The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-12-20


 Uncle Caesar came and with him the old well used bootjack. the missile which the colonel when in a temper would hurl at the hobbling darkey just as he had done when Uncle Caesar was the young slave and he the young master. The graceful wit and humor of the old gentleman is most appealing.
 THE BLoSSOMfNG ROD" A Christmas story for every one who loves the day. By Mary Stewart Cut ting. Doubleday, Page & Co. publish CTS. Garden City, New York.
 In this little Christmas story, "The Blossoming Rod" Mary Stewart Cutting has produced a fitting companion piece to Grace s. Richmonds Christmas class ic, "On Christmas Day in the Morning" Its simplicity. it's tender feeling go true yuletde glow. The story tells how family clubbed together to give an over generous father Christmas he would remember to the end of his days and of his joy and gratitude at their sur- prise gift which turned out to be the very thing he had long coveted for him. self but had given up in order to supply the needs of the family.
 The little book is attractively gotten
 
 Walter de Maris.
 THE RUSSIAN ARMY FROM
 WITHIN"
 By w. Barnes Steveni George H. Dor an Co. publishers New York.
 The, tremendous force of the, Bus sian army. overwhelming yet sacredly hidden till now, is first revealed to the world by W. Barnes Steveni in "The Russian Army from Within." for 25 years with the Russian military aii- thorfties as special correspondent for London. Here Is itse entire change since the Russo-Jap war. its new per- sonnel and arms. with an altogether delightful sketch of the soldiers them selves-drinl<ing, praying, marching, singing-and waiting for Germany. THE GERMAN ARMY FROM
 WITHIN"
 By British officer who has served in
 It. George H. Doran Co., publishers,
 New York
 What are the German subalterns like in their private life? How do they speak of England? What ideals has the Kaiser instilled into them? What is their social life? What their relation to the privates? How and why has the german army been drilling? "The Ger man Army from Within" tells all this and more.
 A distinguished English officer was for years cadet. then lieutenant in the Prussian cavalry. and a favorits in Berlin military society. With unsparing frankness ne here tells the strength and weaknesses of the German mili- tary machine and vivid details of the daily life of the soldiers from private to prince generla.
 FOR THE ALLINsoN HONOR" By Harold Blindless. Colored frontis- peace by Cyrus Cunes. Frederick A Stokes Co.,. publishers, New York. The Allinsons, an old family of gold smiths. had a name that was unex- celled as a reputation for honesty and soundness. Many successful ventures had won the confidence of the public through their backing. Consequently, when the careless young scion of the family was sent to manage their Can adian interests and began to suspect something wrong. he immediately woke up into a keen man of action. How he discovered the plot which threatened to bankrupt the sharehold- ers how he learned mining at first hand, how he went prospecting in the wilderness for new mine to make up the losses caused by mismanagement of the old and how with the aid of the girl who loved him, he persevered in this endeavor through almost incon- ceivable difficulties, make the story of For the Allfnson Honor" by Harold Blindless
 It is a tale of the outdoors. of faith l ful love, of excitement and of char l acter building. It will please Bindloss' | former readers as well as anyone else who likes clean. straightforward and l Interesting story.
 l THE HANDS OF ESAU." I By Margaret Deland. Harper Bros, Pub ] fishers, New York.
 l How much does heredity count in char