The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-11-03

lno IFluInpn' contains all the tragedy of the great struggle and the subsequent | readJustment and the grim. worn, humor- ous figure of Andrew Merlin moves ma jestically through 1t all-a decided achievement in character drawing, of which the author may well be proud. WILDERNESS HONEY" By Frank Lillie Pollock. Illustrated by H. c. Edwards. The Century company, publishers, New York. Wilderness Honeyw-Do you feel the magic of the words? Do they make you think of the widest, toughest place you ever saw, 14 miles back from railroad, over q rocky trail? Do you see swarms of bees gathering honey from the basswood and the wild raspberry thickets? Can you imagine the exciting summer Alice Harman and her two brothers, Bob and Carl. spent when they staked all their small capital to prove that the bees would pay them thrice over?
 There is no more fascinating subject than the honeybee. So the Harmans found when they embarked upon their oee-keeping venture. The financial suo- cess of their scheme meant an elec- trlcal engineering course for Bob and Journalistic career for Carl. They had to succeed
 L4tO NAlNSIAo5S AGIu many all un- guessed adventure for them, threaten ing disaster-and sometimes death A fight with mad timber wolf, an es- cape from wounded, infuriated bull moose, an encounter with a black bear, and the enmity Of Larue. the half breed, whose drunken hatred started the forest fires. And always the bees -swarming, robbing. fighting, wing Ing their way through the sunlight to RafhRr 10 queen bee, and protecting their hives from all invaders.
 Here Is story of many fascina- tions: 8 Atory of adventure in the wilderness of northern Halliburton, in Canada; story of bee keeping, ab- sorbing in it's interest. It is a book every young person will want to read himself and lend to all his friends.
 "vAGRANT VISIONS
 By Elizabeth Fargo Andrews. sher-
 man, French & Co.,. publishers, No.
 Beacon street. Boston
 Vagrant Visions" by Elizabeth Far go Andrews, is a volume quivering with the quick passion of living, with music, color, beauty of for mand mo- don--yes, and beauty of soul. Life and love are every mans right; their joy dominates and is not to be avoided because of an aftermath of pain. Dull resignation is no part of it's creed; when sorrow comes, as come it must its comfort must be as positive and real as the pain has been-a spiritual comfort without doubt, but no less real on that account.
 Motion and harmony of sound are poignant characteristics of the book. yet the poem, s"The Sea of Silence" in complete antithesis to the latter, stands out as a wonderfully sympa- thetic Interpretation of what 1t means not to hear at all. "The Blind Poet" is another instance of sensitive inag- nation. Many pictures and quaint con ceits. too, are used in developing the larger themes of the poet Take, for instance, these four lines from Faith"
 Such cool and eager sounds I hear
 About me everywhere;
 The step of tiny roses climbing
 Up the trellis stair"
 The diction Is careful and finished; the verse forms are widely carried. Not only are many of the old classic meas ures v used but some examples of the finer use of free verse are found in several nstances-notably Which" Compassion" "The Tribute" "Iong- Ing" ''The Moon," and "To Thee" The sum total is a charming and satisfac- tory volume of more than passing in- terest.
 TURN ABOUT, ELEANOR,
 By Edith M. Kelley. Illustrated by F.
 Graham Cootes. The Dobbs-Merrill Co,
 publishers, Indianapolis
 A new situation, or a new device in fic- ton is about as rare as a red-haired boy without freckles. When you find 1t you should run up the flag and declare a half holiday. Here is what Ethel Kelley has devised in her charming first novel. Turn About, Eleanor"
 Three youngish men and three younger women, all unmarried and convinced they are going to remain so, enter into a com- pact to adopt child on the cooperative plan. That is. she-for it's Eleanor-is to spend two months of the year with each of her adoptive parents-hence she's Turn About.
 Now, If this isn't new device for get ting characters together on the stage and centering their interest in one common object, then our past reading isn't as ex- tensive as we'd thought it. But whether the sceheme is old or new the story that Miss Kelley has evolved is fresh and de- lightful,
 The cooperative parents are young pec- pie of the right sort, modern In their i burning interest in life and in their sense Of obligation to make it easier for the less fortunate They don't take them selves too seriously, having a sense of humor. but after they bring Eleanor from Cape Cod and self-respecting poverty to New York and comparative luxury, they don't take their responsibilities too light 1 ly, either.
 They chose Eleanor because of her pure 1 American blood and because the 10 years of her life had been simple self-sacrific- l ing and industrious, To put such a child, l hungry for affection, in an environment where her tastes and wishes are gratified. and among interesting people aS hungry to be loved as she is, naturally develops great many interesting and ' musing l situations. But the most ' esting 1 thing, because the most amazn ' is that l