The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-07-31

was engaged to be married to an old
colonel In the army when she was
only u years of age; lover OF her
own mother. The princess gives In
teresting accounts of Napoleon the Lit
tie and Empress Eugene, and tells how
she discovered infidelity almost trained
to become second nature between the
sexes, Bismark, Heinrich Heine, Las
sale. George Brandes. Almost Je-
suit" Almost in the Court of Napoleon
ILL.," Away to Russia; Life and Doings
in st. Petersburg" The greatest love
of my life which springs from a rival
and first Impressions Joseph Keppler
and the German Pick" San Francisco,
the Mormons. Henry George, Fred
Douglas, some comical real American
experiences. The book Is simply filled
with interesting things. or course,
the princess Is way off, cannot under
stand the negro, American racial
hatred" as she puts 1t, and we will
let 1t go at that for the sake OF the
rest of her book.
There hasn't been a volume published
recently which will interest one more
than Princess Helene Won Racowitza,
An Autobiography and the reading
of 1t, as the princess puts 1t, viii not.
hurt-only delight sensible persons.
Fortune" by J. c. snaith (Mofrat,
Yard Il Coz
If you read "Armnta" or Broke of
and will care for Fortune" Mr..
Snaith's new book
In Sir Richard Pendragon. beneath
whose doublet flows the blood of
kings" a sulphite of the first class,
man of strange oaths. or boundless
courage, of magnificent assurance, a
braggart and Baron Munchausen. A
Don Quixote without ideals, Falstaff
without honesty, a D'Artagnan without
sentiment. In Pendragon, the gigantic,
lovable Englishman, and his extraor-
binary exploits in the Spain of a by
gone century Mr.. Snaith has given us
a character that is most pleasing, most
charming.
The story Is told by bromide of the
first class unconscious sof his condition
as all suon creatures are.
The character drawing in this ex-
cellent volume Is all good and the char
class reading-none better-and goes
rollicking along with a dash and a
sparkle until the climax is reached. The
story ends In a marriage and as they
say, all good stories must.
One would not call Fortune" strict
ly a novel, but 1t Is a clean, bright t.,
attractive story, excellently told.
"Gwenda," by Mabel Barnes Grundy.
(The Baker-Taylor Coz
Gwenda writes = lot of letters to
one she has left behind; one whom
1t Is very evident Gwenda heartily
wishes she hadn't left behind. For
Gwenda Is a little English girl who
marries a wealthy young Londoner and
sees her ideal OF him shattered in the
first year of her marriage. The story
| IL ~ nm or oil 70 An
has an abundance of vitality and keen
sense of the ridiculous.
Gwenda, therefore, writes of her ex-
periences, punctuated by a variety of
the most, amusing comments upon Lon
don life, London servants and London
aristocracy. Gwenda's infinite patience
ir dealing with the absurdities about
her Is only equaled by her unlimited
appreciation of the amusing aspects of
all that takes place around her
Finally Lionel, the disappointing hus-
band, dies and then Gwenda has her
real love story.
Gwenda tells us of London life very
pleasingly, very Interestingly, so we can
understand it ALL Not just like young
Atlanta chap, captain of matrimony,
who spends much OF his time abroad
much to Atlantas delight. and who was
called home recently on a rather sad mis-
sion. He has several screws loose and
others loosening more and more all the
time. When he came home recently, be-
fore anyone could get an opportunity
to politely inquire how he found the mat
ters which by cable brought him home,
he would begin like this, HE was the
greatest man of the century! The world
little knew what 1 did of him! Edward
was the great human forcei George is
not like him; Alexandria has not lost
her beauty! Mary will not take with
the British AS Atlanta sassiety lights
are not up on royal names. half Of them
didn't know what this awful bore was
talking about, so they declared him plum
crazy and let him go at that-wonder-
ing other things, too.
Gwenda isn't like that.