The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-02-06
THE MIDDLE PASTURE

 THE MIDDLE PASTUREa By Mathide Bilbro Illustrations by Frances Porter Pratt and Christine Gurtiss, Small Maynard 6 Co.,, Pub- fishers. Boston.
 Although Miss Mathilde Bilbro s charming story "The Middle Pasture, 7 is not new. having been published sev- eral seasons ago, it still retains a most wonderful charm for the reading public fly, really more insistent than ever.
 Miss Bilbro has the rare charm of simplicity in the telling of her story and it's clean wholesome atmosphere and ap- pcaling plot make it. a most delightful story and one which will hold it's own among the many that are published. 'The Middle Pasture is story that has that rare and elusive duality-sim- plicity-a quality that is seen all too seldom in latter-day fiction The reader will find no 'prc blem struggling to be solved, no passion being torn to tatters, in it's delightful pages.
 Ii is the story of the Crawfords. two families who dwell on either side of the ! middle pasture in the little town of Pine Grove, Alabama. The Crawfords and | their many friends do have their proD- ] lems, to be sure. but the problems are normal-like your own-and these pleas ant people are all so interested in one another that life means happiness to | them.
 Beatrice Crawford tells the story and | she is a delightful creature, haruni- scarum tomboy, whose anxiety for the l happy, outcome of the love affairs of half Pine Grove keeps her constantly in . state of palpitation. most amazing series of surprises for the Crawfords keeps the readers interest a-tiptoe, the while he chuckles over the many un- expected phrases and situations. | Lovers of such books as Little Women and "Re5ecca of Sunnybrook Farm wtil cherish the opportunity to explore the many delights of "The Middle Pasture. ' | WILLIAM POLLOK AND OTHER TALES"
 By Gerald Grogan The John Lane com | pany. Publishers, New York city. l Gerald Grosan, a lieutenant in the ] Royal Engineers. was killed in the win ] ter of 1918 by the bursting of hgh-ex- rosive shell, leaving behind him few poems, a novel of more promise than fulfillment and the short stores which make up the present volume. He left also the memory of an extraordinary power to understand and influence the 1 motives of his ,felow-creatures; tnls i power is the chief virtue of his narration of the trials and triumphs of William
 
 Before the outbreak of the war, Mir. Grogans adventures were varied. He travelled through England and the col onies with his fathers regiment, later joining the staff of the Pail Mall Mag azine. In Mexico he was a mining en- gineer till the end of the Maderist rev. olution, when the closing of the mines drove him out of the country. Most of ais stories have this Spanish-American background. We first meet William Pollok in Puerto Miraflores, little town on the gulf coast. where he breaks the head of the Jefe Politico's brother for cheating at cards. takes refuge 'n
 the squat church belfry, and holds the whole town at bay until the arrival of an American gunboat. His further a. tivities center around the Santa fnez mine.
 The story is a prophecy that may he fulfilled in a happier day; it is Gerald iCrogan's chief contribution to literature.
 His death marked the loss of writeh ef adventure tales which are delightful, moving rapidly in a world of living men, and closing without the irritating me chanical click that has marred the last decade of the commercial short story.
 His last poem, written at the close of ia'S, was prophetic. He desired nothing ,>etter than a soldiers death. and be. iieved it would be his portion.
 
 THE EDGE OF DOOM
 n,- Fl r. P-avost Pa arsDv The Irhn
 Lane Company, Publishers, New York
 City.
 One of the prominent reviewers of H. Y. Provost Battersbys story, 'rhe Edge of Doom,'' says:
 While IT. r. Provost Battersbys s new novel, The Edge of Doom,' is primarily a war story, it opens with an adventure | o,,ttn r.lr m NiliZn1 Africa, which would seem to have very little. indeed to do with the rest of the tale. This faVltiness> of craftsmanshlp IS the more unfortunate because the ffs. section of the book strains the readet credulity not merely up to but past tne breaking point-it is, for instance, dui,e unbelievable that Cyllene Morrison, wE" has gone to such extreme ienstns io Julian's sake, would ever have been con- lent with so meager and detail-laclins a report as the Chaytor makes to her- while thn sst,ation n which il ieavesv the hero and the heroine is one from wn'ci ii might reasonably be expected that eood deal of trouble was going to deve.op. But nothing ever does, and, in fact' t1c book reads very much as though the au, thor had started out to write one hln' of a story. then suddenly chansed ms mind and proceeded to produce another, .iyhis is the more deplorabie because the second rart of the book. the war 1 section, is well done and interesting James Chayt9r. though 8 years oid, eu- listed without loss of time. But he. WAS i in East Africa when he learned of Iae declaration of war, and 1t was qulle
 while before he was able to get home | Then at first he was assigned to duty ID ! Treland ani it was not until April lsl' | tbat he at last succeeded in crossing the i channel and saw something of the nrs' i a Vful gas attack at fpres. Ills see.io' was not among those thus attacked, nu. : inc description of the horrors of that 1 day, when the black and brown freScn 1 colonial troops fell back in disorder small blame to them, all things consid- eredi-and the Canadians won undyin2 l fame, is well and vividly written Alter illness and a convalescence which takes l him to Egyot Chaytor returns to rlan' ders and trench warfare. The conllns 1 of the new army, several raids on Ger man trenches. the opening of the Sorams 1 offense and at last the particular n'' l tack in which Chaytor was so seriously wounded are told of at length. There IS 1 a very interesting discussion upon tn' subject of these same neutrals conducle. , by a group of subalterns of the new army. and nearly. if not quite, all of nis second part of the book IS wor'h WA'' and holds one's attention.
 "sHUTTERED DOORS
 ] By Mrs. William Hicks Beach. Tht ! John Lane Company, Publishers, New l York City.
 Beginning with review of the putcl ! ancestors of Aletta Hulse. who. us al exceedingly dull English lady of highl, respectable connections and habits o