Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1920-08-22
NEWS AND REVIEWS
OF LATEST BOOKS

THE MAID OF AI1RABELLE: a
ROMANCE OF LORRAINE. By Eliot
H. Robinson. The Page Company
In a primitive little village of the
Sosges when the last thunders OF the
world war are dying away, Daniel
Steele. an American and n member OF
the society OF Friends, is laborinE on
the cause Of peace and reconstruction.
Poised and selfreliant as he is. Daniel
Steele is subject 10 the common fail-
against ;emptaiions-of what sor; we
can all surmse. And the Maid
Joan. whom the hero does not marry.
is personality Just as real and 10Y
types-cspo cially the little orphan
pierre and old Barbette-arc all
strongly drawn.
Unlike many authors who have
written stories of France with a SUI
bertiCial knowledge acquired from
hurried trips abroad, Mr.. Robinson IL
exceptionally familiar with his ma
terial. for he lived for MANY months
I'M the closest relations with both
The military and civilian French poPu-
lation OF the places described as
Union Franco American director OF
sports in the French army. aud thus
became thoroughly convcrsant with
/. the point OF view Of our allies reia-
: tive TO matters which have been so
! much discussed lately. An interest
ing feature Of the book is the illus
stratiorS from sketches made by the
Guthor in France.
~ Mr.. Rohinson's last novel. Smiles"
= established its author in the FROM
rank Of American novelists, and the
thousands to who Smiles" was the
. hcst-lovcd hook OF the year" will
welcome eagerly n new story by this
author.
JANE AND THE OWL. BY Gene
Carlson Thomas Y. Crowell Co,
New York.
,ion will be delighted 10 make the
acquaintance Of Jane, The Sensible
Child" and oskar. the Owl. For
things begin to happen from the mo-
jsment they meet. and keep on hap
peninE TO the last flight together.
II all comes about from the fact
that Jane has gone out for a walk
one afternoon. She lives away out
West in the sagebrush country, and
her walk leads her across II little
canyon and up 4 hillside to a broad,
Nat rock. She only intends resting
there n little while. but presently she
finds herself talking to a small ground
owl on most intimate terms. She
learns that he is prince who has
been enchanted, and is only awaiting
the touch of some lovely maiden 10
set him free. Jane agrees 10 help
him, and together they set forth upon
bring them 10 the foot OF the rain
bow-and Jane finds that she her
self-hut this is really telling too
much about the story! I, is all sc:
forth in n book that is full of chuc-
kles and sunshine and whimsicality.
Every little girl who reads it will
probably wish that she. too, could
perch upon the ridSe-polc of James
Ca bin home, wave the magic feather,
and utter the magic word, TO whoo,'
That was the way Jane learned how
10 ny. The story has some pleasing;
illustrations in color by George Carl
son.
OLD AND NEW SuNDRY PAPERS.
BY Charles Hall Grandgcnt. l.. II. ID.
Harvard University Press. Cambridge.
Mass.
In the authors words. these essays
deal with various aspects Of changes
in fashion, especially in matters Of
speech and school" Professor Grand
gents many years OF service in the
cause OF spelling reform. his years
-Jts supervisor of modern languages IN
the public schools of Boston, and his
long term al Harvard as professor
land as member OF the committee on
-sdmiSsion, have provided "A basis OF
+tirst- hand experience for his papers.
r~ln addition TO these more specific sub