Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-01-09
IDA GILBERT MYERS.


Tomlinson, author of Tide Marks,
etc. Woodcuts by Harry Cimlno.
New York: Harper & Brothers.
A NEW and joyous kind of travel
" book, a new and joyous klnd
"A of traveller. Here, along with
4 4 Mr.. Tomlinson, part Oh tne
time one is definitely going some
where. Another part one. Is headeo
for almost anywhere. Ana again
there one is. sitting stock stu spesloe
this man. just sailing away in shis
mind under the stir of this seasoned
and waywise traveller through realms
both real and imaginary. Such pc
quilting ports as out of Touch, fhe
Place We Know Best" "A Ride on
Comet" and "Elysium" are listed
here. Beside them are named -belieF-
able places like Regents Park" and
"A Devon Estuary" However. names
hardly count, since the same man
projects them all. So here the fanci-
full corners of an imaginary world
take on the substance of true beauty
and wisdom, just as the sober realities
of this spot or that one become iHunai-
mated with little touches of glamour
and fancy. 1t Is q wonderful kind OF
man to go away with, one who can
keep you entranced by the hour, just
sitting in a shabby boat, for instance,
while he re-creates the various kinds
of craft that have in the long past
years been tied to the iron ring bolt
holding his own skiff. And, sitting
there, he actually makes poetry out
Of the golden rust and iridescent over
layings of that iron ring, re-creating
wonderful life about the spot. That's
the kind of man this one is. A traveller
who has much to say about the deep
pleasure Of staying at home, about the
inadequacy of travel to fill ones
dreams of 1t. But, once on the way,
there opens up a perfect treasure of
fact and fancy, all knit together in
beauteous fabric of such substance as
to satisfy one completely, not for the
once but for many and many a re-
reading. And the way the woodcuts
fit the spirit of the outfarings is one
more cause for happiness in this rare
adventure of going somewhere, or no.
where.
BILL NYE: HIS OWN LIFE STORY.
Continuity by Frank Wilson Nye.
illustrated. New York: The
Century Co.
MELVILLE. STONE says, This
work. Indeed, it is practically an au-
TOPOGRAPHY. 1t Is well worth reading
by any one who enjoys drollery rather
than trash" Then in a short chapter
Nye's son tells how he came to pro-
Ject this work, how it seemed to him
that 1t should be done. paying tribute,
meanwhile. to those who encouraged
and helped him in the undertaking.
Beyond these Introductory points the
book Is almost wholly straight from
the hand of Bill Nye himself Let
ters, conversations, lectures or ex-
tracts from these, intercourse in one
form or another with acquaintance
and friends all over the world, come
together in a vital and immediate re-
embodiment of q great humorist and
philosopher. Here are the familiar
wisdom and sound sense served with
laughter. here is the we'll known wit,
cutting butk indy; here is the genial
man smiling at humanity through all
KINDS or weather. In a word, here is
Bill Nye. just as of old, contributing
to the worlds substance through the
insubstantial means of mirth and
good cheer. The young Nye has done
incalculable service to people every
where by this volume of writing
straight from the hand of his father.
X y
LANTERNS. JUNKS AND JADE,
BY Samuel Morrill, New York:
Frederick A. Stokes Company
TALKING of China, Samuel Nor
rill is just here speaking of the
ancient Summer Palace: Here water
fetes of the old imperial days were
held, the Empress Dowager enthroned
on q regal barge impersonating Kwa-
min, goddess of mercy, while eunuchS
and maidens In jeweled robes posed
about her as godlets, fairies and an
Gent warriors. Soft music and rip
ping water. . Chinese mermaids \
swan to the barge. offering pearls and
jade and lotus in the ripping silver
Of the moonlight. 1t is all gone now,
but they say that on starlit nights
faint music is heard and startled at
tendants PROSTATE themselves as of
yore. kotowing to phantom files of
princes and princesses clad in the bro
cades of another age, who glide to-
ward them down garden paths, only
to find on lifting timid eyes these
great ones vanished. The present &C.
cupants vow the entire place Is haunt
ed-haunted by shades of sovereigns
long since mounted the dragon;
haunted by ghostly gong, at whose
sound mandarins pass with lanterns
and banners: haunted by spirits of
poor, frail princesses who died for love
and whose souls. like will-o'-the wisps, /
fit under marble bridges at twilight
Not every minute poet like this is
Mr.. Morrill,, but throughout these Chi
nese sketches is there equal feeling
and insight. even though the topics
themselves do not invite the lyric
treatment. In and about Picking the
author goes upon his daily quest
into the streets and shops, into temple
and palace and plain house. Every |
one of these, and a thousand things
besides, yield richly to the searching
eyes and questioning mind OF this
lured and captivated wanderer. An |
cient customs and hoary rites step !
into the open here. And, besides these
there are pages of clear information
about the current life of China and
much of plain description of various
industries and occupations. Favored |
by circumstances that permitted him |
to go everywhere, to see everything,
Mr.. Morrill,, greatly improving these |
has In turn passed over |
to readers q clear profit of reading |
that is as delightful as it Is useful.
+** X
HARVEY GARRARD'S CRIME. BY
e. Phillips Oppenheim, author of
"Prodigals of Monte Carlo" etc.
Boston: Little, Brown & Co.
L PHILLIPS OPPENHEIM has just
lie written a travel book, so they
say, one making clear departure
from the large body of this authors
work. Now that's fine. for Harvey
Garrard's Crime" is proof positive that
a change of direction will be good