Wichita eagle., 1889-03-20
MRS. MARY A LIVERMORE'S FAMOUS
BOOK, "MY STORY OF THE
WAR"


WAR"
In this new and superbly illustrated
work, the famous Mary A. Llvermore
narrates her personal work and exper-
fences as hospital and field nurse dur
ing the war of the rebellion. We do not
know when 700 pages have given US more
genuine pleasure. Mrs. Livermore spent
four years as nurse in hospitals, camps,
at the front. and on the battlefield, and
these four years were packed with pathos
glory, and sacrifice probably never par
alleled in the life of any other woman.
Her narrative presents vivid inner pic
ture Of the womanly side Of the war,
more especially of her own work and
thrilling experiences, with many pathetic
and humorous incidents portraying the
lights and shadows of hospital life. These
are described as only an eye witness and
tender hearted woman could describe
them.
What a wonderful work she did. How
heroic her labors, how thrilling her ex-
perience in those dark years. 1t is
story never to be forgotten. When she
first entered upon her hospital career
deathly faintnesS came over her, but she
nerved herself for the work that had to
be done, and soon became accustomed to
it. Never again were her nerves dis
turbed by hospital sights and scenes.
For four wears she held herself in IRON
control, and gave herself up to motherly
ministrations to the sick and wounded OF
the rank and file.
We regard this splendid book as
wholly unique work, for it presents the
womanlv, or what may very approprl-
ately be termed the heavenly side OF the
war, and this has never hitherto been
written. 1t lifts the curtain, and shows
how heroic and devoted and blessed her
work was. 1t is full of the deepest
pathos, the richest humor. the most
touching tales, the most stirring anec-
dotes and incidents, and through the
whole runs the story of the adventures
and striking experiences OF Its
illustrious author. Stranger stories are
here told than romance ever dreamed
of, everyone of them drawn from real
life by woman's hand. In every chap
ter she weayes in anecdOte after anec-
dote, incident after incident, story after
story, and the readers attention is held
breathless to the end of the volume.
Should every other book on the war be
blotted out of existence, this one would
completely reflect the spirit and work of
the women of the north. In reading it
our eyes were often filled with tears; at
other times we were convulsed with
laughter at its rich humor. Such a
work, by SO eminent an author, at
whose feet hundreds of thousands have
sat and listened in admiration and Won
der, whose power, wisdom, influence,
and fame are now world wide, is the
literary event of our times.
But the illustrations! An able critic
recently said, "This is the most richly
America We endorse this opinion. There
are splendid steel-plate portraits of fa-
NOUS nurses of union soldiers. and many
plates illustrating hospital scenes and
thrilling incidents in a woman's army
life. No newspaper description can do
these costly plates justice. They must
be seen to be appreciated. There are
also splendid fac smile plates of famous
old battle flags, from photographs and
paintings made from the original flags,
printed in sixteen colors, from one hun
dred and twenty eight engraved stones.
They show all the colors, tints, blood
stains, rents, shot-holes. and splintered
stats, exactly as they appear in the
original flags. As we look at them it is
hard to believe that the real flags are not
before us. Even the lettering and in
scriptions are perfectly reproduced in
gold The story of each flag is told, with
pathetic incidents attending the death of
color-bearers who died under their folds.
The grand volume has no competitor,
and we do not believe it can have rival.
If we speak warmly of the
book, it is because it richly deserves it.
1t is sold only by agents, and is meeting
with an enormous sale. Agents who in
troduce a work of such sterling merit
ought to be cordially welcomed. We be-
leve that the best way to keep out poor
books is by introducing good ones, and
better and more Accordingly interesting
and thrilling work than this has certain
" never been brought to our notice. 1t
is rarely that one can speak in terms OF
such unqualified praise of any book.
Put it into your homes. it will be
read over and over again by old and
young, with increasing pleasure and last
ing profit, and will be priced by all. You
can, in our opinion, much better afford
to dispense with dozen other books
than not possess this. Every subscriber
will consider the price Of it "a charity to
himself"