The Washington herald., 1918-07-28

rill Company. Price. sl.5O.
An Enghshw0man's Home.
Although England has not been
invaded by armies on foot and
English women and children have
not suffered brutal attack from
actual physical contract with the
Hun hordes. there have been de-
vastation and terrorism fiendish
| and uDrestrained. The women of
England have been called upon to
witness the murder of their children
and the destruction Of their homes.
They have made sacrifices equal to
those of any other nation and have
borne their griefts with Spartan
like fortitude.
Mrs. Burnett Smith-better known
perhaps by her pen name, Annie s.
swan-most reluctantly has been
, persuaded to tell her story-which
women-the thrilling story OF un-
| assuming courage-a revelation of
the secret springs of Britain's glory.
An intimate personal record of
| the real and narrowing experiences
" eaa hASh oAuCl III w llEllCS.
These letters have the undeniable
stamp of truth about them, and
bring home the difficulty. terror, and
heroism of the situation far more
vividly than would a more formal
account. The author knows what it
is to have a husband in the Medical
Corps, and a daughter in Red Cross
work at the front. both of them in
the danger zone, and out of reach
of communication for much of the
time. A Zeppelin raid wrecks her
home. She stands with the women
workers in q munition factory dur
ing a Zeppelin raid. knowing that
the whole thousand Of them may be
blown into eternity the next sec
ond. She tells how the women of
England have adjusted themselves
to these unparalleled conditions
with a wealth Of poignant and home
ly detail.
AN English woman's Home" by
Mrs. A. Burnett Smith. George H.
Doran Company. Publishers. Price
Sl.s5.
Little Girl Who Couldn't Get-Oyer-It.
Alfred Scott Barrys novel, The
Little Girl Who Couldn't Get-Over-It," :"
which e. p. Dutton & Co. are pub
hsnins this week, has a meaning and
a purpose underneath its surface as
serious and important as on its sur
face 1t Is whimsical, unusual and sug-
gestive OF fairy-land. 1t is not at ali
a Juvenile, notwithstanding its title.
although young people of imagina ton
will perhaps delight in it. 1t is a ten
der. beautiful. different story. told
with a delicate touch, and It will go
straight to the heart of every woman
or man in whom there still lies hid
den away some remnant Of the trail
ing clouds of glory" through which
childhood looks out upon the world.
What the Little Girl in this story
at the beginning she is a little girl
out at the end she has grown I'D into
woman with a wonderful heart and
soul-"couldn't get over is something
that would make this old world a yery
much better place to live in IL more
people shared her inability.
Third Volume Of War History.
This third volume of Sir Arthur
Conan Doyle's monumental history
Is the hrst detailed account of the
Battle of the Somme. In the two
previous volumes a narrative has
been given of those events which
occurred upon the British Western
front during 1914. the year of
recoil," and 1915. "the year of eoui-
librium." This volume presents the
immensely heartening story of the
first of the years of attack and ad-
vance. by a mammoth army, like our
own, nodded out of hand. And so
in dramatic value it passed far be-
yond the two scrupulous volumes
which preceded it. 1t rises to the
task of depictinfg a drama the like
of which had never been known in
military history.
The causes of Sir Arthur Conan
Doyle's popularity as a military his
torian are not far to seek: he is
readable. lucid, correct, and terse:
he combines. imagination with eau
tion, and never loses his sense of
perspective. He has risen to his
great rank as a historian by the
fact that his volumes have been
distinguished by an absence of
panegyric and purple patches and
have permitted themselves few dra-
matte episodes. He has had free
access to official records and we
have come to know that his every
statement can be relied upon.
But the stirring story of the Bat
tie Of the Somme can justly be told
only in stirring words. The Battle
of the Somme presented in this VOL
ume will doubtless forever remain
the most interesting of the war. The
science of modern arms was there
first fully developed in action. At
this period also. out of the novel
conditions of what may be called
Boche warfare, certain rules and
axionns were slowly evolving. And
distinct and perhaps the most
curious epoch in military history
was marked, that that bizarre engine
Of warfare the tank" made its debut.
Another important and highly pic
turesque feature of the Battle of the
Somme was the employment of cav
airy. for the first time, since the
early months Of the war.
Even in the immensity of his
vast canvas. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
does not fail to feel the human in
terest of the Individual perform
ance. This Is the first history
which has been permitted to reveal
the exact identity of the units en-
gagged. As in the preceding volumes
numerous diagrams and maps aid in
clarifying the movements of troops.
Price $500. George H. Doran.
Publishers.
The Apple Tree Girl.
The Lippincott series OF one dollar
novels has received an important ad-