davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1959-12-13
Story Of Snowman P. T. Bornum
One of Years Finest Biographies

to hide and yet was strangely
reticent about what he did
when he was away from the
barker's stand, the stage or
the big top.
Barnum was born in 1910
and lived until 1891. He died
rich. a friend of Presidents,
kings, queens and many
thousands of plain people.
He was born and grew up
in a little Connecticut town
called Bethel. which was in
those days "a tight little
prison of puritanism, not un-
like a thousand villages of
the new America, but prob
ably more strict" The person
who rode a horse or carriage
on Sunday would be fined or
imprisoned. while the bias
phemer was subject to 40
lashes.
Mr.. Wallace feels that it
was largely this forbidding
atmosphere, of which Phin-
cas- father disapproved
heartily, that led the boy
eventually to devote his life
to amusing the public, a field
his home town had thought
entirely of the devil.
Barnum was partner in a
Brooklyn grocery and in his
early 20s when he heard of
a colored woman who was
16l years old and was said to
have been nursemaid to
George Washington. He went
to Philadelphia, purchased
the old woman and showed
her. together with documents
atteSting her age, in a store
room next to a saloon in
Manhattan. He made money.
The fact that Joice Heth,
after her death, was declared
by a committee of physicians
to have been little more than
80 caused Barnum to be de-
nounced as a fraud, but did
not hurt him too much.
AS a fact, Barnum was not
above perpetrating a hoax,
though he didn't invent
Joice Heth. and may actually
have believed her claims. But
the showman's gentle decep-
tions hurt no one, and he
always gave the public gen.
'erous entertainment for
what he charged.
When Barnum acquired
Scudder's American Museum,
with its great collection of
freaks and scientific mar
vels," he was on the way to
fame and wealth. But it was
a midget, a boy intelligent,
perfect in every way. but only
81 inches high, who first
brought the Snowman into
international notice. He
chriStened the little fellow
Gen. Tom Thumb. The
midget sang. danced, wore a
dozen costumes and an
swered questions cleverly.
Barnum took the general to
Europe. where he was re-
ceived by Queen Victoria and
Frances Louis-Philippe and
was the toast Of the British
Isles and the Continent.
Tom Thumb made Bar
mum rich, and he went on
10 becoming an impreSario
and a bigtime Snowman.
When he was 40 he brought
Jenny Lind, "the Swedish
nightingale" to this country
for her amazingly successful
tour, and in later life, he,
with James Anthony Bailey,
set up the first big circus.
Probably Barnum's clever
est known quip was, Every
crowd has a silver lining" It
is extremely doubtful if he
ever uttered the line by
which is most often remem-
bered, There's a sucker born
every minute" The word was
not in use in Barnum's day,
and. besides, the line was
contrary to the way the great
Snowman expressed himself.
Evening star., 1959-12-13
Boris Pusternuk

OF new verse in 1859 the
most eagerly awaited was
THE POETRY OF BORIS
PASTERNAK. C. P. Put
mans Sons; $4O First it
should be said that it is al
most impossible to feel the
real flavor of a poet in trans
lation. How we'll George
Reavy has succeeded in this
volume I cannot say. 1t is
hard to see Just where Pas
ternak's greatness lies from
these lines. He considers his
verse his best work. Here it
seems curiously impersonal,
walking through ploughed
fields, the deepening snow, a
quiet resignation:
"The fifty years that hare
in tempest passed.
Fade in the memory
fainter every day.
And as our century ma
lures at last,
We to the future must
gtUe right OF nay"
I feel that such lines as
these cannot represent a
first-rate talent adequately.
One of our finest poets.
Marianne Moore, has a new
book o TO BE A DRAGON.
The Viking Press; $2.75O
Although there are only Is
poems, this new book adds to
her reputation as a master
stylist and a poet with a
genuinely original outlook.
The amazing thing is her
ability to bring to a form
which is certainly the most
sophisticated such contem-
porary subject matter as the
Dodgers (she loves them).
Not since ancient Greece has
sport found itself so relaxed
in art
Evening star., 1959-12-13
Other Books of the Week in Brief

spiracy Of John Wilkes
Booth.
GENERAL
THE FIRST LOOK AT
STRANGERS. BY Robert
Bunker and John Adair.
Rutgers, So. A narrative
OF how some young techni-
clans and administrators
learned to deal with inter-
cultural problems involved
in sending American aid to
underdeveloped countries.
CHECKERS IN TEN EASY
LESSONS. By Tom Wis
well. Barnes, $2.95). A
complete course of instruc-
tion.
THE INDIAN JOURNALS
1S59-62. BY Lewis Henry
Morg n. mich iga an,
$17.50). A panorama of
the American West.
Evening star., 1959-12-13
For Reading Aloud

This years book for reading
aloud is THE FIRESIDE
BOOK OF HUMOROUS PO-
ETRY, edited by William Cole
(Simon & Schuster, $500.
The collection ranges from
the Oldest to the newest and
Mr.. Cole has had the wit to
include an entire section on
the epigrams and other pithy
pieces, including this fine line
from Sir John Herington:
Treason doth neUer pros
per: 1Uhat'S the reason?
Why. t0hen it proSperS, none
dare call it treason"
Evening star., 1959-12-13
Theodore Roosevelt
And His New America

THE LIFE AND TIMES
OF THEODORE ROOSE-
WELT, by Stefan Lorant
doubleday; $50 tells its
panoramic story in 10000
words and 750 pictures.
Many of the pictures Vare
published for the first time.
They describe not only stages
in the life of the man who
succeeded the martyred Nc
Kinley in the presidency, but
the whole swift-changing as
Evening star., 1959-12-13

She is indeed a sensitive
traveller and observer. With
what appealing eyes does she
behold Stonehenge, for in
stance:
Here are the tDiSe men
bGHed, here is a mark
Deeply made, cutting for
euer into the mind.
The mind cannot escape it,
tOhere it stands stark,
A Word once spoken, q
ferUent message un-
signed"
In a longer poem-and, I
think, her beSt-she writes of
Nancy Hanks in accents of
the deep feeling that cnarac-
terizes the very best in poetry.
This is a collection of Miss
Chapin'S work from maga-
zines in the last Is years and
from three earlier volumes.
1t is an impressive resume of
her work.
Evening star., 1959-12-13
By CARTER BROOKE JONES
star Book Critic

amasseS everything pertinent
can spoil any story.
Mr.. Wallace. a professional
writer Of wide interests,
ranging over books, magazine
pieces and screen scenarios,
has really presented Ameri-
cas- greatest entertainer
whole for the first time.
There had been no full
length biography of Barnum
for 80 years. No previous
essays about him went into
the more personal side of his
life. which Mr.. Wallace
probed as deeply as he could
one who never had anything
Evening star., 1959-12-13

pect of America during Theo-
dore Roosevelt's years. It is
a fine achievement of selec-
ton in text and pictures.
Mr.. Lorant explains in a
toreword that it took II
years to, complete this book.
Nothing in it was left to
chance; every item has been
thoroughly researched; the
arrangement of the pictures
followed a carefully thought
out pattern" C 7
Evening star., 1959-12-13
Katherine Chopin

There is a far deeper aim
in THE OTHER JOURNEY:
Poems new and selected by
Katherine Garrison Chaplin.
University of Minnesota
Press; So Miss Chapin's
lyrics are in conventional
form, romantic and pleasing.
Evening star., 1959-12-13

THE FABULOUS SHOW
MAN: THE LIFE AND
TIMES OF P. T. BARNUM,
by Irving Wallace (Knopf;
So
This book, which came out
too late for our genera
roundup of 1859 books last
Sunday, is one of the years
most fascinating biographies.
1t might be said that
Phineas Taylor Barnum
could hardly be described
colorlessly. And yet a writer
who lacks skill, spirit and
that instructive touch which
discards the irrelevant and
Evening star., 1959-12-13
Fresh New Voice

There is a vigorous, like
able quality in THE NIGHT
OF THE HAMMER by Ned
O'Gorman (Harcourt, Brace
Evening star., 1959-12-13

Iliad as a satire on war,
and he has brilliantly DEM
onstrated his thesis.
This version is in easy,
everyday language, prose
for the most part but occa-
sionally shifting into verse.
1t is this mixture that makes
most conformists unhappy.
But the translator has
achieved flowing narrative,
witty without sacrificing the
wisdom of the Had.
Evening star., 1959-12-13
Collected Verse

The poets who achieved
new editions of their COL
lected or complete works
were a varied lot, some
choices being dictated by an
niverSary and some by whim.
They included:
COMPLETE POEMS BY A,
E. HOUSMAN Henry Holt g.
Co., $4 This was in obServ-
ance of the centennial Of
Housman and is the defini-
tive edition. 1t includes a
few poems which were not
available when the Col
lected" poems were published
in 1910 It's the years out
standing book of its kind.
COLLECTED POEMS
(Houghton, Mifflin Co., $4
brings together all John
Betjeman's work which he
wishes to preserve. it ex-
plains why this articulate
Englishman with an eye for
nature retains a very strong
hold on his readers.
KINGS, RDS AND
COMMONS alfred A Knopf,
$3.75) is edited by Frank
OConnor and contains Irish
poems from the 7th Century
to the 18th. including the
justly admired The Midnight
Court by Bryan Merryman.
Untermeyer's Lives
No account of 1859 in
poetry should omit reference
to LIVES OF THE POETS
by Louis Untermeyer Simon
& Schuster; $7.95. Borrow
ing his title from DR.. john
son, Mr.. Untermeyer gives
short biographical accounts
of hundreds of poets from
Chaucer to Dylan Thomas.
1t would be impossible for
one man-even Mr.. Inter
meyer with decades as an
thologist-to have something
really penetrating to say
about each of so many poets.
And he doesn't. He gives a
few facts, a reasoned analy-
sis Of each poets place and
leaves the deeper implica-
tionS to other-and better
critics.
Evening star., 1959-12-13
FICTION

KATHY OF CATOCTIN. BY
George Alfred Townsend.
(Tidewater, So. A ro-
nance based on the con-
Evening star., 1959-12-13
THE YEAR IN POETRY
Homer to Nash
Isn't Farm 1859
BY EDWIN TREBLE
Star star Writer

This may be put down the year when invited
TO take Homer more lightly and Ogden Nash seriously
Robert Graves whose standing casSicist is virtually
unaSsaable has offered translation Of Homers Iad
and called it THE ANGER OF ACHILLES Doubleday &
Co., $3.50
Evening star., 1959-12-13
THE EARLY LECTURES OF

AAO SASG0 OE
RALPH WALDO EMER-
SON. Edited by Stephen
E. Whicher and Robert E.
Spiller. Harvard, $12.5OJ
THE STORY OF THE REV.
ELATION. BY Otis Hay
ward. Underwater, $4.950
TECHNIQUES OF DRAW
ING AND PAINTING
WILDLIFE. BY Frederic
Sweeney. Reinhold, $1OO
Evening star., 1959-12-06
N6~ a..;1>

Cassie was eight the first time she mentioned
that she wanted to play the harp. Now and then
she still jumped off her bed to if she could fly
like Peter Pan. Her bedroom floor being uncar
peted, we usually knew when she had once again
met with dsillusionment
Her three older sisters turning young
ladyish and making sense at that time. But Cassie
was character who, whether she could fly or not,
still managed to spend most of her time in never
never land. Her rainy day drawings were of frowzy
little mermaids and frowzy little fairies who bore
a strong resemblance to the artist Cassie seldom
combed her reddish-brown hair or tied her shoe
laces washed her neck.
In those days she genius at the irrelevant
question. recall her asking one lovely sunny May
day, "Mommy, do you think it'll rain next Hal
loween?' She had many 'ideers' as she called
Evening star., 1959-12-06

VoLoire once said: IF God did not exist, it would
be necessary to inUent him. # children did not
exist, it tOouId be impossible to invent them - for
.oho could ever think them up9 In Mrs. Espy's true
story, Cassie, sOhO fell in LOUe Wih harp, is no
more battling than your children or mine. To be
parent is to be permanently mystyfed.
like this story not only because it's funny and
comes out of the authors OtOn experience but also
because it's about successful nOncOntomiSt The
harp is such peculiar instrument that maybe
haTpists more or less haze to be noncOntomias
This is the first story about harp PUe read, out
side of the Bible. And yet hGrps are so universal
that iOe're told that they exiS in other worlds than
our otOn; and ancient that remains of hGrps haze
been found in Egyptian tonabs almost 1000 years DID,
When think of the harp zoe usually think Of
Ireland In I947, it sOGs reported, somebody had
fitted up Irish harp SOh waterproof nyIO" strings
and had played it under water. Cassie EPy might
Try that next, perhaps riding seGhorse.
Evening star., 1959-12-06

my look. why don't you learn to
play an instrument you could use in
the school band?" Mr.. Stochek
challenged Cassie. "You could
march in all the parades," he sug-
gested. IA harp's very, very hard
to learn"
He reached into the glass display
case where instruments flashed and
glowed. ''See this here, Cassie?
This is an oboe. Listen to this :"
He put the instrument to his lips
and produced rich Oriental-sound-
ing series of notes. Cassie stared
stubbornly, refusing to be charmed.
Mr.. - Continued on next page
Evening star., 1959-12-06
by HILDA COLE ESPV
Illustrated BY Paul NOnnGSt

would smile and crowd winsomely up against her
father or me and Groom, ''I know what I'd like
for Christmas"
That September, when the three older girls re-
sumed piano lessons, Cassie was offered chance
to join them. She angrily refused. ''YOu know
what want to play" she said.
felt it was time for a showdown. "All right,
we'll go see Mr.. Stochek," said. well find out
how to get hold of a harp"
Mr. Stochek sells violins, tubas, har-
monicas, oboes, guitars, clarinets in Mount Kisco.
He also arranges for child to take lessons on any
instrument he elects.
''Mr. Stochek," |, said entered the store,
this is Cassie. She wants to take harp lessons"
Harp lessons?" He made a why-can't-any-
thing-go-right-today sort of face. why do you
want to take harp lessons?"
Cassie gared at him.
'T just do" she said.
''Want to buy harp, do you, Mrs. Espy?" he
asked me drily. Cost you twenty-five hundred
dollars"
"Of course not. Even if we had that much
money, which we don't, we wouldn't want to buy
harp without knowing how much talent Cassie
has or how hard she is willing to work."
Mr.. Stochek began to shake his head.
'I don't know where you'd ever rent harp"
he said. Even if you found one to rent, where
would you find harp teacher around here?"
looked at Cassie "See?" said
Evening star., 1959-12-06

them, and they were all so fantastic that it took
heroic restraint to deal with them patiently.
While her big sisters might ask on Saturday
morning if they could walk downtown and buy
some bobby pins, Cassie would ask if she could
catch the next train to New York some so miles
from our village of Mount Kisco and buy horse.
One Saturday morning we were sitting
around the kitchen table. Mona, Freddy and
Joanna we're discussing what they'd like to be
when they grew up. Mona thought she'd like to
be vet, Freddy planned to design clothes, and
Joanna decided to get married and have a lot of
children. Cassie had been swiveling her head
around thoughtfully.
''Mommy,' she chirped, "do you think could
combine riding horseback with playing the harp?"
We all fastened mirthfully disparaging gazes
upon her. Lets not be weird" teased. Lets
have no member of this family cantering about
while playing the harp
Cassie glared. Then her eyes filled with tears.
That's not what | meant!" she shouted ri
didn't mean I'd play it on the horse!'
And she went running upstairs to her room,
letting out loud boohoos. When | followed to
make up with her, she cried, ''You think every
thing l say is funny! | wanna play the harp and
I'm gonna play the harp!' She darted her di-
sheveled head at me like small snake.
patted her bony little shoulder. This 'ideer,"
like the ''ideer" of buying horse, would pass,
knew q thought knewD
Evening star., 1959-12-06

from Quiet. Yelled Mrs Robbh
Copyright @ 1883 by HiIdo Cole Espy, .. IPpineon Co.
Evening star., 1959-12-06

Ieresa that 1Nhat parent know
know don'tI I1lovvev t1ing
Evening star., 1959-12-06

in the next six months
Cassie gave up attempting to fly like
Peter Pan and stopped saying that
she was going to marry Mel Ferrer.
But she did not stop predicting that
she was going to play the harp. She
managed ingeniously to insinuate
her yen for the instrument into all
family conversations. IfMona COM
planned of poison ivy, Cassie would
remark that she was glad she didn't
get poison ivy, as it might interfere
with her playing the harp. Let
Joanna mention that she'd like ice
skates for Christmas, and Cassie
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-05-24

chief of the security police,
who is responsible for the
death and torture of no one
knows how many.
There are certain contacts
which Mark knows he can
make. with trusted confed-
crates. But someone has in
formed on him. A phone call
warns him to leave his PEN
sion at once. the police may
be there in a matter of min
utss. The police cal whirls
by as he lodges up a side
street. Only a handful Of
persons can know of his mis-
sion. Who could have be-
trayed him? That he intends
to find out.
The story is written with
almost unbearable suspense.
But it is more than a story of
suspense. 1t is a vivid charac-
ter study and a searching
series of impressions Of Buda-
pest under the police state.
Mark is more than a willing
instrument of vengeance. He
emerges as a complex man
of whom you may change
your opinion several times
before you finish this exciting
narrative. &C. B. j.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-05-24
The Role of journalism
Withinthe Government

tends--correctly-that there
is no such thing as a truly
objective news reporter. He
also demonstrates that there
is no such thing as a truly
objective appraiser Of the
Washington press scene.
With this aid, however, 1t
should be added that Mr..
Cater is not in the business
Of grinding axes or polishing
apples. If you would like a
candid and generally accu-
rate evaluation Of your ia
vorite correspondent, coll
umnist or news magazine.
read what Mr.. Cater has to
say. II may open some eyes.
This book should be espe-
cially interesting and useful
to people who sometimes
find themselves bewitched
and bewildered by the tor
rent of words which flows
out of the Nations Capital,
and which we speak of as
news" How does a Presi-
dent use the press, and how
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-05-24
The japanese Side
Of War Against U. S.

ing to the victors. And he
is candid about Japan's null
titudinous errors in launch
ing a war 1t could not hope
to win.
A major mistake was the
faith they placed in Ger
many's ability to conquer
Russia and the West. An
other was the complete lack
Of liaison or planning among
the Japanese, Germans and
Italians. Furthermore, al
though Japanese troops were
victorious everywhere at
first, their leaders had no
idea where to stop. They
even planned to invade Ha-
wall and Australia even
though this was clearly be-
yond the national capacity.
This book is a must for
any manewho fought against
the erstwhile enemy in the
Pacific.
JERRY OLEARY, Jr.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-05-24
EorIy
Is Recalled
By Attorney
THE NAN PATTERSON

LIE NAN L "A L i u II > u N
CASE. BY Newman Levy.
(Simon & Schuster: $3.75.)
Mr.. Levy's book is clearly
a labor of love. His father,
Abraham Levy, was defense
attorney for Nan Patterson,
accused of shooting her lover
as they rode in a hanson cab
in New York one June morn
ing in 1904. Nan was a Flora
dora girl. Caesar. Young was
a gambler and bookie who
had kept her in style. But
he was leaving that very day
with his wife for Europe.
Mr.. Levy is the first to
concede that Mans trial
could not possibly excite the
interest today it did in 1904.
Yet SO skillfully has he woven
narrative, conjecture and
testimony, that he makes the
reader feel both the drama
and the era. Nan finally
slipped from the headlines
for good, he wryly notes,
when Harry K. Thaw killed
Stanford White in 1906, and
a new heroine, Evelyn Mes
bit. was born.
"A prominent trial attorney
himself, Mr.. Levy reports
with relish on every aspect
of the case, including the
prosecuting and defense at
torneys' histronics. He also
advances a credible solution
for the crime, which the State
called murder. and Nan said
was suicide.
BETTY MILES.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-05-24
Story Of Mans Changing
Vision of the Universe

Koestler felt, had never been
fully explained to the general
public or even to the casual
scientific student. In an in
PRODUCTION, Herbert Butter
field. professor of modern
history at the University of
Cambridge. points out: ut
is particularly useful for
English readers that Mr..
Koestler has concentrated on
some of the aspects of the
story that have been ne
elected. and has paid great
attention to Kepler, who
most required exposition and
most called for historical
imagination"
A book not only for stu
dents. but for all who have
an interest in a history of
mans changing vision of
the universe" &C. B. j.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-05-24
Writers in Exile Keep
Spirit Of Hungary Alive
A Judicial view

Hungarian writers in exile
are keeping alive the spirit
of revolt in their country, es-
pecially in their novels.
PRAYER FOR AN ASSAS-
SIN, by Igor Sentjurc. trans
lated by Cornelia Schaeffer
doubleday: $685. is the
powerful story of an anti
Communist agents mission
to Budapest.
Earlier in the year we had
another Hungarian novel,
1.-THE Enemy" by Tiber
Meray, describing with stark
detachment the experience
of a dedicated Hungarian
Communist who found him.
self compelled, in a certain
situation, to turn on his
dearest friends.
Hungarian Agent
In Prayer for an Assas-
SIM" Mark, the secret agent,
is a Hungarian who once
worked for the security po-
lice in Budapest. He has re-
turned. accepting the assign
ment of a court" in exile,
which has condemned to
death Kopats, the monstrous
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-05-24
A Red Freighter
Is the Villain
In This Thriller
THE SILENT VOYAGE. By

THE SILENT VOYAGE. BY
James Pattinson (McDow-
ell. obolensky; S3.75).
This is a pretentious
thriller without thrills, re-
deemed only by a slightly
out-of-routine chase Sc
quence which unfortunately
occurs only after three
fourths of the Horse Lati-
tudes have been crossed.
The book concerns the
plight of two Britishers who
are picked up by a Soviet
freighter after it has run
down their vessel in the Arc
tic Ocean. Any normal Rus
sian, bent on a mission of Sc
crecy such as impelled the
Gregory Kotovsky, would
have liquidated the British
castaways quicker than you
can say "Nyet."
However, the powers that
be aboard the KotovSky APP
pear to be no brighter than
their prisoners and elect to
take them on a secret voyage
to a hush-hush Russian base
in the South Atlantic.
The heroes, who seem to be
about as advanced as the
early Britons were when
they painted themselves blue,
eventually end the tedious
voyage by subvertin@ c"~t"in
obvious crew members, blow.
ing up the KotovsK. I'D
demonstrating the good sense
to make for Brazil in a small
Sailboat.
The Russians, pursuing in
a powered craft, commit the
ultimate stupidity of coming
close enough to the heroes
to be grenaded into bits. If
this had happened in the
first chapter instead of the
last. THE Silent Voyage"
wouldn't have seemed half
so long.-JERRY OLEARY,
JR.