Evening star., 1916-05-07

haTIy-in their way. so. what with maj
duty ard parental obligation and the
age-old furtive dominion of the female
over the male, the man who was designed
70 be much turned out to be little. because
he was never at any time himself. big
trcme handled in big manner. Art and
PHILOSOPHY appear to have been Mr..
WrIcht's chief literary absorptions hither-
to. The quality of this novel. however.
hereafter occupy a fair share of his at
tentiou.
TIE LITTLE LADY OF THE BIG
Hoi Sc. BY Jack London. author of
Tho Star Rover. etc. New York:
The Macmillan Company.
The modern doctrine of efficiency and
q variant of Luther Burbank's miracle
working gift appear to he the sub
structure upon which Jack London has
built his story of 6. California ranch.
The effect industrially considered. is
that of a glorifed state fair. Farm
products in such individual super-ex
cellence and abundance were surely
never seen before. And as for the herds
and focks and droves Of that ranch.
there is something Homeric in their
names and pedigrees and primal fe
cundity. A short-horn bull becomes an
ode, pig a poem and splendid stall
Hon a battle hymn in this apotheosis
of stock breeding. Dick Forrest owns
this ranch and manages il. Experts to
run its various departments have been
erticed away from college faculties and
from the federal concern itself The
last word in mechanical perfection has
been pressed into service. From a cen
trail office Dick Forrest carries on his
ranch as generals nowadays fight bat
Ties He presses button and ma
chine in some outlying field begins, on
its own account. to plow, or SOW. or
reap. as occasion demands. One rather
expects to see il lift hand to wipe
the sweat from its brazen brow, just
as he is certain that. the days work
done. The thing takes bath and goes
to bed. dog-tired. like the human farm
hand, IN the midst of this wonder
world of farming is set the ranch house.
= marvel of cool Moorish beauty. And
here is where the real story begins
Dick Forrest has wife. Paula. and a
friend. Evan Graham. In the making
of these three Jack London has out
done himself. And while the problem
one. its solution, by virtue of the quail
ities Of these people, is of a new order.
Tine story may have undertaken too
much il may have attempted to weld
too many resistant elements But it
is, nevertheless. a rather splendid en-
terprIse. that carries one along with
only half protest against the spend
thrift prodigality that went into its
making
CtPTai> MiRGARET; 4 Novel. BY
lohnr Masefield, author Of The Ever
lasting Mercy, etc. New York:
The Macmillan Company.
Capt Margaret is the hero of this
fine Nasefield adventure. Sailing from
England to tropical America in the
Broken Heart" with crew and cargo
and very important pair of unex-
pected passengers. Capt Margaret is
bent on establishing benefcent gov
eminent for the natives of the fegion
Tor which he is bound The adven-
lures OF voyage and those rising out of
the development of his utopian scheme
outline the action OF this story and in
dicste 10 certain extent the fiorid
character Of this narrative. No writer
reaches John Maseheid in making a
human being out Of a ship a thing
that feels and thinks and talks. that
sustains friendships and cherishes
secret antagonisms. No one surpass-
IS him in a feeling for the mystery
and wonder Of the sea. in sympathy
for It's moods In joy over it's manifold
beauties The voyage itself is. there
fore. the most important and the most
absorbing part OF this adventure az
Capt Margaret is its most appealing
character Hazards by land supple
rlent The events Of the seafaring. and
romance. TOO. adds its buoyancy to
this strenuous enterprise. The whole
Is a stirring chronicle in the writer's
best humor..
SrRtck ny LIGHTNING: The Comedy
of Being Nan. BY Burton Kline.
Ne" York: John Lane Company
This is Burton KIine's first book. He
sklps lightly into the literary ring by
way Of comedy, the comedy OF being a
man. as the subtitle here indicates.
Within this circle he puts through its
lively PAGES Bernard Shaw's hobby Of
the hunter and the hunted. Seductive
;,iti way wise, Nichelne Maquard is the
Dana OF this occasion and nothing less
than the lieutenant governor of the
comGonw ealth Of Massachusetts is her
quarry. with a good deal or laugha a bis
'o-dO ana whole pages of very clever
falk about II. the great man is finally
rescued from the witcheries of the Iady
destiny 10 an altogether lovely woman
who, unlike the volatile MIcheline is
"EiInently fitted 10 be the first lady of
tn" great Bay state. The helpIessness
% this development constitute the com
-. Of which the author gives this
amusing and clever version.
THE CRIMSON GARDENIA AND
OTHER TALES OF ADVENTURE.
by Rex Beach. author Of The Spoil
crs.' etc Illustrated. New York:
Harper & Bros.
From New Orleans at carnival time.
northwest these stories lead one in a
series of adventures that take their
color and movement and general favor
from the localities In which they are
set And this northward progression
produces the effect of going home, for
with every advance toward II Rex
Beach grows more like himself, more