Evening star., 1926-02-07
IDA GILBERT MYERS.

ANNAPOLIS: It's Colonial and Naval
Illustrated by Eugene =. Metour
and Vernon Howe Bailey. New
York: Thomas Y. Crowell Co.
tsr tnoqsh Sssks is hmsef h%s ns to S0ud hs Ss ed
i colonial town of Annapolis as
speedily as possible. For II
seems certain that not much longer
will the little city on the Severn be
left to it's dreams and its fiavors OF
colonial gayeties and colonial dignities.
No. the motor and the bus and the
electric road and enterprise itself will
surely obtrude upon this inviting his
toric corner. They'll not let it alone.
So we would better go right away.
To be sure, the quietude and the
dreams are already broken in upon,
and have been for many years. But
IL is "a seemIy disturbance, fitting well
into it's surroundings - the brilliant
panoramic life of the midshipman.
More like lightning flashes of color
and movement, a clear embellishments
Of the scene rather than a threat
against its settled deCorous demeanor.
A surprising subject, this city of
ANNAPOLIS, for the writer who leans
toward the historic fragrances and
implications of place. In our new
country we have few localities distin-
guished by special atmospheres OF
their own-BostOn, maybe; Philadel-
phia, probably: New Orleans, certainly,
and The Spanish Influences of the far
Southwest. This town Of Annapolis is
almost all atmosphere, so stepped is 1t
in colonial implications, in more than
one chapter of national history, in its
own continuing Importance as the cap
lal of its state, with the buildings
and ceremonies and the prestige Incl
dent to this last distinction. Old build
ings remain to testify to the dignity
of the colonial life. Narrow streets
bespeak a kinship with many a turn
In London Town. The countryside
itself is wide and benign, beautiful
and inviting, bidding one to long days
beside the quiet waters or beneath old
trees that whisper TO him stories of
the days when another race of men
held this beautiful country roundabout
As all his own.
And to the many solicitations that
issue out of the very quality Of the
city Walter Norris has made a gal
amt response. BY selection of this
point of the town or that one, by a
swift marshaling of the historic fea-
lures Of the place, by a proportioned
arrangemcnt of his actual material
weaving all this into a most readable
and interesting story. he has done full
credit to q theme that deserves just
such capable and dramatic treatment
\ word for the pictures-from the
Eugene Metour etchings and drawings
by Vernon Howe Bailey. These, so
admirable in choice of subject and in
individual treatment, the author has
used 10 emphasize point by point the
spirit and the atmosphere of this city.
as deleCtahle in print as it must be in
fact. Let's go.
: = > >
TUE MONUMENTS OF CHRISTIAN
ROME. BY Arthur L. Frothing
ham. PHI. d New York: The Mac
milan Company.
TO the average tourist Rome is
confusion and d bewilderment.
Here civilizations, distinct in general
purpose and definite character, are inn
posed one upon another or. standing
side by side, overlap'in puzzling dis
regard Of succeeding periods of Roman
history.
And SO, the average tourist comes
cut of his Roman sightseeing more
uncertain than he went in. An out
standing moment here, a great ruin
there, a noble editice yonder-this is
about all. Just a few structures In
his eyes with no clear knowledge at
all as to what these meant in the
actual lives of real people living at
Il certain time or certain times, much
as we ourselves are living today.
The great lack in this kind of tour
ing is the lack of a definite historic
hackground-the lack of a clean-cut
period OF time when the people of this
place. or that. were such and such a
people gathered together under certain