New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-09-23
SARAH MACNAUGHTAN
The Life of an English Novelist
and Patriot.

The death. on July "a, Of Miss Sarah
Macnaughtan, the author Of The Fort
une of Christina McNab." Some
Elderly People and Their Young
Friends" and several other novels, was
but briefly reported in the English dis
patches, and attracted but scant at
tention in this country, wherefore the
following sketch Of her life, printed
in the English "Bookman," may be vel
come 20 the many friends whom her
witty novels have made for her among
US. =.
These things are literally true OF
Miss Macnaughtan. She was intensely
alive. and intensely interested IN al
the life around her, and her interest
was continually expressing itself IN the
most practical forms. A slight, rather
delicate woman, she was never at rest
and seemed TO have unlimited reserves
of enthusiasm and energy. She went
much into society, and her home near
Park Lane was one OF the few literary
salons that still survive IN Londoh;
There was a time when she lived ana
worked among the poor IN the East
End. and you get something OF her
experiences there woven into her htsV
novel. "Selah Harrison" and into her
last. "They Who Question which was
published anonymously last year. She
was actively associated with the wom-
ems suffrage movement. though she
was never a militant. She had travelled
much in Canada, America, India
Turkey, Palestine. Egypt and other
countries OF the East. During the Boer
War she went TO South Africa with
the Red Cross, and did good service
in helping 70 look after the feeding
and clothing Of the wounded. Hearing
that A private hospital in the Orange
Free State was badly in need OF COOK
she volunteered for that work, ana
rode miles across rough country IN an
OK wagon 20 undertake II. She had
had no lessons IN cookery, bat USED
10 saw that she knew that mystery Dy
instinct; anyhow, she proved a thor
oughly capable worker, and was so
resourceful in emergencies tnat, on
occasion. having no yeast 10 Put INTO
her dough she nit upon the noIion OF
using Enos fruit salt as a SUBSTITUTE
and the resulting loaves were a COM
nIete success. She was a witty ana
eloquent public speaker. and showed
wonderful power Of swaying and rous-
inc great audiences when she was
touring the country delivering series
Of thirtv-two lectures AZ munitions
centres in the summer Of 1915. carrier
than that. Immediately the war broke
upon us-for her patriotic ardor mad
10 find outlets IN active serrice she
went 10 Antwerp as Red cross
worker. and was among the last 70
leave the city when II was evacuated
before the incoming Germans. Thence
went directly 20 Furnes where, often
under German shell fire, she helped TO
feed the wounded as they came through
toward the French base hospitals. and
became known as "the lady with the
soup." Then she came home Tor
while. broken in health. but with no
intention Of giving in, for II was tneh
that almost at once she set out as
lecturer 20 munitions workers through
Scotland, Wales and England.
Il was apparent 10 her friends that
the excitement and exertlon OF TINS
recruiting had severely OvertaNed her
strength. but soon after II was nnished
she felt the irresistible call 20 serve,
and. rejoining the Red Cross-not as
nurse. for she had not trained Tor
that. but TO help n inc stores ana
the general working organlzauon-she
went out 10 Russia, and later into
Persia. and il was the hardshlps and
anxieties she endured and the exactlng
duties she fulfilled last winter and IN
the early months Of this year that
shattered her health irreparably. After
a lonely and painful journey back she
reached home on May s. with death
in her looks and, cheerful TO the last,
died worn out with hard work on
July "a.
Her last novel, They Who Ques-
ton" occupied her for over twenty
wears. but that was & book Of a very
different kind. Il was written less for
the tale il has 10 tell than for the sake
of presenting through the persons OF
her fiction her own philosophy OF me-
OF uttering and seeking TO resolve such
religious doubts as come TO all think
ing people, of trying TO understand the
mystery Of pain, 10 reconcile unmerited
suffering in men and animals with the
idea of a God of love. She published
the book anonymously because she had
opened her secret heart y II and could
not bear the thought OF being ques-
toned and having to talk about It;
But now that there is no further need
20 conceal its authorship, new edi-
ton IS TO be published with her name
on the title page.
This was her last novel; but her last
hook was "A Woman's Diary Of the
War" in which she gave an account
az her work with the Red Gross IN
Antwerp and in France. She has left
a diary of what she saw and did and
suffered later in Russia and Persia.