Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-12-23
NEW BOOKS
AT RANDOM
!. C. M,

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THE COLUMBIA HISTORICAL So
CIETY: Volume 3l-32. Edited by
John Bell Larner. washington.
d. @. Published by the Society.
Records, as q rule, are bent singIy
upon useful information. So, as matter
OF course, these have slight concern
with the elements Of general interest
and entertainment. Yet, here Is Q
report, strictly ofIlcial, which does inter-
weave fact and charm. which does
unite the truth Of each historic incident
with a wealth Of reminiscent story In
which the case itself Is imhedded.
A dozen chapters sum this annual
report of the Columbia Historical So
ciety. Each Is the work of some member
of the organization. Each has achieved
authentic recording on the one hand
and the art of Storytelling on the
other. This seems to me to be q very
uncommonly fine kind of report for
any society to make. From the authentic
facts Of Washington and its environs
these writers have taken care to draw
the story that each body of fact con-
tains. They have minded not to spoil
the glamour Of the long-gone day. Per-
haps these local historians have been
reminded by the activity of demolishing
that now marks Pennsylvania avenue,
that, before it is too late, they must
gather notable landmarks, and men,
into the sanctuary of print for future
use. Whether or not they were prompted
by this particular urgency cannot say.
I only know that here Is q vital and
various periods and points of interest,
gathered into safety for those who come
after.
An old house Of distinction In its
manners and general ways of life is
one of the deeply stirring features of
any scene. Frank Owens House
Mother" tells how an old dwelling gains
in the course of long years a genuine
motherhood of ingrained watchfulness
and tenderness and care. From it have
issued the Joy and sadness that are part
of its own blood, so to speak. Out OF
it have come glory and ignominy. So,
here we are led from one old mansion
to another, from one House Mother"
to another, each saturate with the life
of its own generations, each thing TO
see and feel, to dream over and rejoice
in while yet there Is opportunity to do
this.
Memories Of q Lifetime In Washing
ton," by DR.. Joseph T. Kelly, offers
widespread and intimate view of the
Capital through political change and
physical growth and social idioSyncrasy.
Within the record public-spirited and
useful citizens have honored place.
Among them, Charles Glover, pioneer
resident Of the city; DR.. Frederick May,
Brainard H. Warner, through a body
of personal letters, that specially init
mate mode of self-disclosuFe In the
civic activities of Mr.. Warner.
The story of John Howard Payne Is
a story that Is admirable in conception
and feeling and projection. "Home,
Sweet Home" is pretty much all that Is
generally known about this man. Here
Is the full story of his Vicissitous life.
Here, too, Is o tribute TO w. w. Cor
coran, prince of friends" through
whose personal effort John Howard
Payne was, after many years, brought
home from Northern Africa and given
place to lie down in over in Oak Hill
Cemetery, Georgetown.
A chapter of early diplomatic history
Is told by David Jayne Hill. FRANKLIN
and the French Alliance of 1778," an
old chapter that becomes new and IL
Illuminating in this particular day of
international problems and current d.
plomacies
To the poet and the dreamer, to the
whole beloved tribe of vagabonds, THE
Old Mills" by Allen G. Clark, Is both
an instant joy and a promise for days
to come. Here they are, all Of them,
in both print and picture Every one
to be visited on that some day, so surely
coming for innumerable prime adven-
lures. Here Is plain Requirement that
draws from one the vow-yes, the
solemn Vow-to find each of these mills.
To loaf around them all sooner or later,
to idle away perfectly good time in their
company, to rebuild from Mr.. .Clark's
stories and pictures that other day and
other way when grandfather took the
gTist to MILL" where water wheels did
the work of turning wheat into -four
and bran, of making corn over into,
meal for the cattle, into corn cakes
for the boys and girls. These mill pic
lures and stories going along are
charm-juSt that. I'm my tramps I
have sometimes followed in the foot
steps of the Ranbler''--Mr. Clark talk
ing-"The Rambler has rambles over
the city everywhere. and away from the
city, but not too far away" And this
Is the beloved Harry Shannon, 1.-THE
Rambler of The Evening Star-Harry
Shannon, the beloved vagabond, prince
of Migrants with poetry in his heart
and a sharp nettle upon his tongue.
Thousands OF Evening Star readers
have on Sundays gone joyously with
the life Of the city any one has given
one-tenth Of the pleasure he has!"
So reports Allen c.. Clark on Harry
Shannon, the Rambler. Pretty fine,
I call it. Fine and true, it seems to me.
All said, here is a finely interesting
book. An official report, at that. Of
fered In the sober mien of record"
it turns out to be a deeply interesting
series Of stories upon the subject of
70 hi L.
like q fairy tale put out for Christmas.
Not that at all. A true account, cal
culated to last for the use of readers
100 years from now, or more or less.
X X X
THE LIONS DEN. Janet Aver Fair
bank. The Bobbs-Merrill Co.,
The "Den" is the Congress of the
United States, expanded trife to pro-
vide q narrow runway into the general
life of the Capital.
Washington looks like q surprising
theme for the novelist. The legislative
activity, the parade of Official life, the
high order of social intelligence, the
Of foreign diplomacy, the art
of the place in it's buildings and the
learning Of many famous institution
all these against the superb city itself,
background and inspiration, appear to
be OF the very texture OF romantic inn
aginings and constructions.
1t has been tried, few times-the
novel of Washington. Not yet, how
ever, with marked distinction. 1t may
be that there Is too. lavish supply of
material, too diversified strains of cur
rent and commencement, too much
surface to invite deep penetrations or
to permit these even. Whatever the
reason, no outstanding romance of the
Capital has yet come to light. It may
be on its way. Not yet has it arrived.
"The Lions Den" is, primarily,
love story, though at moments it takes
on the bearing and color of a political
novel. A young man came riding