The Washington herald., 1916-03-06

of America. but | presume that Mrs
Langtry is playing in Mrs. Thomp-
SON" / thought, of course. that II
was A. Conan Doyie's dramatization
which Is very good one, until he
wrote me himself:
''windlesham, Crowborough. Sussex
Dear Mrs. o'connor:
Cautiously enough we were talking
about you only yesterday and wonder
ing where you were.
Mrs. Thompson is poor Grundy's
version. There are two independent
ones and his is on the boards.
I'VE are. as you can think, living
very quietly at present and devoting
our whole time to war work. My son
is on the eve of starting for Flanders
my daughter is making shells, my wife
runs a Belgian home, and I am a vol
unteer private-thus William has
twisted US all from our grooves and
self
Yours sincerely.
"A CONAN DOYLE"
Truly, all the world works for the
, war Men, women and children. and
dogs are appointed, or appoint them
selves different tasks, and although he
says nothing about II, l am sure nc
man works harder or more intelli-
gently than Conan Doyle. His patrl-
otto soul Is on fire, and he must be
an inspiration to every one who comes
near him. OF all the authors that ]
know. his is the most generous soul
If a young writer beginning the
struggle. puts forth a book. Conan
Doyle is the first of his confreres to
write him an encouraging letter. He
Is never too busy or too engrossed
with his own work to help a less for
tunate fellow creature along
A stray English dog has killed three
German soldiers; at least, after she had
routed them out, her pal, the sentry, shot
them. Some Of the men of Queen Vic
toria's Rifles, intrenched at the front
were playing cards at night when a
young sergeant lifted his head for a
breath OF fresh air and was confronted
by spotted dog. who came forward and
licked his cheeks. Then she assembled
into the trench, adopted and never left
him. One night she was in a FIRE trench
and jumped over the parapet after a rat
giving 1t fine chase. In doing so she
ran over the still bodies OF three Ger.
mans lying near the trenches, listening
to the men talking. She barked loudly
The three men were up and away, but
not quickly enough to avoid the fuslllade
dead and the other died of wounds as
soon as he was brought into the trench.
Poor Queenie has not been heard of since
but the rihemen are hoping she will
come back. for II she does they are sure
TO give her d. S. 0.
Occasionally, even in this terrible
machine-made war, a little bit OF
picturesqueness comes forward. The
king, on his first public appearance after
his accident in France. decorated Piper
Daniel Laidlaw, Seventh Battalion, the
Kings Own Scottish Borderers, with the
V. c. The Official account states that
on September 25. when the attack was
about to commence near Loos and Hill
20. and the bombardment was so horrible
that his company was shaken from the
effects of gas, Piper Laidlaw, with
absolute GOODNESS and fine disregard Of
danger. gayly mounted the parapet
marched up and down and victoriouslJ
played the bagpipes until his company
was all safely out Of the trench. Tbs
effect Of his gay and splendid exampl.
was inspiring and immediate. The com.
Pany, with hoarse "Hurrah" victori
ously dashed TO the assault. Laidlav
continued playing his pipes VIGOROUSLY
until he was badly wounded Men say
who saw him that they will never for,
get his pluck as he walked up and dowr
that murderous parapet, pls ying music
as joyously and as freely as IL he ex
pected his battalion to dance the High.
land Fling. and they felt indeed at thai
moment as II they were fighting fol
home and country.
All sorts of industries are being re-
vived by the war. One Of them wouIt
! have delighted the heart and the tast,
of Ruskin. 1t is the use OF the hand
loom. distaff and spinning wheel, which
has been revived in Willesden under
the direction of Mrs. Aston for womer
who are physically incapable of work.
ing in munition factories. Six beauti.
full hand looms have been installed
with the dIstaff and spinning wheel
and twelve or fourteen women of ages
varying from forty to seventy-flve are
being taught what is probably the mos
ancient of all female industries.
And 1t is such a becoming and pic.
turesque occupation. One of the mos
beautiful Of all the pictures Of beau.
ttful Lady Hamilton shows her at the
spinning wheel These workers at vii.
lesden have already woven some three
or four hundred yards of material, in.
Guiding dress silks. light wooden cloths
for summer and winter suitings, soft
wooden blankets and linen and cotton
for pillow cases.
The products OF the hand loom. spin
ming wheel and distafr cannot be SO
cheap as machine-made materials, but
they are always more beautiful, poet
ical and interesting. and practical
eye or hand can tell the difference al
once. The threads of a hand loom are
much more round and more irregular
than the threads employed by a ma
chine, and the fabric has an altogether
softer and more human appearance
Also fabrics made by the SPINNING
wheel never wear out, and II has the
advantage Of being a very cheerful
and becoming occupation. The greatest
and most touching tragedy in all the
world began at the spinning wheel. II
was when Mephistopheles obliterated
the wall OF Faust's dark chamber and
disclosed to him in all her maidenly
fairness Marguerite seated at her
wheel
Sands AESuonu - 0;l Noo