The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-05-21
A NOTABLE BOOK

'The Long Roll" by Mary Johnston.
 (Houghton Miffin Co.,, Boston, Mass)
 s1.40
 A truly great book. A far greater book than the earlier novels of Miss Johnston gave promise of Despite the sudden success of "To Have and to Hold" Audrey and "Sir Mortimer" they were super sentimental and bit heavy reading to one out Of the slow, Song hours of school days dreaming and reading. Indeed the earlier novels read much like the dreams of quiet earnest attractive school girl. and it must have been a pleasant surprise 10 learn how | whole world accepted the dreams with true delight.
 In "The Long Roll" are no dreams but great truths finely told. Miss Johnston has come to full statue and has written with great power.
 So far as the love story goes there Is little enough of It. The most beautiful of the three Cary sisters, Judith, Is one of those perfect creatures who have merely to exist to exact homage and undying love from one or more lovers. Richard Cleave is an ardent lover, but a slower wooer. he very nearly forces Judith into the arms of his rival, Maury stafford by his self depreciation, slow ness of perception and still slower love making However, Judith seemed one fully enbued with the belief that still gaters run deepest. On the road out sf Charlottesville the two lovers find each other, thrust misunderstanding oside and mutually confess their love- But the rush of events of those days of the sixties there was little time TOT love making, nor is there more tune for dalliance in the rush of the story. Maury Stafford discareded becomes an ~ cS%a A,-I l4u1 cd haH0mAS and lies brings about a court martial and dismissal from the army for Rich ard Cleave. But, after all. even the disaster is wrought but to show a phase of General Jackson's character and or his methods with his men, for Sbonewall Jackson is the true hero. Of The Roll Call
 Many times and in many ways has been told the story of the war between the states. It has been told in no better way than as told here and in no other telling will the story reach wider audience. From the reading of Botetourt county resolutions to the death of the staunch old hero In the wilderness the story is told with the fervor of genius. There Is little need for romance in these spages that hold interest faster than any fabled romance ever written.
 The first glimpse of "Old Jack is from the talk of Will Cleave, student in the Virginia Military institute, that glimpse shows his roughness, his rightness, his justice, though" as the school boy pronounces judgment, The Is awfully dull and has very peculiar notions.'
 The next sight of the general is at the very beginning of the war, when action IsaA not proved men, not then the idol of an adoring army. Miss Johnston has da~wn a portrait truthful and painstak- ing in every detail.
 It was the middle of July, 1861, head quarters of the First brigade, a great tree under the shade of which Brigadier- General T. J. Jackson was to be seen He sat beneath the tree. upon the kitchen chair, his feet In the enormous cavalry boots. planted precisely before him, his hands rigid at his sides. Here he transacted business daily, and here, when 1t was over, he sat facing the north An awkward inarticuate and peculiar man, with strange notions about his health and other matters, there was about him no breath of grace, romance or pomp of war. He was ungenial, un- gainly, with large hands and feet, with poor eyesight and stiff address. There did not lack spruce and handsome youths in his command who were vexed to the by the idea of being led to battle by such a figure"
 
 of praying In season and out of season, his silence, his secrecy about all military plans and moves, his drinking water and
 sucking lemons for dyspesia all are drawn into the picture. He had won rank at the affair at Falling Waters buI
 tics were only saying, every fool
 be a crazy man could fight!
 vie rode a raw-boned nag named
 tile Sorrel, he carried his sabre in the oldest manner and said 'oblike' in 'ead of 'oblique.'"
 or tat Manassas he appears whitening
 drj,alIant Imboden and Staunton artil-
 :, as they came back from facing oSerpowering numbers, only to rally and rush back at Jackson's, What are you doing here sir, blaspheming and retreat ing, outfacing your God with your back to the enemy!"
 Later when the general lifted his hand, palm out, in a gesture usual with him, a splinter struck through it, Imboden ut tered an exclamation, but the stern old fatalst answered: Its nothing, Captain Imboden, I would give, I will give for this cause every drop of blood that courses through my heart
 2 Later. Count only upon God, General Bee, but will give them the bayonet." Then advance and retreat which might have become rout had not Bee uttered those words whose echo circles the world. Bee, was a tall man and large, and as he arose in his stirups and held his sword aloft, standing against the sky, upon the rim of the ravine, he look ed colossal, a bronze designed to point the way. He cried aloud, Look! Wonder is Jackson standing like stone wall, Rally behind the Virgjnians!' AS he spoke a shell struck him. He fell mor- tally wounded"
 Then Is depicted the beginning of des- olation such as no other civilized army ever left behind it, farm house burned, brown shepherd dog with it's throat cut, babys cradle thrust close to the ~blackened chimney of what had once peens a home, milk cows shot in the pastures. the hides in the small one man county tanneries to slit bits: What's that trampled in the mud :? That's a doll baby. Oh, Lord! Making war on children and doll babies and dumb animals and mills This at Hang ing Rock. The beginning of desolatIon that was to sweep through Georgia, even to. the sea- Was ever such war waged before? Truly not again could