Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-12-09

tie stories of exceeding grace and
charm-stories whose tenderness leans
sometimes toward laughter and some
quiet square. with its kindly human
interests. is truly a garden spot OF
subtle fragrance and half-forgotten
memories of quiet days. Rare SYM
pathy and an exquisite deiicacy OF
passing quality Of interest.
MISSING. BY MYs. Humphry Ward.
author of Lady Ross's Daughter"
etc. Frontispiecs by C. Allan GIL
bert. New York: Dodd, Mead 4 Co.
A war wedding and q missing SOL
dier-husband make the background of
Mrs. Wards new novel Against this
setting the author sketches . series Of
social incidents whose essence II the
courtship Of the young war-brids ct
the hands of Sir Englishman, who In
kept from the better business Of going
to war by some physical disability of
so slight q nature that it does not in
tsrfere with his arts of Requirement.
son-a bundle Of loneliness and good
intent, 80 feeble in stamina as to per-
nit all sorts Of obligations to pile up
aisn and his Sir
ter. the missing soldier is found-dsaf.
dumb dying And the story , ends q, after n;rI
musing-sadiy, OF .courss-toward Q
futurs that certainly counts another
wedding. Now. no one is going 70
find any fault with the structure Of
ease and elegance OF Its English life,
nor, indeed, with any Of its Characters.
in and of themselves. All that he does
feel inclined to say Is that It is story
taste.
THE STURDY OAK. By fourteen
American authors. New YORK:
Henry Holt & Co.
Oncs upon a time fourteen American
authers-all Of serious mind, and all OF
either good or fair reputation-took q day
Off from their literary iabors. Upon this
day they set themselves to play an old
fashioned parior game. In this game each
person is expected to contribute in con-
slstent and interesting manner to what
ever theme and treatment may DO pro-
jected by the first person TO take part IN
1t. A system of rewards and puntshments
attends the outcome Of this enterprise. 70
the case in hand the game euimihates IN
a novel. each participant .ccntrihutins
chapter-A composite novel on the theme
Of American politics. The chief difference
between this particular game an. nno ,ss prG.
and punishments are .enjoysd-or endured'
as the case may be-by the PLAYERS them
selves, whereas. In the former case-in
the case Of this composite noyeEit is the
public that suffers the penalty. with no
reward whatever attached to the per
formanee; that i. in so far as the public
Is concerned. 1t may have been-and
doubtless was-great fun for those four
teen American writsrs. And surely
when serious felix's 60 a-playiRg onIoaksrs
Should not grudge them their yacan9n
easements. Nor do they. They merely
ask not to be expected TO lock upon their
pleasant haphasardFy a. literary prod
uct.
LADIES MUST LIVE. BY Alice Duer
Miller. author of Come Out of the
Kitchen etc. Illustrations by Paul
Meylan. New York: The Century
Company.
As a narrative Of social buccaneertng
this story moves swimmingly UP to =
certain point. As an exhibition OF the
bright baek-and.forth of Interesting
talk II sustaips itself throughout. So
long az the two women are open and
abovcboaFd in their piratical raids
upon the heart OF certain desirable
young man one rather enjoys them.
They are so braSenly interruptions. 80
frankly mendacfous, SO exu1tingly ma
tertAlistlc, that one is cempelled 70 fol-
leW As Aifas Win 8 seed sBsSs Is Us