Evening star., 1916-10-01

w spirit of England itself at
the beginning of the war.
The fux Of feeling. the turmoil of
opinion, the confusion of ideas. the
falling away of beliefs that age and
of a new world order-these are all
here, interviewer with the attitudes and
occupations of tho dozen or more men
and women used to dramatize this
momentous situation. Smart folks and
intellectuals, these are people of
thought and opinions, with enough
leisure to air them, but not enough to
stale them. The book is one of long
talks on the all-absorbing subject of
and-take of the interesting social life
of which these very modern men and
women are the center. 1t is a mastery
handling of serious opinions in the
light touch of friendly and familiar
intercourse. The writer passes from
scene to scene, from personality to per-
sonality, in a brilliant story of English
life under the menace of an mediate
war; with no sign posts set to point her
purpose OF including all England with
in the limits Of this social drama. But
that inclusiveneSS exists by implica-
tion throughout. A love story of great
charm focuses the many interests here
into the two kinds of people whom the
young lovers typify-the two kinds
into which all England is divided
those temporizing between the past and
the future, and those who are steadily
facing upon the new day of the world.
1t is a big novel, big in theme. big in
the seriousness and beauty of its
manner.
CECHY AND THE WIDE WORLD. By
Elizabeth T. Corbett. New York:
Henry Holt & Co.
A story of modern wedlock and mod
ern woman. Curiously enough, it is
the husband this time who picks the
lock, letting himself out into freedom.
Avery Fairchild is a sentimentalist, his
head in the clouds. Cecily, his wife, on
the contrary, keeps her two little feet
square to the ground, her sane little
Mead screwed tight to her body. In the
course of time Avery goes away to do
philanthropy in Chicago. leaving Cecily
and the babies in possession of a fair
makeshift of support, provided Cecily
were of the sort to accept it. But she
is of another kind. So, after good
many secret griefs and resentments
the gallant little Cecily asserts her in
dependence and goes about a business
of her own making whereby she pro-
vides we'll for herself and the children.
Meanwhile Avery. too, wins favor and
place. Under the natural stress of
loneliness he makes at least two forays
into the field Of romance. Along a
double line of good work and good
success, the story progresses in the
brightest and most engaging manner
possible until, by no more than a
hairs breadth margin of permanent
separation, the two come together
again. Perhaps that is mistake. One
Is inclined to think that that particu-
lar sort of fame, once, burnt out, can
never be rekindled. This may be
wrong. At any rate, the writer, either
in the belief that it may be renewed or
in a good-natured compliance with the
general readers demand for q happy
ending, starts Avery and Cecily and
the babies off on new adventure of
home-making. Being right, from the
ground up. Cecily may be counted on,
one assumes, to be right this time
also in consenting to the fresh expert
ment with a sentimentalist.
THE WALL STREET GIRL. BY Fred
erick Orin Bartlett, author of Joan
Of the Alley" Illustrations Sy
George Ellis Wolfe. Boston: Hough-
ton Miffltn Company.
Astonishing, what fresh appeal there
is in a well handled case Of common
sense Mr.. Bartlett's new novel is a
point in evidence. With a heroine
destitute Of the graces that this class
r. wont to claim. with stage reduced