The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-03-04

(MacmillansJ. an end of the rail town
In the interior of the State of Wash
ington. a small boy relates the hap
penings OF "a year or so IN the own
these are much like those told of
frontier towns elsewhere and the char
acters combine the customary amia-
bility and high purpose with intoNica-
ton and d%isreputable picturesuuencss.
A worthy lady rather inexplicably fas-
cinates the whole town and provides
a love story. The youthful narrator
III interesting. but he fails to make ,s
see his boy hero, who provides the
title for the book. or share his admira-
ton FOR him. az he is more occupied
with boasting Of his hero's later ex-
ploits than with his doings as a boy.
n tone OF sincerity makes up for
rather ponderous humor.
An unfortunate idea that she is a
humorist mlsleads $. Macnaughtan in
Some Elder.y People and Their Young
Friends" (E. i. Dutton aud Com
pany). There Is very little story. but
much spightly satire and discourse.
a quartet or amiable middle aged
people are provided with the
habits and costumes which IL rs now
the fashion TO call Victorian and after
a time arc allowed to pair off. Con-
trasted with them are modern inde-
pendent young women with purpose
and their male attendants and the
perennial madcap who makes every
one do as she wishes. The peop.e are
too evidently stock characters who
only serve to carry on bright ana
A ff VI ~ n, To 81 --
subjects that are not always entertain
Ing. Miss Macnaughtan has done
much simpler and much better work.
Ten sketches OF life on warships are
included IN "A Tall Ship on other
Naval Occasions" by Bartimeus &C. +.
Putnam's Sons). The actors are the
same In most OF them and are always
fine fellows: the incidents are old
windy and touch on the humors as
we'll ~ the tragedies OF naval life in
the war.
The dialect in Alexis Roche's
Journeys With Jerry the Jarvey'' az.
i. Dutton and Company Is natural
and the humor is surely Irish. The
narrative Il realistic in that the Old
driver Is voiuble and drifts from one
subject to another. Generally he has
something funny to tell. but just as
often 1t Is about the unpleasant sides
Of Irish life. and ever the humor at
times has an ugly turn.
Some pretty and amusing bits Of
~lovemaking and occasional bursts Of
humor redeem Sumner Locke's
Samaritan Mary" Henry Holt and
Company. The author seems 10 have
mistaken the form Of the models he
follows for the substance. The
amiable n laxative woman who sets
things right has become n common
place In fiction by this time: in thisi IN
stance she Is often merely voluble and
seldom shows hard sense. The story
Is purposely confused so as to be
almost unintelligible and the behavior
Of most Of the people Is so preposterous
as TO obscure their amiability. Mr..
Locke has the knack of depicting
character; he might provide his peop.e
with some judgment and make them
act coherertly.
In Nothing a Year" CHarp.rs)
Charles Belmont Davis. apparently
m!staking coarseness for strength.
draws a repulsive picture of an un-
pr!ncipled and ambitious girl. She,
with most OF the persons she has 10
deal with. speaks out with amazing
~frankness. Mr.. Davis seems to have
a very poor opinion of the
and morals OF New York society.
What point his story might have is
spoiled by the inart!stic weakness Of
the end.