THE HESPERIAN,
feeling. But the practice seems to have taken a worse
form, and instead of gentlemanly criticism, false sto
ries and willful slanders have been circulated, without
the least shadow of fact upon which to have built a
foundation. Free expression of ideas is something
to be cultivated, and above all, by a college student,
but this should not be used to cover up or excuse mud
throwing at those whose acts and opinions we should
respect. Nor should the student who indulges in
this pernicious practice leel that he is setting up the
standard of free thought and independence or pose
as an intellectual giant in doing that easiest of all
things finding fault. Our pronencss to find fault
with the doings of all others than ourselves should
rather be restrained than cultivated, and students, of
all persous, should guard themselvesagatnst imputing
wrong motives,or circulating unsubstantiated reports of
low or mean acts of those who, presumably, are men
of experience and education, thoroughly capable of
choosing that which will tend toward the advance
ment of their pupils. When students and faculty
work In harmony far more will be accomplished than
when the student stoops to the low practice of dirt
throwing, and we would welcome the reform of cer.
tain well known and influential students who have en
gaged in such work.
LITERARY THIEVES AND THEIR BOOKS.
One of the most convincing evidences of a writer's success
and popularity is seen in the eagerness with which his meth
ods arc sic7cd upon and worked for the benefit of inferior
writers, who hac perhaps failed in their own work, and there
fore take these means of bettering their fortunes.
If any one cares to assure himself of the truth of my state
ment, let him walk into any book store and glance over the
titles of many of the latest publications. Such titles as these
will strike his eyes: "He," "It," "Her," and "He ami She"
and many others of a similar nature. All these, of course,
seek to attract attention by the similarity of then titles to
that of Mr. Haggard's "She," which none of them resemble
save in name only. The writer of one of these books in par
ticular, which I lately noticed, went beyond his brethren in in
genuity, and so arranged the title of his book as to leave the
public in sonic doubt as to whether he or Mr Haggard was
the author. Now of course the latter gentleman must, if he
saw these books, feel immensely flattered by this tribute to
his ability as a writer of fiction; but after all, 1 ery much
doubt if lie would be greatly pleased at having his works
placed on a level with those 1 hae mentioned.
This practice of appropriating unique titles is, to my mind,
little short of theft in one of its most insidious forms. I say
insidious, because there is no way of effectively punishing the
offenders and of teaching them a salutary lesson. The ictim
must endure it, whether he likes it or not. Those who arc
mean enough to take advantage of another's success may do
so to their hearts' content, so far as any restrictions are con
cerned. If their sense of shame is not awakened in the
committing of the theft, it will hardly be aroused at some la
ler time. And why is it not? For no other reason whatever
'ban because the public, by its action, sanctions the practice.
If the general class of noel readers arc so blind as not (o sec
the deception imposed upon them, and will keep on buying
up worthless trash because of its gaudy appearance, how can
the unprincipled producers of this stuff be expected to cease
thcii nefarious work? ,
l'lainly,thcu,thc remedy lies with the public, and, by means
of its disapproval, if rigidly persevered in, I believe that be
fore a great while we would cease to be troubled with this
disreputable class of literature, and would not be wasting our
time in poring over reams of vapid nothings, which, having
read, we arc always ashamed to confess that we have done so.
I may seem to be trying to make a mountain out of an ant
hill; but I am thoroughly convinced that the reading of such
books is more w idc spread, and the effects of such reading,
particularly upon the minds of children, who are most easily
influenced -than many people arc willing to admit, I very
well remember the quantity of dime novels which I class in
the same category with those of which I hac been speaking
that I used to smuggle into the cellar and dcour hour after
hour, sitting upon an old barrel in the furnace room. I can
also now sec, though I then did not, what a demoralising ef
fect such literature had upon me, in giving me a distaste for
books of a better class. While I do not care to intimate that
most boys arc as foolish as I was in this respect, I am still suf
ficiently well acquainted with a boy's inclinations to know
that many are unfitting their minds by reading such books
for the reception of better and purer knowledge, and are
thereby saddling upon themselves a habit which, when they
have grown older, they will deeply regret having formed, and
one from which they will find it exceedingly difficult to free
themselves.
THE EXCHANGED CRUSADERS.
The above is the title ofa story in thejuue number of IJffin
raffs, written by Mr. Conway G. McMillan, a graduate of the
U. of N. Our genial friend with characteristic modesty, has
seen fit to sign a name other than his own to his interesting
story; so we were considerably surprised and greatly pleased
when we learned who was the author. For the ben fit o
those, therefore, who evince a kindl) interest in Mr. McMil
lan's welfare, we take this opportunity of giving a short
sketch of the story w ithout further comment.
The story is peculiar, in that it has to do with peculiar peo
ple, and is suposcd to have lwen the experience of a young
English nobleman with a taste for philosophical studies and
plenty of time and money ti enable him to gratify his taste.
Sir William Ashcourt, a disccased ancestor of the young man,
seems to have led a rapid life whiic in the flesh, and in conse
quence, upon departing hence, was doomed to haunt
the earth in penance for his past misdoings. Sir William, it
should be rematked; was a Crusader in the set vice of Richard
Cocur dc l.iou, and held quite an important position at that
valiant prince's comt, being knighted by him asa reward for
his braver) in an eug.igL-ment with the forces of Saladin,
Prince of the Saracens. It can therefore readily be seen that
ourjoung nobleman -who, b the was, had the honor of be
ing named after Sir William would be somewhat proud of
having such a distinguished ghost inhabit his castle, though
this, like every other luxtirv, had its draw backs. Sir Willam
is not a happy ghost. Indeed, we mav go faither, and say
that he is distinctl) unhapp). The pangsof remorse, arc eat
ing Into his- we were going to say, his heart, but it occurs to
us that ghosts as a rule don't possess that troublesome organ
at any rate into the place where his heart ought to be, and
he has taken up his abode in the halls now inhabited by his
