Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-07-22

d,
might go to some locality
where race prejudice was
practically non-existent. and there in
the course of time, achieve professional
prominence. He might. moreover, find
Ing the home call too strong to resist,
go back to the old place in the hope of
continuing there the successes already
earned elsewhere. Such is the basis Of
Paul Kester's new story Upon this
foundation he develops in abundant de-
tail social picture Of the south where
In the demands of the white blooded
negro make the source Of many
sided tragedy. However beneficent in
the long run this blend may be to the
American negro. at short range it is
the acute tragedy of the negro in the
south. 1t is at this point of Immediate
erect that the story in hand expands.
southern neighborhood is outraged
when 1t discovers that one of their own
negroes has come back from the north
to take possession of one of the fallen
but historic mansions OF the locality.
In the aroused antagonisms that this
fact produces, Mr.. Kester shows with
intimate skill the temperament OF the
southern gentleman on the one hand
and that of the negro in his diversified
possibilities on the other. The story
Is too long: In the stretch of it's 700
r
!nconsiderable interest. A theme so
soundly based. and at the same time one
so daring and even dangerous, would
have gained markedly by concentra-
ton. by swifter and more brilliant
movement, to take the place of the
leisurely advance that the narrative
does adopt.
THE LADY WITH THE DOG. And
Other Stories. By Anton Chekhov
FROM the Russian by Constance Gar
nett New York: The Macmillan
Company.
There are nine of the Chekov short
stories here-"The Black Monk" the
most familiar to English speakinp
readers. This is the story of a man to
whom the vision of a black monk comes
repeatedly. They talk together and
the monk inspires the man with great
thoughts and high ideals. Wiser folks
than ms wife and friends would not
have interfered with this friendship so
fruitful in the mans expanded :ature
These, however. say he is i'll, and finally
mad. Tragedy and ruin follow. In
agination and inspiration, whatever
their source. are necessary to lift man
created things. This seems to be the
purport or the story. No one reads the
gray tales of chekov to be amused.
Amazement is what the reader gathers
awareness of what unexpected things
the mind is doing under sets of com
monplace circumstances. The LADY
with the Dog pictures an incident of
stretches out to the lifetime of the
man and woman who, in the beginning
are it's idle and unconsiderine instru-
ments. In these tales nothing happens
except everything. Nothing at all TO
the outer current Of things. but every-
thing conceivable to the inner life Of
the men and women brought together
here. There is no one like the best of
the liuss'an wrlters-not even the
F'rench--to reveal to one the fateful
truths of his life
WHAT IS MANI And Other Essay..
ny Mark Iwaln. illustrated. New
York: Harper & Bros
A miscellaneous selection from the
minor writings Of Mark Twain Rits
of general history. touches of bioe-
raphy. glimpses of travel. notes on edu-
cation one Intimate personal remi-
ends OF th eme caught up in character
istic fashion, make up the substance Of
this volume In the last group Ia an
essay, on the bee, and another one on
as new as yesterday in the enioyment
that they give. How to Make History
Dates Stick" is a laughable story of per
sonal experiment with the writer's own
children, but, while one is laughing
over It, he will not fail to see that If
is as sound as a nut in its educational
theory and device. All are In the true
vein, of wisdom and sound sense de-
livered through channels of wit and
humor. This renewal Of one of the
Mark Twain installments suggests that
this is the time of all times to take
down bodily the whole Of Mark Twain's
works and to use them daily, at odd
moments here and there, for the lit
that they give out Of the general gloom