Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-01-30

Boni & Lveright.
A " enlarged edition of this Won
~ drous story calls for fresh at
"A tention to it's essential char
4 a acteristic of appeal to the chill.
dren. Within five years 81
printings indicate something of the
general and enthusiastic recognition
accorded Van Looms STORY of Man
kind 1t is quite certain that the
children alone are not responsible for
this wide distribution, and it is true
that the story Is just as absorbing to
older readers as it Is to those for whom
1t was primarily designed. The new
edition is richer by a whole chapter
than it's predecessors. and by half
dozen new pictures. And the pictures
are no small part of the charm OF the
story and OF it's usefulness to every
grade of reader Whats the use of
a book without pictures?" said Alice,
and so says every one of us. With the
fresh inducement of this addition to
the story, where, indeed. no Induce
ment is necessary, we set out again
over the road that SO enchanted us
three wears ago or so, when we, for
the FIRST time, went back into the past
with this great story-teller to find out
about our own beginnings, to come
face to face with some of the basic
things that have lasted in one shape
OF. another to give certain accountlngs
of what we are today. one envlsages
this book In the hands OF the chill
dren, at home and in schools, assured
OF it's good work there in the way OF
creating a warm interest. In the way
OF stimulating the mind, both to a de
gree calculated later to Withstand the
dun pursuit of dry histories, as these
sod fnFs
tic wears OF life in so great an igno-
rance of the needs of children. Again
we congratulate young readers, and
old ones, upon this enlarged and ex.
tended Van Loon STORY of Mankind.
WEST OF THE MOON. BY Anna
Robson Burr, author of st.
Heifos." etc. New York: Duffield
& Co.
A LOVELY romance, beautifully
"A written. The story itself Is
simple--just. girls search for the
friend that she knew in her father
house when che was a little child.
Left alone and with good news Tor
this delightful companion OF her RAD.
ing remembrance she sets out to ma
him. That is enough for you to know
OF the story. 1t is the pursuit, the
elusive pursuit, that will hold you
captive throughout. From point to
point-Paris. Venice, the Alps-the
romance moves, always in a glamour
OF beauty and high intent, always IN
a mood of leisure to seize upon this
or that of charm, to sit beside the
flashing thoughts Of this young adj
venturer, to look into her mind ana
heart. and then to gaze outward upon
scenes of natural beauty that this
author has chosen with true sense
of the deem significance of the chang
ing face OF this lovely world. Leisure.
a sense of leisure, Is one of the well
come offerings Of the story. into IL
come innumerable pictures winch give
TO the whole an unhurrying dramatic
movement that includes not only the
persons involved here but that gathers
IN places themselves. Particularly
doez Venice play "a vivid role in this
ouest OF a. lost friend. An artful
writer. too. in the delicate handling OF
a mysterious phase of this search. SO
unobtrusiyely does the heroine slip
out of the story, or appears to, thas
onA reads in suspense for her reap
nearance-and there she has been all
the time. And does the pursuit END
in triumph? Who knows? Looking
from this point, you will say that IL
does not. But, standing over there
YOU will say that If so delicate ana
unsubstantial a quarry as the one
really existing here can be captured.
why, then--but as a matter OF 1act, u
can't he. after all. You will read here
in growing delight with the keen
feeling of this author, with the SUD-
tletv OF her gestures, with the suayity
az her spirit-with all of the hlgh art
az her. Again West of the Moon"
is a lovely romance, beautifuly
LETTERS OF A SELF MADE DIP
I,OMAT TO HIS PRESIDENT. BY
will Rogers, author of THE INT
erafe Digest" Illustrated by Her
bert Johnson New York: Albert
and Charles Boni.
HERE you have them, all In a
L bunch, the letters that you nave
hAen reading one at a time for some
months past. 1t Is a dangerous ex-
,,eriment for the humorist, that or
concentrating himself i'm book--with
the promise of another book In the
air, besides. Humor is for seasoning
not for the meal itself. In no time
at all, tasting the pepper ana SAT-,
the spice and the catsup and tabasco
OF this dietary program, one just
naturally reaches out for q bit or
bread to roll around in his mouth for
these savories to get a purchase hold
on. No, this is, clearly, not the way
to read Will Rogers, or Artemus
Ward, or any other professional
humorist. 1t gets as dolefui as a
funeral, such reading does. So, let's
nut the book away. All right. That
was done. Then, on another day, in
between, say, THE Ordeal of Civilisa.
ton and 1.-THE outline of History
10 minutes OF the foolery of this self.
made diplomat became the shadow OF
a mighty rock in a weary land. Hard
sense leaps out Of the nonsense, cool
political views step apart from the
fun.making crowd around them, genu-
Inc fun extricates itself from laborious
fun, and the whole becomes what
Ii really ID when read letter by letter
appearing In the papers, with time in
between for the readers to get ready
for the next issue. Then VIII Rogers
is as truly the humorist, as truly the
wise man playing the fool, as going
backward you ever did meet in the
long and distinguished line of Amer
lean humorists. But. all at once in
stable quantity. he is truly
blight on the soul of man.
4 #*x
TO SALLY. BY
elizabeth author of Elizabeth
and Her German Garden" etc.
New York: Doubleday, Page & Co.
A STORY of outbreaking laughter
6 all along its way. Elizabeth"
never better than here. And this is
saying q good deal, for even yet-after
SO many years-mere mention of the
German Garden is as provocative
OF mirth as 1t was on the day Of its
FIRST appearance. The theme of Sally
10 that Of the sheer loneliness of q
young woman, the theme of that dew
astating charm which has given un-
dying fame to the Helens and the
Cleopatras. q renown such as none OF