The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1898-03-13
"rbn broom of the war God"

by The Broom Of the War God" The last
six words Of this quotation have furnish
ed Henry Noel Brailsford with a title for
his war novel OF the Greek and the Turk
in this book Mr. Brailsford has described
the adventures Of a very mixed company
Of men. comprising nearly every race on
The globe and widely different nationali-
ties, through a campaign Of the late war
in Crete. The story is told in direct.
concise and vivid way. without amy pos
ing for effect. Mr.. Brailsford is one of
the men who do not initiate anybody. He
is brief without being eXclam-Jory; de-
scriptive without being rhetorical; dra-
matte without being STACEY; his met
aphors are vivid. as when he says Of an
approaching shell that it cuts its way
through the air with the hum OF Il resG-
lutte mosquito. That shell, however, i not
described for the sake Of turning pref
~ phrase. but in the line OF business. Inc
finest chapter in the book is probably The
one called "Dies Irae,' in which a DaJtte
is described in a way that sets the read
er's nerves a-tinsle and causes hard lines
10 form themselves round his mouth II
IS unvarniShed truth but given dranati-
caTv. one of the finest passages in this
chapter is that in which the little group
of infantry wait under IRE, for a shell TO
drou in their midst. It is rather too bad
10 quote any part Of this chapter without
the passages which lead up TO ii and fol-
low it. for II is essentially continuous.
not an epig-ammatic, piece OF writing,and
ouotation spoils it. The group are at first
So far out Of range Of the shells that they
can look on as At some grand and awful
drama. Gradually, however, the far-ot
gunners take closer and closer aim, and
the danger becomes imminent. This ac-
ton goes on:
Then came strange grinding noise as if the
mills Of the gods moved through The ar II
seemed irritatingly slow. yet still IL moved. ana
toward the company. There j. no sound more
angry on sinister: il Is the rasplng oi lfoh on
iron the CTunChing OF steel Jaws the ineAoIsb
approach OF some engine OF death along an IRON
track that strives To rctard H. And at last II
fell among the soft sand some twenty yards IN
front the embodied noise visible al last
Smith looked back TO the company Pretty
close shave that was eh2 Has face MAS huSred'
he looked as if he would shout: Come on, You
coward. nearer. nearer. 10 the shell nat vas
shrapuel, YOU can tell him by the noise. II that
boy had burst ed ave made a mess Of some OF
US Queer noise, amt it, though:
Its like overhead cash railway IN dTap-
eTs shop said Simpson.
Corrigan was sitting on the ground, his head
in his hands. the picture Of detection. lie had
never been able to adjust himself 10 the strange
environment Of war. and here was the most be
wilderiuE circumstance OF all. He gave way Ut
teTly. He felt blmselt already a red leiiA WIN
2 thousand shells pounding his carcass Cheer
tlr Corrgan r!ianl'' said O. Brien him. you We
en- even chance with the rest Of u. Never say
die,'' For a moment he raised his shaggy head
and closed his mouth and then the jaw fell again
lie shook himself with sort Of terror-strlc6en
rage. and gr0wled: Lave me alone, viii yet
and tins interference Of his comrade was Tor a
moment dstinguishable item in the mass OF
misery and fear that lay within HIM.
No~c stood beside him silent and gloomy; his
head rested On the mouth 81 his rife lie was pale
and agitated: but his face set with the resolve
Of q man who does his duty and treats his zeal
irrelevance-
Most Of the men were cleaning their rifles
There scented to be meaning IN the act, wheT
there came at intervals the booming Of 4 guT
from the plain or The heights behind. Mick tn
Armenian. who had had himself transferred Z
the English company. was busy rendering httl
services here and theTe-rollipc a cigarette to
the Corporal. or fitting bit Of rag into Alddl
Cocks ramr0d. Mavro WAS still watching ih
plain and the movements Of the black square
upon It. He was singing Nolfram's song tron
Tannhauser softly to himself almost uncon
Again a shell came grinding through the air
Graham felt himself standing eagerly eXpectaii
trying 10 locate the sound. finding a certain pleas
gre IN listening 10 the rapid acccleratloa OF IN
missile rs il swept down its curving path tn
uncertainty rs to where il would fall and Wit
what result not acuter than the interest
half pain half pleasure, which one takes M th
throw Of dice. ii came ten yards nearer 'hi
time. but again il failed TO burst The c1mpan
breathed once more, their tongues were loasen-d
and they talked quickly, smiling unspo6en COZ
CALCULATIONS TO one another.
THAT amt chance shot. anyhow. tn"
must have spotted us. and they've found III
range. The next shell viii do for some OF US
ii was Smiths opinion, and Smith was a lTC
fessional.
beams danced IN -'e rain, and the drops qui'
cred on the leaves Of the birch trees. The con
pary curled itself up n their roots. They SCENE
20 dread the gentle blow Of the drops agaius
their cheek. They would not willingly risk
wetting that would be forgotten in half houl
They sat covering from the rain. and fearicssl
awaiting the next shell-the shell that woul
.=,f-- II h. r-arHl vr1.ar
II IS said one fears 10 more the heat Of 40
the beating a the RAIN They Chatte
carelessly, and drew in their knees lest th
drippings from the trees should wet them. sue
creatures Of habit
No book Of the year perhaps. contain
a passage finer in its simplicity than thi
last The rest Of the chapter descrih
ing the heat Of actual battle. the march
ing and the retreat with the wounded,
the report Of a man who has been in
battle and has trained mind with whic
TO write about II. The comparison whic
involuntarily suggests itself, Of course,
10 Stephen Cranes Red Badge OF Coul
age" and some Of KiplinP's work
Soldier Stories" But Mr.. BraiIsford
work Is so different from either Of thes
that there is really no comparison
Cranes story IS that Of common IA
American recruit. It Is the story Of
battle very much as that recruit wOul
have told il had he been killed and r.
incarnated in the person Of a college bO
Kipling's tales are many-sided the va
led Impressions Of the officer. the con
mon soldier and the newspaper corr
spondent. They are apt 10 be essential
military. as naturally would happen wit
an author who has spent most Of his ii
in close association with the army. Brazil
ford's work has a certain simplicity al
force which Is not like either Of thes
Perhaps he may be said 10 deal with m,
in the mass. in an imDersonal way, az
IN the episode Of the Summer show,
there is an odd touch Of psychologist
analysis which neither Of the other al
thors would have given in precisely u
same fashion Crane would hardly ha'
put IL IN At all; Kipling would have put
IN the mouth Of some soldier. In spite
its vividness. the work Of this late
chronicler Of battles has "a curiously cal
and judicial air, as Of 2 discmbodi'
spirit or al all events. 4 man not co
scious that he has a body 10 be hun
At any rate. the book is a somewhat 7
markable one, and, although IL Is q lit
too soon 10 make any definite prcdictiG
may Yet take its place among the classi
OF modern literature. II is one Of the ve
few books on wha; are called --up-t
date" subjects. which can possibly RAJ
rs literature The book which is writ
10 satisfy the demand Of the public (
information on some one particular thi
is not likely 10 be very lasting unless
IS an agricultural report. But this DO
Is literature.
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