Evening star., 1934-10-27
THE LIBRARY TABLE
BY SARAH G. BOWERMAN.

l. HC MhCuillihu ".
James Thomson, born In 1700, the
opening year of that eighteenth CEN
tury which was to be noted for Its
literary Journalism, wrote q four-part
poem, 1.-The Seasons" which is a
remarkable exception to the authori-
tarianism Of the age and Is still read
by lovers Of descriptive nature poetry.
It's descriptions of a Winter snow
storm, the Summer sheep washing,
the coming Of Spring rain and a
harvest storm are among the best
pieces of English poetry of the second
order. In his book about the natu-
ralist's England, Sir William Beach
Thomas might have drawn his inspi-
ration from the eighteenth-century
Thomson. After a brief introduction
which shows in every line his deep
love for the English countryside, from
the Cornish highlands TO the Cum
oerland lakes and fells, with its
great variety of fields, hedgerows,
lanes, parks, rivers, lakes, woods. fens
and moorS, he divides his descrip-
tions of the birds and animals, trees
and flowers of England according to
the months
Anticipations Of Spring begin In
January, with a few primroses even
in the midland spinneys, the songs Of
thrushes and the chatter of black
birds. In February tits and black
birds-and honey bees-feed from the
ambrosia of rotting pippins on his
bird table. Each month has its
fascination for the naturalist-the
March hare, the lambs of April, night
lngales in May, riot of birds. butter
flies and blooms in June and July,
water birds in August, when the in
land ''is a little dry and tired; a
visit to the fens and their bird sane
tuaries in September, st Luke's Sum-
mer" in October, the elns frilled with
hoar frost in November, and gay
strutting pheasants In December. The
book is full of bird and garden lore
most of 1t acquired from experience
1t will delight all who have eyes and
ears for the nature which is not
human and perhaps like the author
find in it relief from association with
their fellow men.
COLLECTED DOG STORIES. B,
Rudyard Kipling. Illustrated with
Drawings by Marguerite Kirmse
Garden City: Doubleday, Dorar
, 81 Co.
Give this book for Christmas X
your friend whom you have otter
suspected of being more fond of his
or her dog than of the family 1t con-
tains all of Kipling's best dog stories
and poems, selected by himself, and
there is one new story, "A Sea
Dog" about Lii, the mongrel fox te--
rier belonging to Mr.. Randolph, who
took her on trial trips Of the sloor
he had recently repaired at Stephanos
Island. Some Of the seasoned stories
are Private Learoyd's Story" The
Power of the Dog" The Dog Hervey'
and Toby Dog" Marguerite Kirmse's
drawings of sad-eyed Scotties and
frisky pups of many breeds look out
at you from different places-tops
corners. centers of pages. end papers
and book jacket.
JAMES MacGREGOR FROM AMER
ICA. Told and drawn by Marion
Bullard. New York: E. P. Duttor
g. Co.
Here is a dog story by the author
of Mr.. MTavish." as good as any
Kipling ever wrote. We were in
clined to put it in q group of books
for children, but decided that grown
ups would enjoy its humor at least as
much as would children, for serious
ness often decreases and love of hui
NOR increases with age. The author
took her Scotch terrier, James Mae
Gregor, to Europe with her, and, like
the good naturalized American that
he was, he remained American, ever
in the gay capitals Of Paris and Brus-
sells and the romantic environment
of Provence. At tAix-en-Provence thu
waiter Bernard assured patrons of tht
hotel: That is no ordinary dog
Monsieur James MacGregor from
America. He speaks the French Ian
guage. He is gentil." But wher
James MacGregor gave his paw t.
the purser and walked down tht
eangplank into New York, he glanced
swiftly up at the tall buildings. bu
his eager eyes were ahead. for JAIME:
MacGregor knew where they wer'
going"-back to the little white hous'
in the mountain valley.
ROBIN ON THE MOUNTAIN. b.
Charlie May Simon. Illustrated
nv Howard Simon, New York: E
P. Dutton g. Co.
Children between the ages of 8 anc
IL will be entertained by this story
of a little Ozark Mountain boy anC
will learn many things about ways o.
living probably different from theil
own. PosSum Kingdom is a small
town in the Ozarks in Arkansas, away
up the winding dirt road, beyond th'
sign which says: Road Impassabl'
Beyond" Robin Lambs father was 6
share cropper and every year aftel
the cotton was picked and sold HI
moved his family in a covered wagor
to another homeplsce, always hoping
to better himself. As this story opens
the family and all their few posses
SlOllS IldO JuoJ OCCAl PaNhCA INV eAAe
covered wagon ready to start for Pos
sum Kingdom. The country through
which they passed, their over might
stop with another mountain family
their crossing of ford where the high
water was nigh up to the bed Of the
wagon" and their final arrival at the
tiny honeysuckle-c house which
was to be their newest home are al
described in such a way that any chile
may imagine he himself is making the
journey. -:
At Possum Kingdom, every one be-
came Immediately very busy fixing uI
the place inside and out. Soon Win
ter came, with Christmas, and dish
of venison and biscuit bread and a
cake and pie and the Shelbys camt
for dinner, and firecrackers and songs
and stories around the pine-knot fire
In the Spring the family made a triE
to town to buy supplies before the
cotton ground was ploughed; they al
went, Papa and Mama and Robin
and America and Thankful and baby
Virgil. Then Robin made a new
friend and settled an old feud oi
his fathers. His days were busy
though he was only boy; he tool
corn to the grinding mill, helped with
the cotton planting, weeded the gar
den, went to school during the five