good sense. and fine
spirit. Like all of Mrs Martins novels,
this one develops against a background
of Pennsylvania Dutch life and character
a setting with which she has already
proved herself realistically and feelingly
familiar.
One does not know to what extent the
writer intended to give a symbolic cast
10 this highly localized romance. But the