Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-06-26

appeared hrSt In America and subSc-
Qucntly in London.
1t is the custom Of Enr.nni'a King
to distribute favors on his birthday
One OF our authors became 4 recipient
ot this distribution quite notably. OF
late. Since then he must be known as
ST.. John Foster Fraser, being 'tnishtcd
for his literary accomplishments. Few
men have written SO we'll and So wide
" of different countries as Sir John.
he has been persistent traveller. and
has told his public attractively or many
portions of the globe. His latest books
are Russia Of To-Day" described with
his usual care for industrial and COM
mcrcial details; Panama and What 1t
Means" The Amazing Argentine"
which pictures the new land of enter
prise in South America" Canada as II
Is" THE Conquering Jew" and Deeds
That Will Never Die this last being
stories OF heroism in the present war.
War is no respecter OF persons. This
has been proven in every battle that
has been fought since the fateful day
in August, 1914, when the world up
heaval began. War has taken ,oll."
says John Buchan. author OF Green
mantle" Nelson's History OF the
War" and the newly published "The
Battle of the Somme.'' OF every rank
and class. II those Americans who
still maintain their attitude OF indif-
ference could read the allied lists OF
killed and wounded they would he
aghast at tho way in which men CT
the highest rank and social position
as well as men of wealth have ex-
posed themselves 10 the pcrils OF the
firing line. "In the Guards Advance"
MIR. Euchan says. among other gal
liant and distinguished officers there
fell one whose death was, in a pc
cuIiar sense, loss to his country and
the future. Lieutenant Raymond As
quith, of the GrenadIer Guards, the
eldest son OF the British Prime Minis
ter, died while leading his men through
the fatal enflading fire from the cor
ner OF Ginchy village. Few generals
and statesmen in the allied nations
but had to mourn intimate bereayc-
ments and De Castleman had given
three sons for his country. But the
death Of Raymond Asquith had a poig-
nancy apart from his birth and posi-
ton. and it may be permitted TO one
Of his oldest friends to pay his tribute
to a heroic memory"
1.-THE Emrty House" Is the title Of an
anonymous novel. which the Macmil-
Ian Company announces for publica-
ton on June II. 1t is described as a
brilliant and searching story having
10 90 WIN the pTOOleTn OIL the IHouti IL
chiidless woman. The theme Is one
to attract attention at once, and the
authors treatment Of it reveals not
only the hand of the practiced writer.
but the thought, the analysis, OF the
keen student Of modern society. The
story Is told in the first person, the
supposed narrator being young wo-
man who, in her childhood, learns that
her mother was killed by bearing chill
dren. The consequence of this revela-
ton is the firm resolve never to have
child herself. This determi ina ton
assumes dramatic qualities when, in
later life. she falls in love with and
marries young man of great gifts.
and settles down to what promises to
be comfortable. respectable and en-
joyable existence. Ere long, however,
the wife finds herself confronted with
her early decision. In most natural
way the plot develops situation OF
intensity, In which the heroine finds
her entire future happiness involved
in her decision not to have children.
While primarily story-and an in
teresting and even exciting one-in it's
course all the various points OF view
of this great problem are presented
with telling effect. There will doubt
less be many "guesses" hazarded as
to the authorship of 1.-THE Empty
House." which will probably include
the names Of many Of the leading wo-
men novelists Of the day. In technique
and literary style, in observation and
general comment on life. there Is many
an evidence that II Is not tho work Of
an amateur.