Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-12-01
HOW BRAZIL
ENTERED THE WAR
Told in the Story Of the American
Who Built the House of
the Little Shoes

With the sureness Of touch that marks
the literary artist. Eleanor NJ. Ingham has
developed from the canvas of a magazine
story which had a popular vogue not very
long ago a gripping novel. emphatically up
to date In that IT brings its personages and
incidents to the threshold of the entrance
into the world conflict Of the republic of
Brazil as the stanch ally Of the United
States Of America and the old world ma
tions engaged in the splendid task Of
making the world safe for democracy.
Readers Of the story of ''The Great House
Of the Little Shoes" will recognize at once
that unique and sumptuous palace shown In
the color plate of the novel, built on the
edge of the Brazilian capital by man who
had carved his way from the lowliest stra-
tum of New York to the political summit of
our rich republican neighbor south If the
equator; for they have seen It beiSe in
the picture offered by Miss Ingham in her
magazine tale. II is the dwelling place of
a native New Yorker who enjoys the dis
tnction of double ctizenship--that of the
land Of his birth as well as Of the country
TO which he emigrated in boyhood.
This migration followed the gift of a pair
of shoes at the hands of a little girl who,
seeing the forlorn state Of the foot-cover-
ing of a New York street waif, in child
ish benevolence forces him to take her
own. Truly they are magic Shoes" for
they lead their recipient to and through
paths of glory in his adopted land. which
makes him its first citizen, entitled to desig-
nate himself as Twice American which
is the title of Miss Ingham's patriotic ro-
nance in it's new guise. When he attains
the pinnacle of greatness in the South
American republic, Senior David Noel, who
is none other than the former street waif
transformed into soldier. statesman, rail-
road potentate and man Of limt'ess In
Huence, builds himself a magnificent home,
to which he gives the odd name OF the
House of the Little Shoes in remem-
brance of the kindly act of the good fairy
who gave him his start in life by her gift.
From this groundwork the author Of
'"The Twice American" weaves romance
that is sparkling, amusing, patriotic and
altogether pleasing to American sensibili-
ties The scene alternates between New
York and the Brazilian capital and Its en-
yirons. with a glimpse of a prison in the
interior of that vast domain, where luck
less outlander, whose home happens to be
Philadelphia and who has killed an Indian
in resisting seizure of valuable property
by certain villainous pro-German or half-
German natives, Is dragging out a horrible
existence until released by the indomitabe
Senior Noel The latter is heart and soul
in sympathy with the United States and
other civilized nations in their purpose to
end the frightfulness that has become the
keystone Of Kultur as interpreted by the
Kaiser; and, consequently, the twice
American" is heartily hated by the polti-
clans who get their inspiration from Pots
dam. But Senior David overc0mes all
their Vaccinations, as appears near the
close of the book, when Brazil breaks of
Diplomatic relations with Berlin.
A capital story, capitaly told and al
together timely and vibrant with patriotic
spirit.
Ingham. with colored frontispiece. Philadel
phia: J. B. Lippincott Company. $l.35.