Evening star., 1917-05-20
Reviews of New Books

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test against the German Catholics
silence over the German atroclties IN
Belgium. From what M. Prum h1mset
saw and heard came this letter of &C
cusation to the German Catholic. The
course of the correspondence set up by
this initial letter opens another vista,
not only on war operations themselves
but on the waves of feeling ana opln-
ion, also, that are beating upon one an
other in this monstrous upheaval. The
personal source of the study, its first
hand treatment, and the subject mat
ter itself have special quality OF IN
terest to both Catholic and Protestant
readers.
JAN AND HER JOB. BY L. Allen Har-
ker, author of "a Romance of the
Nursery" etc. New York: Charles
Scribner's Sons.
In outline, this is the experience of
an interesting maiden aunt whose
lob" it Is to bring up couple of en-
gaging children. This spinster aunt is
one of the young and attractive sort
not at all what is commonly connoted
by that term Since it is her story,
rather than that of the children them
selves. these serve, in the main, to give
vicissitude to the somewhat belated
courtship of Jan. This they do
with the energy and ingenuity that
youngsters put into all of their under
takings. The writer knows how to
make that blend of youth and age, of
wisdom and un-wit, of sobriety and
gayety, of really arresting opinions
little boys and girls at their most nat
ural Jan. too, is believable young
woman of more than ordinarily sub
stantial attraction. India furnishes
the setting for the commencement Of
this romance. with London as back
ground for it's elimination.
sHOEsTRINGS. BY Macmillan Foster.
author of "Rich Man. Poor Man."
etc. Illustrated by F. R. Gruger.
New York: D. Appleton & Co.
A laughable comedy that comes
pretty close to the farce variety Of that
form of literary invention. A boarding
house-a real one. recognizable at
sight by any one familiar with this
modern agency Of existence-is turned
into a society garden by the simple ex-
pedient of having every one in it get
rich over night on war stocks. The
plans of the stockbroker to get this
money diverted to his own uses opens
half hours of amusement to the read
err while the pure joy Of Mr.. Tams-
floor walker in department store,
where he has trained himself to this
very world of luxury by long and pa
tient patternings after the rich Gus
toners Of the story-brings laughter
outright and plenty. 1t is humorous
handling of situation that in its es-
sentials is not SO much clear invention
as one might think.
Biggers, author of Love Insurance."
etc. Illustrated by Will Crete. In
dianapolis: The Bobbs- Merrill Com
pany.
Earl Biggers makes clever matter
though a light one-out of the neces-
sity, on the part Of the man in this
case. of making himself ultimately ir-
resistible to the unknown lady, by
means Of a series of letters calculated
to eliminate in an acquaintance, at
least-and in whatever else may be
stored away for the pair. Out of the
old expedient of recourse to the per
sonal" column of the press, the writer
gets his impulse toward invention. The
accident of military man in the room
over his own gives direction to this ac-
tivity. Enough to say that by the
time the week of letters has been writ
ten and delivered both the lady and
the reader are in receipt of as keen
spy-and-war story as one comes across
in good many days of casual read
outcome as the reader, she more than
likely. in true feminine fashion, flew
into q rage, and would have not
thing to do with this smart inventor of
war plots. However. the record is that
she did nothing of the sort.
THE ROAD TO UNDERSTANDING. BY
Eleanor II. Porter, author of "Just
David" Boston: Houghton Mifflin
Company.
A modern story of love, marriage,
and reunion. The formula
suggests the problem novel. The treat
ment of this theme. however. bears no
relation to the particular handling of
domestic troubles that has made the
social problem take SO large a part
in current fiction. This man and wom-
an are not of sufficient complexity to
make problem material. So the story
is one of ordinary MISUNDERSTANDING
with none of the bewilderments of
.incompatibility." or other her, lat,ter-day a,I,y
and colorful incident the writer de-
velops the estrangement and then pro-
ceeds, in equally entertaining fashion,
to build up that which she has SO
artfully torn down. A very real little
child is an important element here,
and this part the writer handles with
the skill that turns the matter over to
the affairs OF real life, instead of rele-
eating 1t. hopelessly. to the fnconse-
Quences OF pure sentimentality.
THE TWINS. "Pron and "Con." By
Winifred Arnold. author of Little
Merry Christmas" etc. Illustrated
by C. NJ. Relyea. New York: Flem-
ing H. Reyell Company.
The twins romp and rollick through
this story with an energy and zest
calculated to keep it's young readers
IN the wide-awake every minute.
Breezy. surprising at every turn, full
of fresh air and sunlight, as devoid