Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-07-15

, been shared. There is evidence that
/ from the material collected there was
! drawn for this specific purpose the sig
! nificant facts of each mans life In the
! relation OF these to the progress and
! well-being OF the country as whole
! Exclusions here are as purposeful AS
! are the excellent inclusions. fine
! piece OF selective work. This Is a good
| book for any reader who is interested
! in the history of our country. One can
! realize however. that a brother Mason
! will read these studies in sense OF in"
/ dividual partaking that Is denied to the
reader outside the organization.
BRIGHT AVENUES. BY Josephine
Bentham New York Rae D. Hen
kle Co. Inc.
EIRST novel. Clever story. ORA
matte foundation that holds its
quality to the end. II sill has to do
with the business of being young. The
bright avenues" may be. and usually
are, only little openings off the wide
and lighted streets with dim glimmsr
at the end But they look amazingly
broad and light and iuring-because
1t is youth peering into them. And
into these. one after another. the young
folks dart in gay hravado. only TO
creep out a little frightened and with
the outer layer of Illusion a shade be-
draggled There is nothing to the
story That is, there Is no specific for
the cure of the ailment of being young.
thor Is no healer Instead the fine
and friendly girl upon whom II falls TO
see the business through moves into
byway and alley. time after time, GER
tain at each infaring that she is about
to seize the delectabfe prize Of simply
being alive and young. A real girl.
this one. Intelligent. thoughtful, beau
tiful. not half as sure OF life as she Is
OF herself, and withal, making her way
and her living in the SLOPPY world
roundabout No. not a very cheerful
story But, by what process Of reason
ing do you chance to be looking for
cheerful story to emerge from the sit
uation? Here is but a straight account
OF true matter. Clever with drama
and personal attractions, clever with
wit and insight. and not too much IL
fusion. No, not cynical, not by a long
curious sleight-o'-hand OF construc-
OF the story and the authors mood of
projecting it. Maybe Josephine Ben
than can do 1t again. No matter, she
certainly has done 1t this time.
THE SPLENDID CALIFORNIANS. BY
Sidney Herschel Small. author of
Sword and Candle etc. Indian
apolis: The Bobbs-M Merrill Co.
AN adventure Of early California
whose immediate effect Is that OF
sweeping the reader along. happily UNI
mindful of heat and humidity" and
other peskinesses OF Midsummer time
down this way. Historic fact supports
the tale. Adventure colors II and rO-
mantle love points 1t upon the prime
question Of universal interest. Span
iards, huge estates feudal in character
and equipment, q hammered way OF life,
ambition and dream, these come to-
gether in this stirring romance OF the
beginnings of California. Himself at
home here. Mr. Small sets the story as
q part Of scenes that are to him both
familiar and dear. This intimacy OF
spirit passes over to the reader. giving
plausihility to the old adventures and
charm to the navors of that period.
just q story to tell. story gathered
out OF facts and fancies. out OF knowl-
edge of brave men fired by ambition.
love, religion, whatnot. Tuned to the
time and the tale Mfr Small delivers 10
readers O Sumptuous picture of the
early days of the Golden State.
THE TRANSMITTING. BY Martha
Genung Stearns. New York: The
Macmillan Co.
uERE are letters woven into narra-
= tive by their editor. Martha Ge-
nung Stearns. The writer was Rus
sian refugee In France. An interesting
woman to start with Listen. Dispos-
sessed Of home and fortune in Russia
by way Of the revolution, mother of five
young boys, Nine. Balaschen went to
France. where she entered into the bust.
ness Of raising ducks to support her
family. Only an interesting woman
would do that. Think Of the change
implied and the hard work involved.
Think Of the courage and the reassur-
ing outlook upon life that such
course implied. Almost any one might
be able TO do an excellent bit Of posing
under such circumstances. Hardly any
one else would have gone to work. actu-
ally and cheerfully You will see by
these letters that here Is woman OF
spirit and capacity and good sense.
There are no lamentations In these let
ters. There Is, instead, plain account
ing Of many q days doings. A strain
OF Renaissance now and then brings
the story of Nine. Balascheff to WASH
ington, where she lived as q young girl
when her father. Prince Cantacuzene,
was Russian Ambassador TO this coun-
try. This touch, nearing the whole
story to American readers, adds mark
edly to the interest Of the whole. Here
Is adventure. robust and sturdy that is
calculated 10 Stiffen any ones heart to-
ward his own problems. toward his own
daily job OF getting along with life. The
editor In this case deserves recognition
for achieving an intensely interesting
| narrative out OF the more or less dis
iointed character OF letters passing 10
and from.
1 A VISION REALIZED: A Life Story
| Of Rev. j. A. Oertel BY J. r. Oertel
| Boston: The Christopher Publish
ing House.
/ THIS Is the life story Of J. A. Oertel~-
artist, priest, missionary written
! by his son. Not exactly that either.
| Rather is II the elder man telling his
| own story by way OF letters and other
| documents purely personal 10 his own
! life. all OF them part OF his own ex-
| perience. The son merely collects this
/ material and gives to 1t the order and
/ Conference o. narrative. A greatly active
I life stands out here A high spirit mani
/ Testing itself powerfully In at least three
/ fields OF endeayor. Disappointments
/ follow this career. end with each there
/ comes the dauntlesg spirit whose en-
! dursnce in hope makes. really the wide
I ly diffusive effect Of the story itself
IAN example Of optimism and trusting
faith, OF strength OF character and a
, tenacity OF purpose which-though ex-
efcised IN a simple. quiet and unObtru-
sive wsy~-hss few equals In the history
Of the truly great" This Is the son
talking. in tribute 10 the father whose
religious spirit dominated his life as an