Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1922-02-26
Reviews of New Books

the Whistler exhibition was nsld in
London il was visited by thousands
daily. Here in the first weeks not a
thousand people visited the exnibi-
ton: not a congressman. not sena-
tor that we know mas entered the
gallery set apart for il in the library.
So far as We can find out, not dlrec-
tor of the Washington Art Gallery
has visited il. And. with a single eX-
ception. not Washington paper has
lad an adequate notice OF il
ART AND ARTISTS IN INDIANA. BY
Mary 9. Burnet. Illustrated. New
York: The Century Company.
Indiana as .. literary center-with
roveiists and essayists. historians and
poets apienty 10 support the claim
has become an accepted fact. And
now the book in hand gives COM
petent evidence that Indiana is also
an art center. In proof thereof. Mrs
Burnet submits the work OF Indiana
artists. the standing Of this work in
the world OF art. it's general scope.
its special idiosyncrasy, its origins its
promise. Going back for a hundred
years. and more. the writer describes
the carly art of the state as this was
embodied in the work of pioneer and
itinerant painters. From this point
she advances along each stage of art
development, analyzing the work of
outstanding artists. gathering up the
contemporaries of each. showing the
origin and special quality of THE
Gus movements that eliminated in art
associations and schools. Arts allied
to painting are described and ap-
praised. The book is generously illus
ira ted from the work of Indiana ar
fists and sculptors Added to the body
of this complete and interesting eX-
position is a who's Who in Indiana
Art with a list of Indiana illustra-
tors and bookplate makers. Here, too.
is a list Of Indiana art schools. asso-
Citations and clubs. The book is
very complete study, that will be as
useful to American artists. generally.
as it is without doubt a source of
pride and inspiration to Indiana itself.
THE NOON-MARK. BY Mary 6. Watts.
author of The Boardman Family
etc. New York: The Macmillan
Company.
Mrs. Watts is. here. highly per-
fected camera. set down in an aver
age town and turned. specifically,
upon an ordinary workingman's fam
lily. The output is a picture las nat
ural as life" 1t is a picture. more
over, that presents in an abundance
of confirming detail a common phase
of American family life. This phase
embodies the rather spectacular ad-
vance of one or more members of a
tions ahead of the father and mother
of tina family. So receptive are these
children that the opportunities and
influences around them. outside the
family. simply soak into them. re-
shaping them to swifter growth
than mere inheritance can induce.
Such a child is Neuie Stieffei-a
I pretty. capable. efficient American
girl. whose consuming passion is to
get on" And she does get on, as
this day-by-day record proves The
girl is SO beautiful that she attracts
man quite out of her own real reach.
For Nettie's inside = her thinkings
and feelings and ways of doing. her
social contacts-have not had time to
catch up with her amazing outer
| while the romance fades away. This
(, practical girl does not break her
heart. She is too busy. At the end
of the story she is married-not ro-
, mantically hut very comforta bly,
thank you-and says quite trutifully
my. yes. I'm happy" The significance
! Of this title-and of the story. too.
! for that matter-lies in the fable of
f; the fox who. seeing his shadow at
| sunrise. said. Il will have camel
for lunch today" All the morning
At noon he saw his shadow again.
| and he said. "Oh, we'll. a, mouse will
do" Conspicuously skillful work in
literary realism of the Main Street"
/ pattern-quite up to the pattern, too.
THE LITTLE RED FOOT. By Robert
w. Chambers, author of The Com
mon Law" etc. New York: George
II. Doran Company.
Ins,inctively. you will step away from
! this title 4 little foot connotes
pieasingly. But when tilar little foot is
also ''red''-Oh, WELL. never mind. since
that is not at all what the title means.
/ II turns out that The Little Red Foot
| is tune sung in colonial days by the
l fife and drum of militia men. This is a
| tale of colonial doings and certainly OF
colonial atnospheres. The background
| is that of New York state in the days
| leading up to the revolution, when tories
and rebels were gradually coming into
| the open as antagonists. when many
royaiists were stealing away into Can
ada, and others we're melting the Indians
| to make war upon the revolutionists.
Historic names figure here. and the
| main line of historic event in this region
| is held. 1t is. however, with the setting
, and with the romance OF John Drosue
and Penelope Grant that Mr. Chambers
! concerns himself in an exciting drama
| Of early New York state. This rc-
| nance and Cardigan" offer a fine
| treat to the reader who likes adven-
| tuIt I'D " GU Win 1'S Va
| the country.
4 FLOWER or MONTERREY. BY
Katherine B. Hamill. illustrations
| by Jessie Gillespie and Edmund H
| Garrett. Boston: The Page Com
pany.
! Pure romance whose setting and
| atmosphere belong to the early Cali
fornia of Spanish occupation. This is
| the story of Pajarita, waif, maroon
ed by passing ship on the beach Of
! Monterey. 1t is Don Jose himself,
| proprietario Of the province. who dis
| covers the little girl, gives her the
fanciful name. and makes her a part
| Of his own household. Thereafter
| Pajarita takes charge. The story be-
| longs to her. to an accounting of her
| escapades and witcheries. to her
| childish charm and power. The years
| bring situations of the grown-up
| sort The climax comes when, with
+; a fine and chivalrous gesture. the es-
| sence of romanticism. Don Jose re-
leases Psjerita from her promise TO
| become his wife. passing her over to
a younger and more suitable wooer.
An engaging matter. sustained with
a good degree OF consistency and
skill.
TIT mini IN lnnknV