Evening star., 1917-10-28

rounded IN a whlrlwind OF adventure,
William settles into a home with the
twinkling feet as a very fetching part
OF Williams most priceless joy 1t is
good story that races along its
course. gathering up stirring events and
scattering innumerable sketches of
places and persons in lavish liberality
A fair-sized piece of villainy whose
object is the girl of Williams heart
Keeps the young 1rishman keyed up to
his Irish best Wit and humor and
slang and poetry. real poetry of feel
ing and word, hold one to a tip-toe Of
enjoyment through the rapid transit
tions of this colorful adventure.
KING COAL: A Novel. BY Upton Sin
clair. New York: The Macmillan
Company.
Upton Sinclair is never so concerned
about telling a story as he is about
correcting an evil. In other words, he
is not an artist. but rather a reforrner
The two Offices may combine in single
person, but the chances are against it,
The zeal of the reformer, the intoier-
ance of his spirit, the impatience of his
temper do not make for the balances
and harmonies of art. To be sure. now
adays, there is full-fiedged protest
against art as 1t is generally recog-
nlzed and accepted. and Sinclair be-
longs to this brood of protestants.
whose prophet is the truly great Whit
man. And some time. no doubt. this
active protest will rise to an art As
yet, Sinclair. along with the others. is
merely blazing trail to which the un-
accustomed feet of the great majority
90 not turn in a ready following
King Coal" like all of the Sinclair
novels, Is vehement social protest
industrial and economic in its main
features here 1t is a series Of pamph-
lets, protests. proclamations. records.
all gathered up in a propaganda of
social overturning. These various doe
uments are loosely tied together in
interest through the medium of one
chler character who stands as the vic
tim of capital and the ultimate prophet
or labor. Now It may be that the novel
Is the most efficient medium of propa-
ganoa. one wonders and can only
cease to wonder when it is proved
that the novel. or a novel, is the un-
mistakable spark that fires consun.-
ing action. Uncle Toms Cabin? oh.
yes, one does not forget that-but one
example cannot establish the certainty
or a theory, and the effect of that par
ticular novel is still matter of dis
pute. However, King Coar' is a book
of ardent conviction and one of search
ing investigation. The latter. fred by
the writer's socialistic interpretations
and by the depth and fervor of his zeal
toward what looks to him like the
passioned summary of social unright-
eousness.
THE RTLERS OE THE LAKES. By
joseph A. Altsheler, author of THE
Shadow of the North" etc. Illus
trations b. Charles l.. Wrenn. New
York: d. Appleton & Co.
This is romance of the French and
Indian war. The time is that immedi-
ately following the defeat of Prad
dock. The action is an expedition to
Lake George and Lake Champlain.
where fierce battles took place for the
control Of this historic region. The
characters who engage the interest Of
the reader are a young white man.
Robert Lennox, and his friend. the
Onondaga Indian. Tayoga. The many
sided adventure in the wild and un-
settled country works up TO the battle
of Lake George for its climax and
close. Along the way leading to this
event are developed in picturesque and
robust fashion the life of the Indian
and the white settler. 1t is a good
story, true. in its essentials. to what
actually took place at that time. in that
locality. Mr.. Altsheler is practiced in
the art of the story of history. This is
but one OF many such tales to which
he has turned a skillful hand. His
stories bring up again to ones mind
the tales of Cooper. reminding him
afresh of the substantial value of this
historic field. These are books. pri-
marily for boys and girls. for youth,
that properly seeks for history in pic
lures and dramatic moments. in con-
crete events rather than in philosoph-
cal views or statistical records. The
book in hand. like its companion books
BY this author, 10 invaluable for young