Evening star., 1918-11-24
Reviews of New Books

The body of the romance grows by
way, of an intimate feeling for the.
southern mind, the colors of the
southern personality. Certainly love
story-southern, too. in line and fea-
ture-makes it's interesting way along
and, finally. comes to fulfilment with
the cleatance also of the hero's title
to honesty. Mr. Harben manages well
in this latitude. and to his usual good
management he adds here q good
amount of involved plot that springs
consistently out Of the foundations OF
fact that he has set. An engaging
story of the purely romantic type.
THE YEARS FOR RACHEL. BY Ber-
ia Ruck, author OF "The Three
Hearts, etc. illustrations by Ed
ward c. Caswell. New York: Dodd,
Mead & Co.
on the long engagement. It sounds
like an arid theme to any one who
may have seen these spun-out court
ships dry down to the limp and life
less husks of what was once the ripe
kernel of a real passion. However
dry this may sound as theme Tor
diverting novel. 1t proves, in effect, to
be quite the contrary here. One IS
that go into this work. In the first
place this is pleasant and attractive
young pair. Their surroundings in
the Wales country are fresh and in
timately projected. Their friends and
companions are of the modern mold
comes on. Then the girl goes up to
London to work and write and to
resurrect herself, SO to speak. These
natural developments keep one much
interested in the event and its pos
sible outcome: There is also
self-communion on the part of the
girl as to her own state of feeffng
and mind, and frank avowa1 in this
direction. Right here the story steps
into the rank of the study of mental
and emotional attitudes. And right
tinction One may say in passing
that the marriage never does take
place-for the girl. Well, almost
any one-almost any woman-can tell
what she would have done nnder the
circumstances. provided she had the
chance.
A HISTORY OF SPAIN. BY Charles
r. Chapman, Phi. D.. author of "The
Founding of Spanish California"
New York: The Macmillan Com
pany.
This history of Spain commends it.
self to American readers and students
by virtue of three considerations. It
is, as a first note of appeal, written
from the American standpoint. This
point Of view emphasizes the rela-
tions existing between America and
Spain from the time of the discovery
of America, and lays stress upon those
aspects of Spanish history that were
later to bear upon certain features
in the development of this country.
Again, this point of view, permits a
consistent condensation of the his
toric material through the scanter
emphasis upon the muItifarious events
in the development of Spain that were
of an exclusive European significance.
And, once more, the book is based
upon the highest authority, DR.. Chap
man having founded the study in
hand upon Rafael Altamira's His
tory of Spain and of the Spanish
able history. The story element is
strong in it,. leading the student by
rich and mellow ways through events
that too often in. the hands of the
historian turn out to be dry ana
stony, paths. Events here are ani-
osophic treatment is vitalized by hu-
man outlook and reason. The whole
sums to vivid survey of social
growth and political change, of eco
nomic development and cultural in
stitutions as these, one and all, came
to bear upon the western hemisphere
through the instrumentality of Spain
itself
LOST INDIAN MAGIC. By Grace and
ends in Rhyme" Illustrations by
Carl Moon. New York: Frederick
A. Stokes Company.
Here is a mystery story as well as
an Indian story. 1t is, besides, an
adventure of the sort that keeps one
keen to all Of its moves and situa.
tions. It is founded upon an Indian
legend that has had many telling
since its rise in the Indian mind ages
before the white man came to this
country from Europe. This legend
depicts in Indian eloquence the power
that lies symbolized in an object
little carven bear of turquoise in this
case. From this highly priced and
jeaiously guarded toy flow all the
blessings of full crops. victory in
Ddtlte. nedilll. anu lOilS iste TEoHl
it's loss comes a train of evils such
as wicked spirits are able to scatter
upon the earth. The story has to do
with the loss of this magic, with it's
pursuit, and with the rise of the
young Indian hero who went forth
to find the magic, to find the little
blue bear, for the healing of his
people. The story is told with poetry
and eloquence, both simple in their
design and straight-appealing in their
eject. Boys and girls-boys in par