Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-03-10

a clearing of his own purposes. What
a splendid book this would be for boys
to read-for boys of the high school
age. say. But-well. they will not read
this book. The rest of US may. and
there cannot be too many of the letters
from the boys at the front. Not all of
them will possess the quality of these
particular letters. but all Of them ought
to be inexpressibly precious TO the peo
pie who love the boys Of their country.
AUDUBON THE NATURALIST: A
History of His Life and Time. BY
Francis Hobart Herrick. Phi. D., Sc.
D, author of The Home Life of
Wild Birds" etc. illustrated. New
York: D. Appleton K Co
In two volumes this fellow naturalist
presents the complete story of Audubon
and his work, together with sketch of
the times in which the great bird man
lived. There has been much Of confu-
sion and contradic tion, not only about
the origin and early years of Audubon,
but about many incidents in his career
as an ornithologist as well. One of the
distinctions of this history is that its
author has gone to infinite pains of re-
search and confirmation to clear up
these disputed points. So that the book
in hand may in all ia irness lay claim to
an undisputed authenticity. In order
that all doubts may be dispeiled, DR..
references in support of his claims, so
that one may reasonably suppose that
he has, at last. in his possession the
true story of that wayward and puz-
zhng artist and scientist, John lanes
Audubon. son of Jean Audubon and
Mile. Rabin. a creole of Santo Domin-
go, and not John Audubon of Louisiana.
as is generally accepted. The story
here given in such good detail and full
ness is a fascinating one. for it deals
with d fascinating personality, and the
biographer has been content to follow
this rather than to bend it to the con-
ventionA forms of biography: That is.
DR.. Herrfck has. in SO far as this Is pos
sible, allowed tha personality OF Audi
hon to dominate these pages. Punctik
ious in his scienf ific observations, a
true scientist, Audubon in his personal
relations with human beings was, on
the contrary, of so temperanental a
strain that dramatic effects took rank
in his mind above complete accuracy of
statement. This trait led to innumer-
able Observation-Disclosures that. IN a lesser
man would have been forgotten. But
in Audubon they survived in endless
statements and contradictions. Many
of these disputed points this author has
traced to their foundations, restating
the facts in their actual verities The
study will be joy to nature lovers and
a special joy to the innumerabIe fol-
lowers of the spirit of Audubon in his
Invaluable researches.
RAMBLEs IN OLD COLLEGE TOWNS.
By Hildegarde Hawthorne, author
of "fhe Lure OF the Garden" etc
Drawings by John Albert Seaford
New York: Dodd. Mead & Co.
A pleasant journey this. which one is
permitted to take in the company of the
two agreeable saunterers represented here
And wise travellers these. for, setting out
toward the last of April. they promptly
left the reluctant spring OF New England
TO speed into the budding greenery and
balrny airs OF Virginia for their start
upon this tour of the college tnwns This
brought them. OF course, to the University
of Virginia, at Charlottesville With a
trip across to williamsburg. for William
and Mary, they then jo,Jrnsyed northward,
taking IN the soodly number of fourteen
college towns the last of which was
Ithaca and Cornell. One might SUPPOSE
that with sixteen college towns and col
Ieges ON ones hands to write about this
chronicle would be unable to differenfiate.
to give to each its peculiar characteristics
and atmosphere. Such superstition would
go wrong. for 1t is the distinction Of this
work that each college rises as a distinct
hand oosnpReAe Personality out Of its own
1ecuiiar Getting Of 0me-and place and