Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-05-18

with something like a personal re-
sentiment. the selfish attitude of most
of the great powers toward this heip-
less land This book, therefore, par
takes in no small measure OF the
feeling engendered in the writer by
the general oppression Of these peo-
pie at outside hands. From this point
of view the book is in the nature OF
a gospel of Righteousness, as 1t Is.
from another standpoint, a clever
summary of the political situation OF
China in respect to its international
status. There is still another side to
this record, however, lighter. hap
pier, less ironic mood of portrayal.
The book is cast in the form OF in
formal letters. These letters give a
| vivid, first-hand views of many an
odd corner of Picking. Of many q
strange native custom andNmany q
curious characteristic of people and
+, places. Here the book is colorful and
picturesque as it is. throughout, an
interesting and worthwhile account
of certain phases of Chinese life.
THE ROMANTIC LIAR. By Law
renee Perry. New York: Charles
Scribner's Sons.
A nonsense story, from start to
finish. A fantastic last will and
| testament makes the occasion of this
! romantic mans entrance into a full
membership of the Order of Ananias.
The condition making this document
tain para time-worn trick, you
see. But the party Of the second
part-the male member of the project
ed compact-is out Of reach-dead.
| maybe, or at the front. or exploring
the inaccessible antarctic. One does
10 rryhn
is not important. So it comes to the
| mind of the young scapeKrace Of this
adventure to take his place-woo the
girl-pocket the boodle-live happy
ever after. The sole obstacle to the
easy working out Of the scheme lies
itself makes the matter as smooth
| as glass. But in doing this it vio-
lates the mind of the reader, for. be-
| tween US, the author is very bad
| liar. His weave is loose and slimpsy.
He fails to link up warp and wool
every now and then. leaving distress
ing holes in the fabric of the tale.
A reckless adventurer. this writer,
who obviously has not learned that
one He-just one-may be made to
look like the truth. provided a person
is willing to devote the rest of his
are fatal. And this rash fellow
takes on a dozen or so at the outset.
After that he simply gives himself up
to their wayward deviltry.
OLD DAD. By Eleanor Hallowell Alb
bolt. New York: E. P. Dutton &
Co.
Daphne Breton, heroine, and daugh-
ter of "Old Dad" is a spontaneously
captivating young person who almost
but not quite-challenges the charm
of her elder sister in literature. "Mol-
ie-Make-Believe." Mollie, be it re-
membered, hides her piquant person
ality behind a veil of adventure. but
Daphne, for contrast, bolts into the
first page, otherwise her fathers
study, with the somewhat astonish-
ing confession that she has been ex-
PEELED from college for having a boy
in her room at night, and that the boy
is waiting outside, having travelled
home with her-a distance of two
nights and a day-to explain the
situation. The father, a lovable cynic
who has lived his own life and kept
his motherless daughter at school, be-
comes tremendously interested in the
child-woman 80 suddenly thrown on
his hands, and calls in the boy for