Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-05-15
Reading to Wounded

The problem of entertaining the
wounded soldier returned TO England
Tor recovery is discussed In a recent
issue of the London Times BY A writer
who gives some curious results OF eX-
peFincnts In reading. The case was
taken OF "A soldier who had never been
a great reader and who when he did
read was likely TO look into Kiplinc or
detective story. The ordinary popu-
lar magazines were tried. but they were
too ful! OF war and fiction OF the eX-
plosivc type to be pleasing or sooth-
/ ing to "a man in state that no longer
responded to things of this sort. Then
his former favoritc mystery stories
were tried. but their sharp surprises
and sudden snaps soon caused him TO
say: Tell you what: somehow don't
think III have any more OF that to-
/ day incidentally 1t is remarked that
/ If the soldier can stand Scott. let Scott
he read. but so many English youth
nave been advised continually TO read
scott that this soldier as we'll bred
rchcllious boy. would have none of him
, Then comes the surprise. for the writer
continues:
I'VE tried Jane Austen next. and the
wise lady whose cares more than Il
century ago were like ours bu, who
IN the printed page showed such wise
detachment from thcm-this delicate
slightly unfavorablc. but yet ultimately
lnduiHent observer and chronic!er OF
eternal convcrsation--proved the very
thing. Beginning with Pride and
Prejudice we passed TO Emma and tho
babblinG of Mrs Bennett was echoed by
the chatter OF Miss Bates. All that
talk Was AS soothing to the pulse as
might be a walk 10 a convalesceut
through the half-deserted rooms OF
kensngton Palace. People OF a tenn
permanent oddly divergent from Miss
Austen's have set much store by that
revealing chatter. In those days the
prince regent admired her. An odd as
ISOLATION OF two names. And now il
happened that tired soldier found just
what he wanted. We found ourselves
for the first time wishing that the dear
lady had written at greater length.
Persuasion proved lamentabIy short
lie soon got over Mansfield Park
Has she written no morer' he asked.
as the last page of Sense and Sensible
ity' came. And We had even TO search
out Lady Susan an epistolary frag-
ment.
Meanwhile there was an eager
search for something nearly as good
something Of the same sort: may We
name II anew. influenza reading:
Somebody suggested Trollopc An oh
vious sequel. The Warden at once
pleased Manchester Towers followed
on, with the almost too amusing diver
sion Of the Signora Vesey Neroni, re-
cumbent on her sofa. Archdeacon
4
man. Mrs. Proudie he knows as it
were by heart. Good mild DR.. Thorne
held him. He trends harmlessly The
Small House at Allington and knows
'Framly Parsonage, its temptations.
we are swiftly approaching the last
pages or the Barchestcr set. A horrible
anxiety weighs upon US. Trollope was
a nice man-obliging. He was copious
lie gave moneys worth to those mid
Nictorians. He wrote immensely with
OUT iatigue. and without fatigue can
the SICK hear him being read But his
volumes are not endless: and before
the conVaiescence is over we NAV he
FACED by the problem: What shall we
read after Trollopc%
Meanwhile. sufficient for the day.
| Meanwhiie' the bells. the birds, the
dean. the archdeacon the sleepv towers
or Manchester enthrall us harmlessly.
as the hands move round the little
clock al the bedside"