the readers of boyd cable’s “between the lines,” “action front,” and “doing their bit,” have very naturally had their curiosity excited as to an author who, previously unheard of, has suddenly become the foremost word-painter of active fighting at the present day, and the greatest “literary discovery” of the war.
boyd cable is primarily a man of action; and for half of his not very long life he has been doing things instead of writing them. at the age of twenty he joined a corps of scouts in the boer war, and saw plenty of fighting in south africa. after the close of that war, his life consisted largely of traveling in great britain and the principal countries of europe and the mediterranean, his choice always leading him from the beaten track. he also spent some time in australia and in new zealand, not only in the cities, but in the outposts of civilization, on the edge of the wilderness, both there and in the philippines, java, and other islands of the pacific.
when he travels, mr. cable does not merely take a steamer-berth or a railway-ticket and write up his notes from an observation car or a saloon deck. he looks out after a job, and puts plenty of energy into it while he is at it; in fact, so many different things has he done, that he says himself that it is easier to mention the things he has not done than the ones he has. he has been an ordinary seaman, typewriter agent, a steamer-fireman, office-manager, hobo, farmhand, gold prospector, coach-driver, navvy, engine-driver, and many other things. and strangely enough, though he knows so much from practical experience, he has, until recently, never thought of writing down what he has seen.
before this present war, he was on the staff of a london advertising agency. at the outbreak of hostilities, he offered his services and was accepted in 1914, being one of the first men not in the regular army to get a commission and be sent to the front.
it was his experience as “forward officer” (or observation officer in the artillery) that gave him the material which he began to use in “between the lines.”
in this dangerous and responsible position, his daily life of literally “hairbreadth” escapes afforded him experiences as thrilling as any he has described in his books. on one occasion, for instance, when his position had been “spotted” by enemy sharp-shooters, he got a bullet through his cap, one through his shoulder-strap, one through the inside of his sleeve close to his heart, and fifty-three others near enough for him to hear them pass—all in less than an hour.
after eighteen months of this death-defying work, without even a wound, mr. boyd cable was naturally disgusted at being invalided home on account of stomach trouble; but it was only this enforced leisure that gave him really time to take up writing seriously. as may be remembered, the british government selected him officially to make the rounds of the munition factories and write an account of what was being done in them, with the purpose of circulating it among the men at the front, to let them see that the workers at home were “doing their bit.”
the following letter has just been received from mr. boyd cable by the publishers, and they venture to include it here, entirely without the writer’s consent (since that would be impossible to get within the necessary time), and fully realizing that the letter was not written with a view to publication. they feel that it will give the reader an intimate view of the author, such as no amount of description or explanation could do.
“... many thanks for all the trouble you have taken trying to place my stories in magazines. it certainly is odd that british in u. s. a. are not more interested in the war. i only hope the states won’t have one of its own to be interested in, but honestly i expect it within very few years.
i am very glad you like “grapes of wrath” and hope the further chapters (which smith, elder & company tell me they have sent you) will equally please. i may not tell you where i am or what i’m doing since the censor forbids, but may just say that since i came out again i’ve seen plenty of the somme “push” and have been able to make “grapes of wrath” the more accurate and up to date in details.
now we’re all awaiting the spring with full anticipations of going in for the last round and the knock-out to germany. we’re all very confident she can’t stand the pace we’ve set for next year.
we’re having some bitter weather—fierce cold and wet and snow, but we’re putting up with it, more or less cheered by the assurance that the huns are feeling it every bit as bad as we are and probably a bit worse.
with all regards and every good wish for the coming year....”
it only remains to add that the importance of mr. boyd cable’s work may be judged by the fact that of “between the lines” considerably over a hundred thousand copies have been printed in great britain alone.
the publishers.
