The News Journal from Wilmington, Delaware • Page 7

EVERY EVENING. WILMINGTON. DELAWARE. SATURDAY; SEPTEMBER 14, 1929. THE SATURDAY PAGE OF BOOK REVIEWS: "Dreams, books, are each a world; and books, we know, are a substantial world, both pure mud pood." Vfordrmfib.

FIELD OF HONOR" IS "CLEVEREST WOMAN" IS SEEN IN SILHOUETTE NEW YORK SETTING BANKING METHODS LIKINGS AND AVERSIONS LAST BOOK WRITTEN BY LATE DONN BYRNE CLAUDE BOWERS' BOOK "THE TRAGIC ERA" WILL CAUSE VERBAL 'SCRAPS' Defends Many Statesmen of Civil War Period Who Have Been Condemned; Brings to Light Material Which Other Historians Have Shunned. Story Promises to Stand Out as One of Moit Colorful Ever to Have Come From Pen of Renomied Author; Is Tale of Love and War. FIELD OF HONOR. By Donn Byrne, author of "Mesver Marco Polo," "The Wind Bioweth." etc. New York: The Century Co.

$2 50. REVIEWED BY GEORGE RHTOFMAV. FIELD OF HONOR." the last novel that Donn Byrne wrot, undoubtedly will stand out as one of the most colorful stories from the pen of that nenowned writer. Love and war, two widely conflicting elements, furnish the background of the novel, with the Napoleonic wars featuring the military angle. The love story revolves around Jocelyn Dillon, niece of Henry Mun-ro.

the General of Down, and Garrett McCarthy Dillon, of Drrrymore. They have been wed a year in the peaceful Lough Neagh, wh-n during a talk with Lord CastlcTeasrh. Garrett asks for permission to fight with an Irish regiment. At first the Secretary r.f War advises against this, but finally suggests that Garrett would be of immense use to him in London. Garrett agrees to this offer, after Lord promises that "you will get into a fight to save England, and to save Europe from the very fires cf hell." ADVOCATES WHIPPING POST FOR CRIMINALS the air with fiery orations, and we came to believe that oratory must be based on sound reasoning.

We believed this, more or less, rather more than less, until the passing of Bryan. We have now reformed. Because of this belief Andrew Johnson came to be the most maligned man in the public life of the United States. He Is well on his way now to share the reputation of one of the greatest statesmen the country has produced. And this is largely through the eilorts of such sane observers as Judge Robert W.

Winston and Lloyd Paul Stryker, followed now by Claude G. Bowers with a book which has all the fascination of a mystery story, a fine gory melodrama and a movie thriller. A hitherto unpublished side-light on" the attitude of men toward President Johnson and on Johnson's sense of right has recently come into the possession of this reviewer. It has been sent to him by Hon. Rowland B.

Mahany, formerly member of Congress from Buffalo and Minister to Ecuador. It was told to Mr. Mahany by James G. Blaine in 1892. Blaine had enjoyed the friendship of William Pitt Fessenden, Secretary of the Treasury in Lincoln's Cabinet, and afterward Senator from Maine.

This Is the story told to Mr. Mahany by the Man from Maine: "An Absolutely Ilonest Man." was in grave doubt with regard to the impeachment of Andrew Johnson. William M. Evarts, afterward Secretary of State, and later United States Senator from New York, was the leading counsel for President Johnson. Evarts heard that Fessenden was wavering as to the vote he should cast as one of Johnson's Senatorial judges.

The devoted lawyer went to the President and urged him to send for Fessenden and lay his side of th? case before the Senator. Johnson indignantly refused to do anything of the kind. Said he to Evarts: (Mr. Blaine's exact words are quoted): am surprised at such a suggestion coming from you. Mr.

Evarts, even though I appreciate the friendship and the zeal which prompt it. but under no circumstances would I seek or consent to an ex parte conference with one of my judges. When at the end of this trial the vote of the Senate is taken, I may not be President of the United States, but while I occupy this great office I shall do nothing to derogate from its dignity or from my own." Mr. Evarts assured the President that the Chief Executive's attitude in the matter measured up to the highest ideals, and the interview ended. Evarts did not give up the idea.

Two or three days later he went to the President and invited him and Mrs. Johnson to attend a party the lawyer was giving. Mr. Johnson was in a genial mood and said: do not know whether Mrs. Johnson will come, but I shall be most happy to Without (Continued on page 9) OF QUEST FOR LOVE Author Depicts Metropolis! From Civil War Days Down to Modern Era.

QUEST FOR LOVE. By Emily Coddington Williams. New York: The Macaulay Company. $2.00. New York is the setting for this vivid love story the plight of a woman who expiates a- sin and of her husband who expiates the lack In himself which drove his wife to sin.

Quest, of. Love was only published this week. In the opinion of this reviewer the author's writing in this book is far more entertaining and interesting than in her recent novel Hdming Pigeon which was well received. The changes In the Great City and its social life from the Civil War to the present day are skillfully drawn. Of course the story centers about a woman Claudia Honey a lovely daughter of the old South, who was adopted by a benevolent New York gentleman and went to live with him, in the days when Madison Sqiiare was "uptown." Then follow her love and marriage to this man to whom she feels attracted because he has given her position, influence and money.

Later on, through the subtle working of a charming love romance she discovers an intellectual attraction in her husband's twin brother, a warm, affectionate and poetic lover. Then comes the time she yields to her love and his desires. But the sudden death of her lover reveals all to her husband. Then out of the humility and repentance which tollows, they build up a new life like the new city which has grown up around them. E.

F. C. EUGENICS BASIS OE NEW PROBLEM BOOK "Heredity and Parenthood" Gives Dr. Schmuck-er's Views on Question. HERIDITY AND PARENTHOOD.

By Dr. Samuel C- Schmucker. Ph. Sc Emeritus Professor of Biological Sciences, State Teachers College, West Chester, Pa. New York: The Macmillan Co.

Dr. Schmucker furnishes quite an interesting discussion on the ever-debatable subjects of heredity and parenthood, in his latest book of that title. The book is divided into two parts, the first section dealing with heredity, and the second on parenthood. In the introduction to the book. Dr.

Schmucker writes in part: "On our study of heredity ve have based the new, and yet very imperfectly developed practical science of eugenics. This has had a powerful appeal, due in part, I fear, to the unwarranted claims of some of the less scientifically grounded of its devotees. "Processes involving the surgeons' knife and the animal breeder's tactics have been advocated until there has come, in the minds of many people, a revulsion against the whole science. This is unfortunate. There is much that is clear, definite, practicable and in no respect unworthy of our earnest attention.

"It is the hope of the author of this book that he may be able to show to those untrained in biology, the exact evidence on which our knowledge is based. He also hopes to help in promulgating the sort of information that will be really helpful in the very slow, but by no means hopeless task cf forming a favorable public opinion. With the growth of actual knowledge and of high aims man may really expect to help nature 'is it irreverent to say God?) in lifting human life to higher levels." G. S. LAD OF SUNNYBANK' TELLS OF WONDER DOG Beloved Canine Romps Through Pages of Albert Payson Terhune Novel.

LAD OF SUNNYBANK. By Albert Payson Terhune. New York: Harper and Brothers. $2.00. Before Albert Payson Terhune wrote a word of "Lad of Sunnybank" the book was an assured success.

Several "Lad" books preceded it and firmly created a large following on both sides of the Atlantic. Lad is one of the most popular dogs in fiction. In Mr. Terhune's latest novel we again find Lad the king of The Place, the New-Jersey estate which has served as the scene of all the Lad books. Mr.

Terhune makes no pretense at writing a brilliant novel. It is a sim ple tale the author tells, but so well does he present his central characters that the reader is immediately inter ested. It would be a hardened per son indeed who could read of the tragic death ot Ramses, the raccoon, and not feel a twinge of sadness. The real Lad is dead, but once every so often Mr. Terhune manages to write a novel which brings before his public another of the great dog's lovable traits.

In this respect "Lad of Sunnybank" admirably fulfills its mission. HARD LIBERTY" READY. Rosalind Murray, the author of the "Happy Tree," a successful novel of a few years past, has a new novel, "Hard Liberty," published this week by Harcourt, Brace and Company. Rosalind Murray is in private life Mrs. Arnold Toynbee and Is the daughter of Professor Gilbert Murray.

"An American Banker'" Is Story of Man Who Rose From Poverty to Wealth. "AN AMERICAN BANKER." By Jesse Rainsford Sprague, author of "The Making of a Merchant," "The Middleman," and others. New York: William Morrow Co. $2 00. REVIEWED BY E.

P. CUNNINGHAM. The book contains the story of a man's life from the time he was a runner In an old small town bank to the time he became president of one of the great financial institutions of New York City. The book is written by a man who has had much experience in banking and business and gives a close, Intimate view of a banker's life, his problems and his relations with the public. Here we have the presentation of the banker's point of view when a man comes for a loan and that of the man who wants to borrow money from a bank.

In the book there is an outline of the development of modern banking methods during a period of about 50 years. As a young farmer boy the hero of the story develops his first business sense selling apples to tran sients passing through the town by train, and then goes to a big city to see if he could not dispose of the potato crop of the farm there at a better price than he could at the home town. He accepts a position In a bank, and with the acceptance of that position are given the picture of a young man, who might be said to be a composite figure representing any number of American bank presidents in their youth. From start to finish the reader is given a warm, understanding story of a successful man's life, with the additional feature of having modern banking practices and methods outlined. The author does not restrict himself to his hero or to banking methods, but tells of men with whom the principal figure in the story came in contact and they are too real to be entirely imaginative.

The accounts of the activities of early promoters, some of them honest, some with doubtful plans and doubtful character, and others plainly dishonest, are interesting, as Is the account of the sale of stock of a railroad which was to have been built from one town to anpther in the days when railroads were expected to create great prosperity and great rapid development anywhere at any time by over-enthusiastic people. The slow introduction of modern banking methods, such as increase in the effort of serving the people who patronize the bank, are details interestingly told in the book. The idea of placing the 'officials of a bank in a position in the banking rooms where they are easily accessible to any person who might wish to see them, the present practice common with many banks, of paying electric light, gas, and other bills through the bank, directly by depositors, and the use of modem banking equipment are told of in the book. Through it all runs a warm, human account of a man's achievement, who started modestly, but through making a study of the game, by hard work, and a plentiful share of good luck, reached great wealth. 4 FAMOUS GREEK PLAYS INTERESTING Outstanding Ancient Playwrights Pen Beautiful Pictures of Countrv.

FOUR FAMOUS GREEK PLAYS. The Medea of Euripides. The Oedi-! pus Rex of Sophocles. The Frogs of Aristophanes, The Agamemnon cf Aeschylus, The Modern Library. New York.

1929. (95c). Edited and with an introduction by Paul Landis. through the medium of this little volume, it is possible to go over once more some of the ground visited in college days when so many pleasant hours were spent in reading the works of the Greek dramatists of 2,500 years ago. The four authors given are the outstanding of the Greeks.

They give beautiful pictures of their country, customs and people. But with their translation, as fine as they are, some of the beauty is gone for the editor, referring to Aristophanes' work declares, "we cannot produce in English the lyric beauty of his verse." It would be useless to go over the stories again. Just a line or two for each. Medea is the story of a woman wronged. Agamemnon gives us a story of Greece after the fall of Troy, with Clytemnestra killing her husband and king.

Oedipus is the well known story of the child born to Laius, King of Thebes, by his Queen Jocasta, who slays his father and weds his mother. The Frogs is a delightful comedy of Bacchus planning to descend into the infernal regions to procure the release of his friend Euripides. IL S. MAKING LABOR HISTORY. Norman J.

Ware whose history "The Labor Movement in the United States" was recently published, is to participate in the makin of labor history hereafter. Mr. Ware has just been appointed labor manager of the Shoe Workers Protective Union at Haverhill, Mass. Mr. Ware is also Professor of Economics at Wesleyan University.

GUIDE-DAYBOOK. Louis Untermeyer is just finishing "Blue Rhine Black Forest." which is a cross between a guidebook and a daybook a combination of Baedecker and Count Keyserling, with the virtues of both and the vices of neither. RUN OUGH BOOK ELLEN GLASGOW is a striking exponent of what may be term-the evolution of American literature. She began her carer as an orthodox romanticist, as "The Battle Ground" and "The Voice of the People" testify. The years seemed to bring her what the lifry gents call sophistication and suddenly she swung to the left, il'm not describing a rrtie fight!) Today Miss Glasgow may be ranked with the most modern of the modern sophisticates and her latest book, "They Stooped to Folly" is as different from her earlier works as black is from white.

I might have guessed that this charming Virginia woman would come to this when she told me years ago that her inspiration was Tolstoi, and who will deny that Tolstoi is red meat for any man, woman or child. The Russians have succeeded in some instances, in painting portions of America red. Miss Glasgow is deaf. she uses an ecoustieon. and she has been deaf lor years.

What I can't understand is how she can throw so much accurate human nature into her stories. Her recent heroines are downright naughty; and I never saw a more dignified person, one who exemplifies all the virtues of Virginia womanhood than Ellen Glasgow. She must have a. sixth, and possibly a seventh, sense. We cant get stirred up over the big armaments propaganda of Mr.

Shear-; cr. Any worthwhile biography re- eals that propaganda is as necessary to man as food and drink. It merely depends upon whose cock robin is being killed. The Salvation Army insists that "good food makes good but the same philosophy would hardly apply to good books. It is easier to determine when a t.ntaloupe or an apple is over ripe.

On the contrary, publishers' jackets frequently show freshness and sweetness where there is rottenness. A writer in the current issue of Liberty insists that the late Mr. Valentino was not really the sheik the public thought him. There's a hint to Mr. Rupert Hufhes to use his talents inversely.

George N. Shuster. writing in The Bookman, says we modems are seized with "a nostalgia for Greece." That doesn't include me. The nearest I have been to Athens is in a Market St. eating emporium.

"The Man Who Dared to Be God A Story of Jesus," is the title of a new bock by Dr. Robert Norwood, of St. Bartholomew's Church, New York. Probably a companion piece to Dr. W.

Russell Bowie's recent life. Now; if some first-rate sinner will come out with a Life cf Satan or does every man's biography fill the bill? William McFee. writing in '-Books" speaks, familiarly of "Frank" Mor-ley's recent work "East South East." In Baltimore where Morley works on the Sun. he's known as Felix. McFee frankly is not frank in this instance.

Somebody ought to write a biography cf John Barleycorn. He's the most talked-about man in America. A tip to The American Mercury: It is rumored that Poe really had a black crow in mind when he wrote "The Raven." We are trying to locate the man who insists that Wordsworth was a ter Se: frcrn New York. I The Austrian Ministry of Defense! has barred "All Quiet the West-em Front." from Austria, for fear it will ruin the morale of the military recruits. By the same token, as a good Democrat.

I'm in favor cf barring the Republican campaign book from the mails. What this country needs is more Lives of Lincoln at a penny a piece. Donald Douglas is reporting bicycling in Europe and, of course, he's also beering. Sarah Salt, the young English writer is coming over here to tisit! toon. She is just what we need.

Best sellers are like debutantes: loved for a season and then forgot- i ten. John Biggs and Maxwell Anderson) are collaborating on a play. Here's i hoping it's a red hot peacetime theme. i Even Pocahontas couldn't save Chris Ward's "John Smith;" and! while we are on the subject, here's an idea for Chris: Have Columbus; come over In a Zeppelin in 1S42 and land at New Castle and have hurJ shoot the first book reviewer he sees, From thence" on the plot could be worked out with a dash here and there of Hoover, Bishop Cannon fend Smith. Pvare bock item: a borrowed book; returned.

Sarah Anne says a powder maga- cne is a woman's periodical. J. K. NATURALIST AND PAINTER. A Edward J.

Steichen. called by his biOsranher Carl Sandburg, "the world's greatest photographer." is a naturalist, distinguished painter and creater of silk designs; he has been a Inend of Shaw and Isadora Duncan and chief of the photographic section of the A. E. F. Mr.

Steichen is intolerant of sham and pretense in art, he never hesitates to bum anything of his which he thinks isn't "quite good enough; once during the war in a conversation with his friend. Colonel Wm. Mitchell, they agreed that anyone found guilty of making an arty photograph of the battlefield deserved to be shot at sunrise. There will be only a limited edition 410 copies of "Steichen, the each one signed by Mr. Sandburg and Mr.

Steichen. Murh against the withes cf his wife, Garrett finally departs for Eon-don. The departure is rather sad one. and Jocc-lyn remains in keenly opposed the war In White Hall. She hates to the utmost decree and is Jl cf her husband whi be is in hi? service.

Beautiful portraits rrt br Donn Byrne in his deyription various incidents cf the times. Battles on land and on Irr.prrtar.t cor.fe.-ences. social life ard rr.ar.y ether vivid Eerr.es add to the cr.yr cf the story. characters fcrv.ght out in the book are Nl-son. Moore.

and a hcr.t cf ethers as important in cf tr.e story. Donn Bym Is dertribed as "last cf the traditional Irish tv.r;-iellej-r." bom cr. Mar.a-tan Island, he returned to the lard of his fathers he -as el-! enough to talk. In 1311 he returne to this country and w-rke-j on He soon be known ft-his short In 1821 e. betar widely known by hts '1Ht Ma-'o Polo." He died in an in j-i his tT7 criminal'- are rr-T" than thoe of the pa-t that i3 'before "Tr.e tirrer porce physical than "he modern cr.es but tr.ev -e- rr dar.ero so -far a human l.fe rno- for them n'ere dt? fien irir.s.

r.e more op t.tar. before prohibition berau? they prefer good to bad l.o.uor. cr perhaps they a re driven to dope of bad liquor. "One thing I'm sure of." savi tr.e prefer system cn, will not be thi country is nd abvluly 'srr tv -r -n47 -j- vaV aj the money and all the power, If peop don't take a mere serious vie- and find some rational and enforceable wav cf cor.trctiir.? ihe liquor trafEc they wu: waice uj some Marcn rr.omir.? and f.r.i a acot-legger the White House. Joe Smith, vr.ose pr.r.c:p.e it prevent crime rather than punish, it.

is cpposd to the modem system cf dealing crime. "Sin? he says, "is a to nine cut -I They Tear silk shirts instead cf str.pes; have radio sets, motion pictures and theatricals. iastoaJ. cn Sunday." When asked for his remedy frr existm? lawlessness and crime, Je said nme-tai." ths xrt, such as ii used occasionally in Delaware, fcr ali crm.es cut wile beating. This he says, because women are spiteful creatures and wcudn; hesitate to turn a max: ever fir i whirninzeven thcur.i was ly innocent wife-oeati sort pursnntent he would mete cu: to wile-ceaters he dees not say.

ns coci should have a great ap peal to those irno ejt kncwc? ca prohibition and its eect ca tne ciiracter. AWARD OF ORDER OF MERIT TO GALSWORTHY DISPUTED The recent cicai a yard ci the Cruer of to Gawortny. au.njr and p.iywrint, is strcn.y ne Bookman frr Sepiemoer. iy Reoecca "Veil. Lc-dcn and critic cjl.r tr.a award 'an xfront to pirsono cf culture." i.iuuli cy have j-jne "3 ether George 3err.ai.-d Snav or iL G.

are r.ters cf power greatly suptr.trr to Mr. Galsworthy, anti cf ir.nn.tely creater importance ta their tunes. The aiari to Bernard Shaw would have seen StRVLl" OF CO.UMODIIIE. Economic Resources and Industries of the World" by Isiac Lipp-n-cott is a ccmpiehcnsive survey cf th; distribution and production of the staple commccities cf the wcr.d and cf the industries booed upca tnem. a bock Mtal to the undtrstaniinf cf foreign trade markets and metnoci and cf the field cf tnvest-! Business men interested -'i foreign trade, students cf mierni-i ttor.al marketing and eccnom.o gecv-j raphy.

bankers and financiers find invaluable this complete survey. WRITING MOMfc-IONL Rollar.ci is writ r. a mv.e-tcne. a per cent talkmj p.cture, for Vita Film Comtvny. GREENWOOD BOOK SHOP 307-309 Delaware Ave.

Wilminiton, Delaware IT. "All the new books and the best of the old ontt" THE TRAGIC ERA: The Revolution after the Death of Lincoln. By Claude G. Bowers. Boston Hough- 5 ton Mifflin Company.

1929. $5.00. REVIEWED BY HARRY I. TABER. There is probably no period in-United States history which seems to breed in the student i such violent partisanship as that ex-J tending from 1865 to 1876 that troublous time which Don Seitz called "The Dreadful Decade" and which Claude G.

Bowers, in the title of his new hook calls "The Tragic Era." Manifestly there was enough of the dreadfulness and tragedy to stir up controversies that have not yet faded from the memories of men, and there have been few historians who have been able to approach these times without a prejudice made too evident. Perhaps it has taken all the years between to bring about a sort of sense of perspective. It is surely the fact that the assassination of Lincoln, with all that necessarily followed in the matters of sympathy and sentiment, quite overshadowed the tragedies of Johnson and Grant, and the more readily lent itself to the pens of writers for 50 years. There is no doubt that the subject has been fully treated and from every angle possible to the vision of partisan opinion. But it is a curious commentary on the sense of values held by historians that they considered Lincoln's work was finished on the fifteenth of April, 1865.

For the most part they have seen fit to slur over the succeeding tragedies none the less terrible because of the lack of sheer murder. There has always been a sort of fear of attack, a fear cf blasting reputations secure apparently in the minds of living men. That these reputations were founded on sand is now made visible. Heretofore the foundations have been discreetly disciiised by oratory and the glamor of tradition. It has taken a jazz age to set up.

a seismic disturbance and those Jericho-like walls surrounding the secret places are falling down. No. Lincoln's work had just begun on that, drearj' April morning when Andrew Johnson took up the task. Lincoln was dead. His plans had been laid.

The war was technically at an end but the work of reconstruction which was necessary was no less a war. and his enemies had shown that they were ready for battle. They were ready, too. for murder and sudden death if either should become necessary to the accomplishment of their plans. They thought they had a weak man in the successor one who was already on their side, or if he were not definitely, that he could easily be brough: into line.

They were mistaken. Following The Leader. It was the quality of Johnson Ms tremendous power backed by an unswerving sense of right that brought upon him the hatred of men who had the ear of the nervous and highly sentimental public. The Northerners who would have held the seceding States as conquered foes who must buy their way back to freedom and a part in the Federal government, filled SMOLLETT PICTURES 0L0 ENGLISH CUSTOMS "The Expedition of Humphrey Clinker" Portrays Life in 18th Century. THE EXPEDITION OF HUMPHREY CLINKER.

By Tobias Smollett. The Modern Library. 1929. 95c. Smollett was one of the outstanding cf the early Eighteenth CeAtury writers.

He was one of the group cf picaresque authors of that literary psriod. "Roderick Random" and "Perequin Pickle" are two well known works of this author but there are some interesting features of "Humphrey Clinker." It lacks the vigor of "Roderick Random." It was the" last book of his life, which had been well spent. Smollett had been a fighting man for 30 years, giving hard knocks and taking them, and had had plenty of weary work of compiling and translating and yet seeing little of the literary life of London. This story is of Matthew Bramble, the principal character in the book. Lydia gets much out of life.

Tis said Bramble is Smollett himself. "Jerry," his nephew, enjoys the manners of his time. Sister Tabitha, the cross old maid, is another principal character. The story is an interesting picture of England in the early Eighteenth entury. H.

S. NEW MARKET FOR BOOK. Occasionally a book finds a market quite different from the one the publisher picked for it. "Representative Modern Plays: British and American" edited by Richard A. Cordell (Nelson, was originally published as a text book, but has been recommended for the general reader by Harper's Book Reviews, over a group of twenty radio stations, and elsewhere.

Now that we think of it, you can't buy sixteen plays a play each by Mau-ham, Milne. O'Casey, Hatcher Hughes, Kaufman and Connelly, and Eugene O'Neill, to say nothing of the ten older authors included anywhere else for a total of $3.90. Thomas Nelson Sons, 381 Fourth Avenue, New York City. INTEREST REVIVED. The sesquicentennial celebrations of the Revolutionary battles have created such an interest in Robert W.

Chambers' Revolutionary romance, "The Hidden Children," that this novel, which for some time has been unobtainable, has been put back into print, announces MARIETTA M. ANDREWS. The above reproduction is from a silhouette of Marietta Andrews, author of "Scraps of Paper," a recent E. P. Dutton publica tion.

The silhouette was cut by Mrs. Andrews herself. Frederic William Wile, Washington publicist pro nounces her "The cleverest woman in Washington." SEA ATMOSPHERE SWORD to Danger 1 Tells Thrilling Yarn of Ad venture on Clipper Ship. "INVITATION TO DANGER." By Alfred Stanford, author of "Navigator." New York: William Morrow Co. $2.50.

Daniel Bover, who ran away to sea as a young man of 15, and who, when he became master of a ship, became embittered and grim at the loss of it at sea, joins with Donald McKay in the construction of clipper ships. The book contains an imaginative story of the life of Daniel Eover and the construction of clipper ships that revolutionized the method of construction of fast hulls for ships. After the discovery of the California gold fields people were eager for a rapid passage the West, overland or by the sea around the Horn. Daniel Bover returns after the loss of his ship distressed and disgusted with his bad fortune and in love with Anne Duane, whose memory he had held close to him since he had gone to sea. Inspired by Donald McKay's vision of ships of a more scientific construction, with cleaner and faster hulls, he devotes his energies to the construction of such a ship.

The shipyards of New York with its picturesque water front at about 1350 are the scene of a large part of the story. There is an interesting and careful account of the shipbuilding and shipping business in the growing metropolis at that time. The construction of the clipper ships and the force that was behind their construction, namely, the dere for greater speed on the seas, is described in the story. With the construction of the ship and with the strife of the shipyard, Daniel regains his confidence and strength of character, and when the ship is completed takes her out to the land of adventure and the sea for record runs. The romantic conquest cf the heroine by Daniel, in spite of her apparent inaccessability at the opening -of the "story, and her trip with Daniel and their adventures on the high seas, following Daniel's "invitation to danger," all create a remarkably interesting story.

The adventurous spirit of the book, presented by the author by interesting characters and graphic description, contributes to the interest that runs without interruption through the book. The "Southern Cross," Daniel's clipper ship, racing on her southern course, boiling along through the sea day after day, leaving her white, foaming wake on the breast of the ocean astern, heading for the land of gold by way of the Horn with a man in love with a girl and wealth as his reward for the success of his ship, all create the attributes of high adventure and make an interesting story. E. C. STRANGE WONDERS.

Believe it or not, there are some wonders in "Strange Corners of the World" by J. E. Wetherell (Nelson. $1.75) which would make Mr. Ripley himself sit up and take notice.

A sea without a fish the island with a secret a land without a woman a land where Black rules White a sea without a shore these are only a few of the remarkable natural paradoxes with which this book is filled. It is a travel book entirely out of the ordinary. Written primarily for the High School boy or girl, it is full of surprises for their parents too. BOOKS FOR CHILDREN. On September 12th Harcourt, Brace and Company are releasing five unusual books for children: "Three Comedies" by William Shakespeare, "The Treasure of the Chateau" by Clifton Lisle, "The Fighting Six" by Margaret Leveson Gower, "The Second Mate of tha Myradale" by John Lesterman, and "Silver Magic" by Romar Wilson.

All are illustrated in black and whits and soma also in color. BOOK "Crooks of the Waldorf an Expose of Racketeering and Prohibition. CROOKS OF THE WALDORF. Bv Horaee Smith. New York: The Ma-: caulay Company.

$2 50. REVIEWED BY ELMER F. CtNMNGlUM. FROM THE standpoint of the pro- hibitlonist-this book is good! only for th waste basket but for those who are really fair mind- ed. and particularly the cppoce1 to the dry laws, thi3 story should be a revelation.

"Crooks cf the Waldorf" is the. story of Jce Smith, chief cf the d-i- tective staff at the Waldorf Asoora. I For several years he has kept that famous hostelry free from racketeer- ing ladies and gentlemen. He is a Scotland Yard man and a part-master in the detection cf crime. This took tells of his experiences intimate da-tails of that strange life behind the scenes in a great American hotel.

Horace Smith wrote the story after months of patient It is both a biography cf an interest- ir.g man and an glimpse ir.tc i the running cf a huge fasmcnasla hotel that has sheltered and protect- ed Presidents and Kings. The story cf how the Waldorf Astoria is pre- tected and certain pemts cf hot'U policy are cf exceptional interest. There are fasctnaung chapters on prohibition its effects cn hotels and I crooks how thieves get that way i inside views cf prison and refcrma-; tory life matching wits against demi-mondames and prostitutes and the annual c.ean-u? of masners. wiin Deautuui women used as cecoys. Such famous crocks as Chicago May.

1 The Human Fly. The Mexican ani Joe Dolan are mentioned. fernaps tne most cutstanain? i statement cf Joe Smith, tne ue-. i MODERNS YEARNING FOR GLORY THAT WAS GREECE; Modem thought is sho-sing tendency to revert to original sources and to hanker after the ares of spiel, in the opinion of George N. Shua.er, American essayist.

"The nostalgia for Greece has resulted, on the cne hand'' he writes the September Bookman, "in a fervent conviction that the way out cf contemporary industrial chaos, lies through Attica, and cn the ether hand in such curious and exceedingly funny outbreaks as the German "nakedness cult" which has ser.t throngs of buxom fraulems gair.ool-ing on the prairie like Rubensesue Mother Eve." literary taste of young endangered: The lowered standard of juienile books for boys, as exemplified the numerous series cf "adventure- bocks now on the market, is severely criticized by Wilson Follett. writing in the September issue of The Bookman. "As nation of responsible-parents," he writes, "we could not manage much worse if we were systematically trying to cultivate in our offspring a firm early foundation for poor taste and inability to read anything of consequence." FINNY QUESTIONS. Some of the questions that a Bible publisher has to answer are really funny. For instance, not long ago a' man walked into the ofnee and asked, "Do you have such a thing as thet Old and New Testament bound gether?" We often have requests for the "Bible written by Jesus and not infrequently for the "St.

James Version." And we are always' being asked every bookseller will appreciate this for a Bible in large; Pica type "to nt the pocket." by peo-. pie who e.laim they have seen one; somewhere. Dismissed By Court. A man, whose previous record would not bear too much looking into, was charged with some trivial offence. Tne case broke down.

"Mr. remarked the learned judge, "leaves the court without a stain on his character 1" I say, observed a blessed, good-natured friend, "wasn't it precious lucky you went in The Churchman. i i i i i i PUBLISH BIOGRAPHY OF GUSTAV STRESEMANN The negotiations at The Hague conference has been strongly indicative of the abilities of Gustav Stresemann, the Minister of Foreign Affairs for Germany. Stresemann is now ranked as one of the few real leaders of Europe and certainly he is one of the most interesting personalities of the day. He is a self-made man who has risen from obscurity, of a type that the Republican era has for the first time made possible in Germany.

With a magnetic presence, a wide range cf interests, Stresemann has been un sparing in his efforts for his country. since the collapse of the Empire placed him in the world's spotlight. A biography of great excellence, not only as a portrait of Stresemann, but as a picture of the postWar Ger many, has recently been published in this country. Baron von Rhein baben, the author of "Stresemann Man and Statesman" is a political as sociate of Stresemann and he writes from intimate knowledge. (Apple- ton).

FRANK CHAPMAN'S NEW BOOK TO APPEAR SOON Frank M. Chapman, Curator of Ornithology at the American Museum of Natural History, New York, and author of famous bird books, lectured on August 20th before the Long Island Bird Club, a club founded by Colonel Roosevelt. Mr. Chapman's subject was "Birds of the Panama Canal Zone" and it is interesting to remember that the canal was begun .25 years ago and was opened 15 years ago on August 15th. D.

Appleton and Company report that they will publish a new book by Mr. Chapman this fall entitled, "My Tropical Air Castle" which recounts the author's adventures living on an island in the Panama Canal Zone on the border of a primeval forest, studying the birds in what is truly a bird paradise. MINISTER QUIETED. Not long ago a minister in Texas wrote us a postcard. He didn't say much on it, but what he said was quite legible and to the point: "I wish you would take the plates of the American Standard Bible and throw them in the river." We sent him "The Wonderful Story," a booklet which tells of the way in which the Bible has come down to us through many manuscripts and translations, of which the American Standard is the best.

We will be glad to send a copy of this interesting booklet to any one who mentions "Notes on Nelson Publications," free of charge. It is published at a nominal price..