davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-02-24
"TorchY" in Excelsis

WILT THOU TORCHY' By sewsn Ford. Illus.
trAuOns by Frank Snap sad Arthur WHuAn
Brown limo pp 3ll Edward Clcde
What's the use? The answer is,
there isn't any. You cannot review
"Torchy" save by beginning with the
first line of the first page and going
righ. through to the last line Of the
las, page. Even then you will want to
90 back and repeat various little cpl
sodes. particularly those in which
wee" and "Auntie' figure. "0ld HEX.
ory," too, and Dudley" and waldo
and the rest are all lasting delights:
But the innumerable multitude who
first saw that crimson orifamme Of
10Y in our Sunday columns, and who
have since followed IL with sheer de-
light. will welcome and yet lament the
present publication. It is good 70 have
so much of the inimitable "Torchy"
within the covers OF single book and
vet, what a thought il is that after the
aWilt Thou" and 81 Will" our "Tor-
chy" may be known to US no more!
Sufficient unto the book, however, is
the delight thereof; and IL this one
contained any more delight, IL would
surely burst its binding.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-02-24

him. She wanted TO be kissed and
fondled great deal. Her frank,
feshly impulses repealed James after a
while.
II ANNOYED James TO be treated as a
hero. He was asked to address re-
cruiting meeting. A clergyman intro
duced him and urged the Christian
duty of all present 20 slaughter the
greatest possible number of the enemy
Then James got up. IL wish | thought
that war was glorious; wish thought
that war was holy" he found himself
saying, but do not" II was a damp
ening speech, not at all what he in
tended Some persons Kissed. But
Corinna Combes told him it was great.
What she admired was not so much
what he said as the deep sincerity of II.
The spiritual visitor continued TO ap-
pear and turn his normal, healthy
thoughts 20 perpleXities. He couldn't
shake the influence of. He tried bit
of dissipation in town. He consulted
the local clergyman, a comfortable,
middle-aged gentleman, who soothed
him by reading collects. But he saw
through the clergyman as a moral os-
trich burying his head in words OF
sand.
James was troubled with visions OF
whole nations bitten with madness. in
raging war fever, rushing. like the
Gadarene swine of the Gospel, down
the hill to destruction" He feared he
was going mad. He unearthed an old
notebook written by his crazy grand
father, in which he read strange oh
servations on life which increased the
growing obscurity Of his reason.
Eventually Amy went away as a nurse
and Corinna came TO visit his mother.
She habitually stood in the same pose
affected by his celestial visitant. He
fell in love with her. After she arrived
he collapsed completely, but after a
night of stupor he awoke refreshed.
sane. and happy. We confess to an in
ability always to understand Corinna,
especially when she talks about I'm
Loveness." But she is a more salts
factory person than Amy. She is en-
lowed with real passion and reason.
She recalls Mr.. Wells's creed Of "love
and fine thinking
"A Soldier of Life" will not be as
popular as Mr.. Weiss war novel. But
in it's way il is quite as markable.
There is much fine work In it, splendid
contrasts Of human feeling. passages
of rare beauty. Somehow the women
characters seem more real than the
men. One wonders at the end II the
author is not a woman.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-02-24
Reincarnation

rpE WAVE An Egyptian Aftermath. ~ r e,ss',
non Biacksood. l2mo. %. 5s9. T. = D1'''-
a 60.
This is a tetralogy Of reincarnation'
The scene is laid chiefly in Egypt when
ia appropriate, seeing the extent 70
which the lore OF that land has b eeh
thus utilized and the facility WIN
WHICH it lends itself to such use fet
il is also most inappropriate, SINCE
despite Herodotus and one OF the most
notable of his few grave errors,
metempsychosis was not an bgyPts m
doctrine. but Indian, Greek and-Io
some extent-medieval Christian. -.
However, this is not a phiiosopniic.
treatise. but a romance, and as such 1t
is intensely interesting. There are
times. indeed, when its elaboration OF
introspection. retrospection, specuia;;
zion and what not else in the way Oh
sniritual vision become little short OF
nainful. and when meditation greatly
rTceeds action. Description, too, seems
often scanty But narrative, incident
and colloquy are after all sufficient 20
sustain interest, and no thoughtful
reader having once begun will be likely
to forsake the work until TIE last page
il read
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-02-24
''Linpy'

'lIMPY." The Boy Who Felt Neglected by
Wilsm Johnston. With illustrations by Arthur
W Brown. limo. ID 534. Little. Brown q Co.
Schoolboy psychology is the motive
Of Mr.. Johnston's clever story. The
hero is lame but game little chap who
is unable TO take part in the athletic
sports Of his elder brothers and school
companions, and who thus often feels
neglected. Besides, his feelings are
hurt by thoughtless references to his
infrmity. But he becomes the conf
dant of Gettysburg veteran who has
only one leg, and the association and
the old mans shrewd philosophy cheer
and stimulate him. As is sometimes
the case with cripples and invslids, he
develops something much like clairvoy-
ance, and this trait makes a profound
impression upon his father at crucial
moment in his career. OF course there
is lust suggestion Of romantic senti-
ment, especially when the boy pur-
posely misspells a word in school so as
10 give his pretty girl competitor the
victory; and then her father turns out
10 be great surgeon who can cure
"Limpy' Of his lameness.
II is a capital story, full OF strong
appeals TO maternal sympathy and sem
timent, and happily never mawkisn.
Boyish speech is given with natural
ness which we have not seen surpassed,
though we do wish that the natu-
ralness had not been carried so FAR as
10 include a very offensive-untortu-
natelv very common-bit of blasphem-
ous slang. IL is not merely easy read
inp-;t is a difficult book 70 lay down
until you have finished IT. But we must
Teoret that il is so lacking in humor.
Fun Is the essence OF boyishness, and
bsd there been as much fun as there IS
natbos in the book the whole would
have been more convincing.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-02-24
Mr.. Palmer on the Somme

NY SECOND YEAR or TIE WAR By Frsd-
erick Palmer. lzIno.. %. 40A. Dodd. Mead q 20
The great Somme campaign of last
wear was the scene of Mr.. Palmer
observations, for the making OF when
he has every facility that Trustworthy
accredited correspondent could have IN
the present war, in which conditions
and opportunities are very diHefehC
from those in former wars. In thaJ
campaign was a comprehensive epltohe
of the whole war on land-infantry'
cavalry; trenches and mines; suuocaI
ing gas and liquid fire; alrshlps, ana
the astounding tanks" all were
brought into play. The British ana
French armies both distinguished
themselves, and of the former the
Canadian and "Anzac" contIngents
were especially effective.
In telling what he saw and It's sig
nifcanee Mr.. Palmer has a felicltous
gift of being able TO speak from both
the military and the artistic points OF
view. He appreciates the military
achievements and their significance,
and he also has a keen sense OF the
dramatic, the picturesque, and even the
humorous-for we do not need Barns
father to assure US that there IS numor
amid even the grimmest tragedies OF
war. Thus, he gives US volume wnich
is to be priced equally for It's lnIorns-
ton Of the great campaign and for lts
presentation of the colossal drama or
International strife. We have had and
shall vet have many books about the
war. many even about this one Somme
campaign. But this work OF clear
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-02-24
An Unusual War Novel

A SOLDIER OF LIFE. By Hugh de seiinoolT'
MafniIlans. ~,
We read the first few pages OF pr;
do Selincourt's "A Soldier Of LIE
under the impression that it was not
action. but a striking trst-hand de,
scription of the psychology OF the man
in the trenches. The mental reactions
~ boredom and disgust OF the MAJ
nlunped into war were similar 10 those
EXPRESSED in a remarkable letter from
real soldier that appeared in "Ine Ma
ton" of London, some weeks ago.
aTmagine." says James Wood IN the
hook. "being obliged TO play hour oy
hour. day in and day out, often, 700,
during the night, a game when y0G
thought tedious and silly. That would
he bad enough. Our game was worse
than that. Our game played under
conditions Of dizziness and discomfort
the stencil of putrefying corpses
made YOU reich; my body was OFTEN as
lousy as an old cheese-was SHY anu
tcdious: and also it was mischievous
- Sa,,r,ctive Yet we were
forced into il. No way at all out OF IT,
The temptation was not TO run away
but 70 put your head up so that
kindly sniper might give you maj
change OF experience. Young
succumbed TO that temptation. Such a
nice chap. lie said 70 me: can
stand aay more. Goodby. And peIoFe
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-02-24
The CastaWays
THE CAsTAWAYs. By W W. Jacobs l:mo ~.
2O3. Charles Scrihner's Sons.

THE CAsTAwAYs By W W. Jacobs. l:mo. ~.
203 Charles scribner's Sons.
Mr. Jacobs has been a true bene-
factor Of the English-speaking world
for many years. II owes him debt
Of gratitude for hours and hours Of
hearty, bubbling, vigorous enjoyment.
His humor is spontaneous, irresistible,
and it is clean. What is more, it never
pals. One can return TO IL time and
again for a few moments Of relaxation,
of recovery from annoyance and worry
to those gems, salt Haven" Dial
stone Lane" and AT Sunwich Port"
and TO those many volumes of short
stories of his, in which sailors, skip
pers, the eternal feminine and an oc-
casional landlubber plot against and
overreach each other, indulge in
healthy, homely repartee, and irrigste
it all with pints Of bitters. And there
is our unforgettable friend, the night
Waterman.
"The Castaways" will be capital fun
TO those who are not familiar with
Mr.. Jacobs's other books, but the large
following which has been his from the
first, and which has kept growing, and
growing more enthusiastic with each
succeeding volume of his, will not rank
this new story from his pen among his
best. Mr.. Jacobs gives US the recipe
all mis- recipes. He even gives US a
dish, but il Is not the dish to which he
has accustomed us. IL lacks the
browning flavor, the unexpected, bub-
bling, boisterous tang. 1t is all here
the cross-purposes, the wilful mis-
understandings leading to happy re-
partee, the plot turned against the
plotter by an ingenious, interruptions
confederate, the speechless indignation
or its forcible explosion into speech
it is all here, we repeat, but it is more
deliberate, less seemingly spontaneous
than of yore. For the first time Mr..
Jacobs fails to cover his approaches.
He betrays how it is done, the more
plainly because it is mostly landlub-
bers who are concerned in the plot,
and they act and talk according TO the
same rules which guide the authors
seafolk and their women. Even when
we are aboard the yacht we are too
much confined TO the cabin and the
quarterback. Still, the feud between
the butler and the chauffeur over the
lady's maid yields some capital fun,
buttons is enormously revengeful
little cuss, the skipper Of the yacht is
as tyrannicsl and salty as the shippers
of "Sunwich Port" themselves, and the
bo'sun is a joy.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-02-24
BOOKS AND AUTHORS REVIEWS AND c

Student in Arms" in "The Spectator
of London, with so much interest that
we were glad to see the essays re-
printed By Z. P. Dutton Co.
Mr.. Hsnkey, who was killed in battle
last fall, has given US some singularly
impressive philosophical and spiritual
reflections upon the war, and has thus
left US a war book" far out OF the
usual kind.
Mayer C. Goldman, of the New York
bar, has written a lucid and COM
pact plea for The Public Defender"
as a necessary factor in the ad-
ministration of justice, to which Jus
a preface, and which the Putnams have
published.
Edward J. Clode sends US three little
volumes by Christian ID. Larson on
cognate themes: steps in Human
Progress" What Right Thinking Will
Do" and "The Good Side of Christian
Science" which are TO be welcomed as
contributions to some of the foremost
spiritual and ethical controversies Of
the day.
Scribners have given US much joy
by reprinting the short stories of II.
containing more good reading. ir-
resistible humor, and genuine human
interest" than fifty times their compass
Of current magazine tales. The "Short
Sizes" the Runaway Browns" and
the rest, are as classic as rip van
Wrinkle" or the "Cask of Amontillado. ="
George Moore wrote his Confessions
Of a Young Man" more than thirty
years ago. Something more than a
dozen years ago he edited and ammo
tated a new edition, and now he has
just repeated that process, and Bren-
tano's has published the result in dig
niiied and attractive form. The same
authors Lewis Seymour and Some
Women has also been brought out by
the same house in the same uniform
edition of his works.
To the innumerable company of those
who can read French but cannot speak
It, Mile. Alice Blum's "0ral French
Method" is heartily commended. It's
uses of Photographic illustrations from
life, OF the positions of lips and tongue
in pronouncing French vowel sounds,
and the bi-colored print in the par
adigms and indeed throughout the
book, are novel and singularly helpful
devices, which should be effective in
coordinating the senses of seeing and
hearing. The book is published by
the George II. Doran Company, and in
paper, print and binding is a veritable
edition de luxe.
A serious and authoritative work on
"The Awakening Of Business" comes
from the press of Doubleday, Page &
Co. Its author is Edward n. Hurley,
chairman Of the Federal Trade Com
mission. who discusses in it the ways
and means which present day condi-
tons require for the lettering of bust
ness, and the relations between the
government and business. II is rich
in information and sane suggestion.
Two handsome little volumes of the
Contemporary Drama Series come
from Little. Brown & Co. They are on
the contemporary drama of England
and OF Ireland, respectively, by Thomas
II. Dickinson and Ernest A. Boyd. An
other duodecimo in similar style con-
tains three original Welsh one-act
plays, by Jeanette Marks, two Of
which won the first prize from the
Welsh National Theatre, while still
another contains Padraic Columns Per-
sian drama Of fate, "Mogu, the Wan
derer"
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-02-24
COME, NEW VOLUMES
OF SOLID VALUE
An English Girl at the Prussian Court-An
American at the Somme-Our Army
and Navy-Brief Mention

royal personages or 20 magnify the i'm
portance Of the writer's; IN both cases
being largely works Of invention. Miss
Keen has, on the contrary, written q
modest story, in which she herself Is
Of no consequence save as an observer,
and in which, concerning those with
whom she came into contact II she
nothing extenuates, she naught sets
down in malice. And the gratifying
thing is that while thds avoiding either
subjective or objective sensatlona4lsm
and scandal she has produced one OF
the most thoroughly interesting books
of the kind that it has been our pleas
ure TO see. Her story abounds IN minute
descriptive details, and is not lacking
In incident and humor, all bearing the
indubitable mark of sincerity. More
over, while her years OF residence at
the court did not end until after the
outbreak of the present war. and while
she suffered some very unpleasant ex-
periences, there is not touch OF ran
cor or prejudice in the volume.
A sample incident occurs in her con-
versation with lady of the court, who
told her:
When King Edward and Queen
Alexandra were at POtsdam on a
visit TO the Kaiser, in 1909, the Kali
ser was one evening talking to your
King in his private smoking room
about the great veneration that the
German people had for him. ITO
/ them" said the Emperor, solemnly,
81 am a god" "Well, you make
more imposing god in uniform than
Won do in tweeds, Wilhelm!" said
YOUR King. and | heard that the Kali
ser never forgot or quite forgave the
jest.
Miss Keen makes TO attempt TO dis
cuss the origin or the issues Of the
war, though she emphasizes, with illus
trative incident, the fact that down to
the last moment Germany did not eX-
pect England to stand with France and
Russia. and that her doing so was the
cause of the fierce outburst OF anti
English hatred:
On the evening when the news that
England had declared war on Germany
reached the Marmor Palais the Crown
Princess ran into the nurseries and
said TO her children: "The wickedest
man in the world is Sir Edward
GREY" She made each of her chill
dren repeat Sir Edward Grey's name,
and told them that they must always
hate that wicked man because ne had
brought the most terrible calamity
on the world.
But perhaps the most interesting and
suggestive passage in the book in reia-
tion to the war is that which tells OF
the Kaiser's speech at the Shrippen
Fest on Whit Monday of 1914, in which
he said: "The time of preparation, 1t
NAV be, is drawing to q close, and the
time for action drawing nigh.
Throughout it is a book which will be
read with intense present interest, ana
which will often hereafter be sought rs
a work of reference.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-02-24
LIES PASSING SHOW
IN VARIED FICTION
Mans Inhumanity to Woman-The Trials of Boyhood-
A Voice from the Trenches-Mysery,
Horrors and Fun

| realized what he meant he exposed
his head. and he was in my arms, shot
through the eye"
James was glad when he was wounded
and out of il. A hand and foot were
lest, and for a time he was stone deaf,
but he got home. There odd mental eX-
perienees began TO come TO him. lie
had visions. At times he saw, or
thought he saw, celestial visitant, in
the form Of an ardent, cryptic young
man, who talked with him and dis
turbed his mind. The family doctor
was greatly interested in all this. On
one thing the spirit was explicit.
James was inclined TO marry Amy, MS
sisters chum, who, his mother declared.
would make a sweet little wife for
any one" The spirit was opposed 70
the match. But James got engaged 70
her. He clung TO Amy as protection
against the curious fourth dimension
world which seemed to be inclosing
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-02-24
Fantastic Horrors

THE BEETLE By Richard Marsh. l2mo. ~
3sS. G. p. Puta4n's sons.
This is a good book 70 read by day
light. But il will be well to begin it.
early on a long day, so as TO be able TO
finish il before nightfall. That is be-
cause you simply cannot lay it down
until you have finished IL, and IL you
finish it after nightfall, heaven protect
your slumbers!
The keynote Of such writing was
sounded long ago, in Bulwer Lyttton's
"The HauEters and the Haunted" and
OBrien's Lost Room" and What Was
IT." II 10 better note has ever been
sounded since those classics, we must
at least eheerfully testify that Mr..
Marsh has struck it truly, and has sus-
tanned throughout long story what
they confined to short ones. That his
absorbing portrayal Of fantastic hor-
rors is running through edition after
edition is no matter OF surprise. We
shall expect TO see IL continue that
course, which it we'll deserves. 81 wants
70 make your flesh creep" said the Fla.
Boy; and who Of US are there VINO do
not banker after fesh-creeping thrills?
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-02-24
Pathetic Psychology

THE SPRING SONG BY Forrest Rod. i1no.
DO 3is Houshton Nir'in Company.
"Grif" is a super-sensitive, abnormal
lad. thrown among companions of sub
sensitive and at times almost brutal
materialism. To them he must seem
priggish, while to him they are often
a source OF spiritual torture. In the
end he dies through sheer unhappi-
ness. though without realizing that he
is unhappy.
II is an artistically wrought study
in pathetic psychology, which, despite
its intrinsic sadness, is more exalting
than depressing.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-02-24
The Arms of the Nation

MILITARY AND NAVAL AMERICA b, Harri-
son 5. Kerrick captain; = 2. A. " MN P,e q.
ident Of inc University OF Illinois Illustrated.
Svo. pD. xiv 4OI. Doubleday. PAGE CO.
We are inclined to wonder if Cap
tain Kerrick has omitted from this
volume one single essential fact per-
tanning to the army and navy OF the
United States, in their present organl-
cation, condition and needs. We doubt
if he has. Certainly if he has none
but himself could discern the fact.
There has in the last two years been
a food of books on the general topic
of preparedness, chiefly good, Some
three or four have stood out above all
the rest In completeness and practical
value. In this little group we must
unhesitatingly give a conspicuous place
10 the present work. as second 10 none
1t is an encyclopedia handbook OF au-
thoritative information on every con-
ceivable subject related to the army and
navy right down TO date. including SUD
marines. aerOplanes, militia, Boy scouts
and what not. entirely apart from the
demand for preparedness. Indeed, the
most convincing force Of that demand
comes from the completeness OF the
statement of facts.
n is a book which the President and
the secretaries of War and the Navy
would find of immense practical value
if they were interested IN the SUP
iect. It is a most servlceaoIe WORK Oh
study and reference for army oncers'
from the highest to the lowest 10
every citizen who is interested IN the
defence of the nation, whether in the
militia or concerned with the Boy
scouts or not, it is to be heartily com,
mended. There is not jingoish word
in it, and there is not word that does
not make straight for that rational
citizenship which is dedicated to the
service of the commonwealth In war
as well as in peace, and which there
fore aims at preparation for service
in either war or peace.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-02-24
The Reality of Faith
Continued from page 10

whether there arises any feeling of
Tered and The character Of God so con-
ceived. Those who look upon Bergson's
Creative Evolution" as a cosmic
poetry rather than as a metaphysic
will not thereby belittle its significance
for religious belief. AS Professor Mill
er puts il, the interests Of true religion
are helped and not hindered when its
defenders adapt themselves to the in
ductive method and the agnostic mood.
If religion needs a conviction Of the
reality of its object it needs also the
conviction that the total reality Of God
IS always beyond the power of man
to embrace; so that the life of faith
may be said 10 thrive in the region
between complete agnosticism and alb
solute knowledge.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-02-24
A German on Poe

DR.. Hans Heinz Ewers, a popular
German novelist and short story writer,
was marooned in this country by the
outbreak Of the war. He has spent part
of his two years sojourn among Us in
a study Of Poe, the results OF which he
will give US in small volume to be
published by B. W. Huebsch. Accord
ing TO Mr.. Huebseh, Or. Ewers d terves
TO be called "The German Poe"
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-02-24
,o>,c rue HOHENZOLLERNs

,uONG I III HVi " u = I'VE
AnV~r,ps AT THE PRUsSIAN COURT. BY
SyEN -. W.th portraits. Syo. ID. 5l5. The
- Lac ccaPany
"a. hook is different" Most court
- are apparently written either
,,loit the prurient iniquities of
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-02-24

4 SPARKLING THEATRICAL NOVEL
THE GAY
LIFE
By KEBLE HOWARD
luthor of "Merry-Andrew,' "Forked
Lightning" etc.

l2mO. Cloth. S1.30 net.
NE author is well known as a
ar,nstist, actor. theatrical manager
and producer; therefore, this theet-
rcsl novel is not based on hearsay,
bvton an intimate knowledge of his
QbRct. His heroine is full of the
b. Of life and love and laughter,
nd her genius carries her through
N rough-and-tumble of stagelsnd
ma she finds herself "a great Eng
IN Coincidence" on an American
asge.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-02-24

sighted American will hold honorable
rank among them all.