The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-09-12

story of Gaedmon and that of Cuthbert from Bedes history. The stories are told persuasively. with tact and suggestive ness. and at the same time In manner that preserves much of the spirit and idiom of the originals.
 HABITS THAT HANDICAP.' By Charles B. Towns. The Century Com
 pany. Publishers, New York.
 The startling prevalence of drug habits brought to light by recent legislation gives a special tmeliness to this book. in which every aspect of the subject is discussed by a widely known specialist.
 MT Towns classifes and describes the various habitforming drugs he tells how habits are formed; he is esuecially severe with the drug-taling doctor and nurse and the sanitorium which only es- tablishes the habit more firmly or swim dles the patient: he shows how unfairly drug victims are dealt with by society and how erroneous most of the special treatments are; and outlines a method of treatment the success of which has been amply proved in his own long and wide experience. He discusses also the al- cohol evil and the tobocco evil, and the inter-relations of all injurious habits; he considers suggestively. the legislative as- pect of the question; and in a final chap ter analyses the relation of drugs and al- cohol to insanity.
 The author is well qualified for his task. having been for many years engaged wholly in the study and treatment of drug and alcoholic victims. His reputa- ton is International. When the Chinese government began to fight against opium smoking, MT. Towns dropped everything and hurried to that country. He knew the terrible suffering victims undergo when deprived suddenly of their drugs. He established four hospitals, and suc- cessfully treated some 4000 Chinese; and passed on his method to others.
 Henry Ford. the automobile manufac- turer of Detroit. considering tbe advis- ability of installing a unit in his new hospital for the treatment of drug and alcoholic victinls, sent five patients to New York to take the Towns treatment, with a physician to learn the Towns technique. All the medicines and every thing else about the treatment that can be told have long since been given freely to the world by Mir Towns. The patients were reported cured of their craving in less than a wek. The Towns method has been adopted by the Henry Ford hos pital
 MT. Towns is at present conducting 8 clinic for national committee working on the subpect of prison reform. He was the initiator of the recently adopt ed New York state law directed against tne trd1ltc III anu dDuSe Ol ufuSS, per- haps the most effective law of it's kind ever passed by any state.
 Habits That Handicap has an intro- duction by Dr. Richard c. Cabot of Bos- ton and, includes, as an appendix, an essay on one aspect of the subject by Dr. Alexander Lambert of New York. both among the leaders in their profess sion and both enthusiastic supporters of Mr. Towns.
 T do not hesitate to say" declares Dr. Cabot in his introduction, that he knows more about the cure and aleyiation of drug addictions than any doctor I have ever seen He is, believe, one of the most public spirited as well as one of the most honest men that I have ever known"
 PRUDENCE OF THE PARSONAGE i" By Ethel Hueston. Illustrated by Arthur
 William Brown. The Bobbs-Merrill
 company. publishers. Indianapolis.
 It Is the golden west about which Riley writes that Ethel Hueston is picturing in this story-the golden west in the little town back where we used to be so happy and so pore''-and the tale is made en- trancing with children's laughter in the light of common day. Prudence of the Parsonage" is a slender wisp of grl of 19, alert, practical, and in all ways not only charming but heroic. Her mother has died and bequeathed her the un- matched difficulty of raising family of four other girls, and providing for" a kindly Methodist pastor-father. For any preachers wife, with all grown-up sagac- ity, here Is a task which undoubtedly cull s for a pure crown hereafter. But Pru- dence. though a mere girl. cares for her joyous family with a wisdom and humor, love and understanding that is inspired, and inspiring, too. Especially Is this true of her management of the twins, those heavenly twlAs" You hold your laugh ter-stitched side with one hand and brush away tears with Che other.
 Love, laughter. pathos faith-all dis- played in the light of common life-this is true art. The book is filled with the re- ligion of cheer, natural gif in Prudence --oh, solemn name for so line and fairy like a creature! That is part of the fun the sheer unexpectedness of all the con- trarlties and pranks in this famlly-seem- ing little domestic tragedies turned goi- den in the light of Prudence's cleyerness and cheer.
 There Is fine. stalwart- fellow named Jerry, who comes tramping Into Pru- dence's life on a remote highway where she has fallen aud sprained her ankle. It Ia real love at first sight-and one feels 1t ought to be. Still, Prudence, half awakened woman that she Is. can't see
 
 her whole blessed family! That seems wicked, she says. And so she attempts Q bit of martyrdom that comes near be- ing tragedy. But at last, those upon whom she was ready to lavish all her gen. tie pature. understand, and, trebly val uing her, pour back her love and cheer unti her cup brims in a new fullness, and tha reader, through dimmed eyes. reads that all ends happily.
 
 "OLD WINE IN NEW BOTTLES" By Samuel Tilden Larkin. Monfort q
 Co.,, Publishers. No. 422 Elm street. Cin-
 cinnati.
 "Old Wine in New Bottles" by Samuel Tilden Larkin. is . book about simple folk in a rural setting in the valley and hills of Tennessee There is a tender love story of a man and a woman; and there is the thrill of battle aa the man undertakes the herculean task of reclaim ing a rundown plantation and overcoming all obstacles that get in the way.
 All who love the open country-God's 6 great out-of-doors-wilI be refreshed and inspired by reading this book that por- trays life as 1t is found in tho hill coun- try of the southland.
 The old-time negro and the real ne er- do-well, with their quaint and humorous philosophy and sayings, are graphically pictured.
 The working out of the rural life prob lems that Philip Gordon finds confront ing him when he takes up hies residence in the valley, and the relationship that he bears to his neighbors, are interesting z and impOrtant <Dartu of tho story.