Evening star., 1915-03-21

uta,ia,ic In addition to a good de-
tective story this plot covers an inter
esting romance and a fair picture or
certain phases of Washington social
iffe. The book embodies an ambitious
program. and one in which the writer
has acquitted herself with great credit.
particularly in the carrying out of the
detective story, and in the rounded and
lifelike quality given TO each of the
many characters that appear here
MOONGLADEt 4 Novel. By the author
of The Martyrdom of an Empress,
etc. New York: Harper & Bros.
In outline, this Is the romance of a
mistaken marriage and the retributfon
of unhappiness that the bare logic OF
such an event provides. In something
like an ecclesiastical handling. how
ever. the suffering hero Of this STORY.
after a decade of marital purGltorN.
Is released from further punishment
by the death of his irksomc yoke mate.
Unlike the majority who make mis-
takes of this sort. he is then permitted
to WOO and win the beautiful girl.
whom. by all the laws Of common sense
and average intuition. he should have
chosen in the first place. This bare
plot is heavily embroidered with the
erranctes of the fascinating first wife.
and the contrasting cheerfulness and
good grit of the lovely and neglected
maiden. This novel produces richly
eHeCI. IN large measure Out
of it's setting alone. On the one hand
there Is the bright and happy chateau
life on the coast of Brittany. On the
other Is the gloomy, but none the less
interesting, picture of a great Russian
estate, set severely and carried out Ia
the colors of gloom and unrest and
wide distances between prince and
people. Taken all in all. in its inter
relation of plot and character and set
ting. il is an uncommonly good ver-
n No fyyv
women. one a good woman and the
other bad, with a mere man foolishly
expected to make the right choice be-
tween them at the first attempt
MARTHA OF THE MENNONITE
COUNTRY. By Helen r. Martin,
author Of .Tillie. a Mennonite
Maid etc. New York: Doubleday
Page & Co. Washington: Woodward
& Lothrop.
Of Mrs. Martins new novel is that part
where she again demonstrates her
power to deal with the country.
Pennsylvania Dutch. Her seizure of
these people in their general characte.
and common outlook. in their WAYS Of
life and manner of speech. is only less
surprising than is her skill in trans
ferring them to the pages of book in
such precision of detail aud Such life
like fidelity of effect. The story of
Martha is one of the many variants Of
the Cinderella tradition. Martha. prin-
cess to be. is house drudge in the
dreary round Of Dutch work life.
The prince is successful novelist who.
gone stale on invention, has, in the role
of village Schoolmaster, come into the
Mennonite country for fresh material.
Upon this omewhat unstable founda-
tion Mrs. Martin builds quiet love
story whose tax upon credulity is more
lR- a
eager. acceptance of such incidents and
pictures as have to do with the person.
ality of Martha herself and with the
remote and isolated existence of which
she is a part.
OUT OF WORK: A Study Of rnem.
ployment. BY Francis a. Kellor. au.
thor of Experimental Sociology"
etc. New York: &. =. Putnam's
Sons.
This book effectually does away with
two commonly accepted theories con-
cerning. the man out of work. One Of
these Is that he is a moral question
for philanthropy and religion to set
tie. The other is that any man who
honestly wants work can get 1t. In
place of these two assumptions. both
of them utterly wrong. Mr.. kellor sets
up the theory that, inherent in our in
dustrial system, there is an unemploy-
ment problem to whose solution busf-
ness and labor and government must
give a united effort One of the chief
purposes of this book Is to focus the
public mind upon unemployment as an
industrial evil. and not as moral
field for the exercise of religion. The
| argument supporting this theory
spreads itself out here in an organ
lied summary of the facts of unem-
ployment in America. in an investi-
cation of the causes underlying these
facts and in constructive plans for
practical and immediate relief As a
significant part of the general subject
the writer discusses child labor in its
bearing upon the labor market. and
| immigration in its effect upon unem-
ployment. He takes up, too. in fuii de-
tail the marketing of labor in this
country by way of labor agencies. ira de
union agencies and the various civic
experiments in this direction. lnsur :
ance against Unemployment as this is
organized and established in Europe
makes field of suggestion to America.
a program for America In relation to
the subject of Unemployment closes
this eminently authoritative and prac-
tical handling of important and
pressing subject.
IS DEATH THE END. BY John Haynes
Holmes. minister of the church Of
the Messiah. New York. author of
THE Revolutionary Function of the
Modern Churcn, etc New oFh ~
=. PutnamS sons.
This is an interesting consideration
of the age-old and worldwide question
of Immortality. Defining immortality
as survival of individuality and
coupling this idea with spiritual IN
depreciation of the universe. the writer
builds up an argument in support OF
the belief in immortality Along the
tn
account the theories of the classic phil
osophers on this subject and the bear
ing upon 1T of modern scientific re-
search and the theory of evolution.
Breadth of learning and depth OF
thought enter into this discussion, as
a matter of course. But there is. be-
sides, practical handling of the
theme that makes 1t bear upon the
daily life of the Individual as well
upon his remoter concerns. This is
perhaps the chief Importance of this
carefully considered discussion.
BILLIE,s MOTHER. BY Mary J. II
Shrine. author OF .Bedesnan :.
etc With frontispiece by Esther
c. Arlington. New York: The Cen
fury Company.
This is a story of mother-1ove and OF
sacrifice which effaces mothers claim
to that love. Ruth was an innocently
fresh and kindly peasant girl before
the coming of Billie's father. whom she
met in Australia, where she had gone
as her Miss Melsie's" maid. Colonel
Oscar and his daughter leave their
English home to seek tiding of his
i'll twist of fate the colonel dies and
his daughter becomes an Invalid. in
capable of detecting the imposter who
.,f ne-