Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1932-12-04

crucif1x that she hollis. Refused the sword
accorded to royal victims, Marie Stuart must
kneel on the floor. lay her head upon the block
have it chopped off by the Ratchet Of vulgar
punishment, hacked twice before it yielded to
its punishment.
From mention of these two surprising pic
lures, do not assume that Herman German Is
a biased student, is literary advocate. Not
at all. He is outstanding before known facts
throughout But he is capable psychologist,
besides, a practiced weigher of evidence, an adj
mirable master of words To all of which THE
Scottish Queen gives full and engrossing evil
dence.
AS book too this is beautiful volume. A
thing to possess, it seems to me- from every
point of view The Scottish Queen" by Herbert
German, historian and essayist, and artist.
RECoLLECTIONS OF AN OLD NEW YORK
Err. BY Frederick Van Wyck. Illustrated
by Matilda Browne. New York Liveright,
Inc. Publishers.
uTOO big?" Not this book. Many another,
maybe, but most certainly not this one"
You see it has a rich theme. Its author is
richer yet. And the pictures of equal
value to both In truth, it was the picture of
the author sitting as frontispiece, that held
out the promise which the book itself SO sat
isfyingly fufills. He looks like a story-teller.
He is one He looks seasoned In experience
that is both alive and alert He is. And
the artist, has invited him to appear he fills
the role, competently assured, as in this in
troductory view.
And what is it all about? 1t is about New
York it was, maybe 60 years ago, or there
about In part by an actual personal remem-
bering and in part by the equal realism of fam
lily tales told over and over again, Mr.. Fred
erick Van Wyck easily lifts off the top of this
modern Babylon. Waves away the skyscraper.
the subway and the elevated, the cinema houses
and commercial shoppiness of Fifth avenue
along with hundreds of other innovations that,
arrogantly parvenu, obscure many a rich scene
redolent of softer and less upstart days Or
so they seem at this accounting And SO they
are. The difference cannot all lie in the spe-
cial art of this particular raconteur, nor in
the readily accepted fiction that old days are
the best days. No, no, there is abundance OF
reality here to sustain the clear charm of this
most pleasurable looking backward Fine
houses then, on Fifth avenue with society
entering and leaving upon impressive occasions.
Young bloods with fast horses speeding through
Harlem lane. 1.-The Black Crook for show
nights in place Of tawdry cinemas. Real places
to dine. New Year calls, and indeed a full
panorama of society, of business, too when
New York was 70 years younger than it is now.
When the home talk every day, of such
as Abraham Lincoln, Daniel Webster. the poet
Bryant and a host of other all personal friends
OF grandfather. All very near, very immediate
by virtue of family associations ahead of his
own day.
You know, and so do I, that this might so
easily have been another sort of book You've
met, and so have I, that fatal sort of deliver
into the past. Well, to be he would not
be here, this Is the other kind Vivid in his
rememberings acute in his divinings, adept in
his revivals, facts in good dramatic order
humor undeniable and ready the story teller
superb.
And that wife Of Mr. Frederick Van Wyck,
Matilda Browne, noted artist all in her own
right Of artistry, with prizes and exhibitions to
her credit, but with nothing more to her honor
In illustrating, 1t is certain, than In this book
of recollections. Over toward the back of the
story of old New York, past the vacant lots
and outstanding buildings that are now quite
obscured by enormous structures beyond, all
this Is Mr.. Frederick Van Wyck in the more
personal role of sportsman, kennel man and
dog lover, stable man and horse lover lovely
bunch OF dogs here, dogs and Mr.. Van Wyck.
Rip Van Wrinkle, Scotty, Ginger and Pax Nellie
and ReeS and Sultan. A mare and her colt
nuzzling the man in friendly quest-6h, that
lady knows her dogs and her colts, no less than
her man, when she takes pencil in hand!
A book calculated to invite deep enthusiasm
for the kind of reader that-well the kind that
for instance, myself am I love it!
MARYLAND AND THE THOROUGHBRED.
BY d. Sterett Cuttings. Baltimore: The
Hoffman Brothers Co.
THIS handsome book, all plumed up in yellow
and black, reminds of the Baltimore oriole.
And story of Maryland it is, too. Not of the
bright bird Of that region but of flying horses
instead, Of racing steeds that have made the
State famous for its meets, and courses, and
sporting events and above all for its high
lineage Of thoroughbreds.
And here Sterett Cuttings turns over to
readers the full story of sport, irresistible,
that has survived history to command the en-
grossment Of horse lovers, and ventures up to
the minute that is now racing itself into the
past
1t began in George washington's time, for