Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-04-14

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readers as well. The story as a whole
marches with events, with the World
War and its sequences here at home
within the Government establishment
and at other points allied to that Of
the workers there. The growth of the
merit system is recorded In detail as
to its 'purpose and its effective practice
The whole is a compact body of history
IN respect to an important part of the
Government business. It Is more than
likely that no other published account
OF this matter Is so definitely sourced
IN the knowledge that grows out OF
immediate contact and personal ex-
perience as Is this one. A point not
to be neglected is the writing manner
OF this author. This history reads like
a story in its animation, its finely i'm
agtnative quality, its touches of humor,
its unvarying stand for the stability
and advance of the institution which
1t is so valiantly supporting. Some one
has called this book The Romance OF
the Merit System" and that Is what IL
is--romance and fact and gospel, al
interviewer In vivid story Of one phase
OF the Government business. 1t applies
directly, as whole, TO every Govern
ment worker. 1t appeals indirectly, but
UAeAk StAAAhLk W IIiOSC WHO live
under our particular Government. A
splendid piece Of work carried out in
clear spirit Of patriotic feryor and
business ethics.
| 4 + X
OUR FACE FROM FISH TO MAN
BY William K. Gregory. Foreword
by William Beebe. Illustrated. New
York: G. P. Putnam's Sons.
N subtitle the author calls this book
"a portrait gallery Of our ancestors
and kinsfolk with concise history OF
our best features that Is, the human
| face.
| William K. Gregory is a scientist
professor at Columbia University, men,
Der OF this and that learned society
bent to the search for truth in its
scientific connotation; his familiar
hunting ground is "anthropoloey" and
''ichthyology" William Beebe sponsors
him here by way of foreword turned In
advice upon the reader. He needs
] every bit of this support, and then
| some. to secure anything like ac-
ceptance from the great company OF
average readers. These readers know
exactly what they believe upon certain
important subjects and they are not
going to be disturbed by this learned
man, or any other one.
At the outset this author invites LIS
back an inconceivably long time. II
takes millions of years to count the
point from which we are to start
To the point when "our face" began
Its career as such. OF course, we re-
fuse the invitation. We know exactly
now We came by ourselves, face and all
Stlil curiosity Is q tremendous spur tc
CT NKTA NnlS 80
along the way of William K. Gregory
And then We are lost past recall. Such
/ an amazing story was never before
offered to mans credence. So astound.
ing Is 1t that Mr. Beebe thinks merely
looking at the pictures is, perhaps
about our size in regard to this recital
Another goad this proves to be, anc
on we 60. 1.-The Beginning of OuI
Face" provides the first shock. "Tht
Sharks Face and Ours hits us again
! BY that time, however, nothing could
stop us. Then we read Of the far time
when our ancestors left the water fol
the land. and OF what we owe to the
reptiles-beside original sin. Think o,
1t! We read of the improvement ia
our face" when our kinsfolk took t
the tree-tops and of that exciting
millennium when "the almost perfeci
face" appeared. Then, at last, "ths
perfect face"
The second part of this astoundins
book gives history of our best feature!
or the development Of the mouth witt
us equipment Of jaw and teeth. OF
Tongue and palate and lastly of thu
lips. So with the other features-tht
eyes. nose, ears, all sourced in tht
primal need for food and so for con.
tinued existence. THE face of the
future" is fascination to forecast In
the amending advance that could no,
pause If 1t would. The entire book i,
iasclnation-a revelation and q terror
Such a Jar, you know-repelling. in.
vltlng. but never letting one go. It /,
a mighty progression, a gradual becom.
ing. q stupendouS panorama thai
promises future as illimitable as
astounding as the long past portrayed
here has been.
A huge fairy tale-why, to be sure
that We were in the making untold
ages before Adam delved and Eve span
nonsense, OF course. Yet SO tremendous
IS the invention that I am reading il
again, breathlesS, and shall no doubt
read IL some more, still GREATNESS, in
q curious sense OF awe at the marvel
OF this long, long creation.
THE LIFE OF CHRIST. BY Grace
Fleming Young. Washington.
THIS book fits every season. Yet il 1.
at Christmas or at Easter fins
that 1t viii draw out the tenderest wei.
come. A point to remember, Here in
rhythmic medium the author has re-
told the Bible story Of the life of Jesus
mas retold 1t with fidelity and in spirit
OF deep reverence. Along with the
SPIRITUAL enect OF the story one must
taKe account OF the study and work in
VOWED In the production Of this story in
poetic form. As a poem it possesses q:
clear merit. Just as in its story it is cal
culated to meet the need of many
Merely as book 1t is admirable in is
decorations, in the quality of its pauer
and type. A beautiful booklet of HIGH
ton. =
FAN AND FANNIE: The Base Rail
Twins. BY Valrie McNahan. Illus
trated by the author. New York
Barse Co.
THIS Is a true story. The pictures
alone prove it, even without the
good service Of circumstance and de-
tail provided by the print. Leafing the
book, its pictures present a quick run of
incidents that round very exciting adj
venture to its own surprising climax.
Here was the way Of it. BY way of
that base ball incident known as a
"Fou-ou-l!" two base balls were landed
over in a vacant lot Like a flash they
scuttled away and hid in leaf nest at
the foot of the big oak. There they
stayed for the longest time, to make
quite sure of their own freedom. And
when they emerged something very
queer had happened to them. Little
short legs and tiny feet, a plump pudgy
body and a big round head-just like a
base bail In shape and size, but with
eyes. n mouth n all--had sort of grown
out from these two balls while they had
been In hiding. Don't ask me. don't
know how 1t happened any more than
you do. But 1t did, and that's all there
is 70 IL In no nnnre than a t,airaiita r,c-,,