THE OMAHA DAILY BEE : WEDNESDAY , MAY I , 1895. 10
iTirrii frrrrfr = j } rr r 2 ;
Literature.
. , , .
MIlS. JBNNID K Kni'fiOn HJItor.
of I'oe.
The Ilerlvnl .
' A contemporary speaks of the new Interest
In the works and character ot Edgar Allen
I'oo ns the "I'oo renaissance , " and n more
opt phrase could hardly be taken to express
this fever which lias recently so thoroughly
permeated literary circles. It Is Interesting
and Instructive to note the nature and prob
able results of this renewed attention to a
real poet , who died nearly half a century
ago , leaving only a small volume of poetry ,
some wlcrd talcs and some bits of searching
nnd scorching criticism , the monument of the
most tragic llfo anywhere recorded In our
literary annals. It seems to us that this
fad , It so It may bo called , bears Indelibly
this encouraging stamp It Is the search for
real poetry , the study of the art of poesy for
its own sake , Independent of local or na
tional circumstances. We admlro the taste
of our contemporaries who thus aim high
In their selection of an artist , for , love ns
\vo may the polish of Longfellow , the sweet
untrained verses of Whlttlcr of the stately
lines of Uryant , wlipn It comes to impas
sioned thought , embodied In perfect form ,
Too outranks them all. The artist who so
used a slnulo commonplace word that It be
oatno In llself a legend of the heart , which
once heard could never bo forgotten , was a
master whom none need fear to acknowl
edge , and the renewed study of whom prom
Ises the elevation of our poetic standard.
With his "Nevermore" he has linked the
Blmplest elements a solitary man haunted
by a sacred memory and a grisly raven , and
out of the array ho has made a poem for
every one , the scholar nnd the peasant , as
well , a poem whose greatness grows upon
the student In proportion as ho analyzes
minutely Its structure and Its underlying
thought. "The Bells" shows In a way nevcr
excelled the unexampled power of our own
Anglo-Saxon to echo In Its very sound the
sense It would express. "Annabel Lee" again
is a favorite that loses none ot Its realistic
properties by being popular. And there are
others and yet others , until our list Includes
almost all his matchless poems , and wo begin
to feel that the pocl himself Is the being
"Whose heart strings arc a lute , " and no
the angel of the Koran. Wo are glad , how
ever , that ho could not exchange places with
this seraph , as he so beautifully expresses
the wish , but Instead sang his mortal lay :
"If I could dwell
Where Israfel
Hath dwelt , nnd lie where I ,
He might not sing so wildly well
A mortal melody.
While a bolder note than this might swel
From my lyre within the sky. "
A new and elegant edition of the poet's
W-f entire works Is undoubtedly the occasion o"
this outburst of appreciation of the poetry o
1'oe. Ho has never been forgotten. Such
spirits of his cannot be relegated to 'ho past
for they speak a universal ian 'jugo , alnnj
current. The new edition , howo/ar , recall
nnd freshens our soul , Impressions , and lo
a change has taken place In nur Intellectual
status since our last serious Interview U
the poet ; wo have outgrown Mime cl.lldls'
fancies ; our judgment Is clearer sindve nro
freer and more Inclined to study "art for
nrt's sake. "
This awakened Interest in an artistic pott
means much , we believe , towjrJ the up
lifting of current poetry among us. Writers
of poetry themselves must hall the "Poe
Renaissance" with Joy , for It means more
appreciative and enlightened readers of their
own poetic thoughts , artistically otrie-MCd.
THE
Tnrfcej anil Kni'ln. In the 10th Century.
To write anything new In travel or history
In these days U almost Impossible ; par
ticularly about such old countries as Turkey
and Russia. And yet this Is what Miss
Elizabeth Latlmer has done In her "Turkey
and Hussla In the Nineteenth Century. " Her
delineations ot character are veritable pen
pictures. Alexander II , General Skobeloff ,
Sultan Abdul Hamld are made to live nnd
net In our very presence , and wo feel that
lull Justice has never been done them be
fore. Yet there Is nothing like hero worship.
They are acting for their country's good , as
they see It ; arc truly patriots. The czar Is
patriarch of the whole Russian church , as
well as sovereign of the Husslan millions.
So "Russia for the Russians" means the
expulsion of all other peoples and religions.
It Is a ruler's solemn duty to God to carry
out this principle.
The accounts of the Crimean and Turkish
wars , the Bulgarian massacre , the treatment
of the Jews , are all graphically given. In
deed , we forget we are reading of the cruel
Russian and the "unspeakable Turk" because
of the new things which are told , and told
In a most Interesting way. It Is a woman
telling what a woman saw , heard and felt
nnd It all comes homo to the heart nnd
mind of women renders particularly. We can
understand the recent Armenian outrages
Letter when wo know that the sultan Is so
Ignorant and vain that he suppressed text
books on chemistry because the symbol
" 1120" was supposed to Indicate that Ilamld
II was a cypher. Hut one must read the
took to get an adequate Idea of Its Interest.
MARY A. CRE1GH.
Ilio Flrnt Itobln.
The sun shines warm and the clouds that
Thnrw8llttlnB | shadows o'er the young- green
And "bold red robin In the top of a tree
Trills forth a song- both wild and free.
As he sits nnd swings on a slender boiiph ,
He watches the farmer with his plough ,
Then , In an Instant he's on the wing
Ami cwiiy to the city to announce the
spring.
Gay little robin , so happy nnd free.
As he swings on a twig of our maple tree ,
And sends up his song to the April skies
| kv * Could trouble hide In his black Wady eycsl
No , Indeed ! he's a naughty flirt ,
, >
?
A Clint Abimt Kujrene 1 Icld.
The children -had Insisted on hearing come
' before they went tc
Field's
of EugeneField's poems
bed. After they were gone Grandfather said
"I wish you would read 'Casey's TabU
d Hole , ' "A Uttlu Book of Western Verse"
was brought nnd opened at the required page.
Our laughter over this poem called for others
of the humorous class. "Our Lady of ttu
Mine , " "The Conversazzhyony , " "Mr. Dane
of the New York Sun , " "Modjeska as
Camllle , " amused me. "I think there Is
Bomo very delicate humor In many of those
selections , but I sometimes with ho woulJ
leave out the slang , " said Grandfather
"Field seems capable of so much hlghei
"That Is true nnd his latest poems show It
As for the slang , of course these wcaterr
: * verses Introduce us to the life of a mlnlns
camp. You scarcely expect the dweller :
there lo take off their hats whenever they approach
preach the queen's English. Don't you thlnl
In 'Our Lady of the Mine. ' the tenderness o
the ending raises * It to a different plant ? "
Grandfather admitted that It did. "Now
read some of the pathetic ones , " said he. " 1
like 'Our Whipping' and 'The Old Fire- Hang
bird's Nest , ' 'The Humming Top , ' or 'Ovei
the IHlls nnd Far Away. ' In these pocmi
Mr. Field teems to recreate the hopes am
ambitions of childhood and again to se <
things through his Juvenllo magnifying glass
Ho recognizes In the noisy rivalry eve
tops and knives the same nature that In man
hood strives for gold and laurels. It Is Ilki
reading a homely philosophy Into the rhyme ;
that were once only the jingles of Mothe
Goose. "
"I wish you would read 'Little Hey nine ,
raid Grandmother , who had hitherto taken ni
part In the talk. After that touchingllttl
piece was flnlsheJ. she shrank away from thi
others , forgetful of present surroundings am
dreaming as one doe * who has loved and ha
now only a recollection.
In fact , the whole group seemed to hay
passed to a different tone of feeling. We hai
drifted from the frolics of childhood , past th
sports and mistakes of the mining camp ti
the region of calms where the sage mu e 01
the past and wonders about the future.
"And that one called Tatter's LctUr ,
said Coutln Ned , and goon we were laughing
heartily over
"The yellow rooster froze his feet a-wadln *
through the unow ,
And nowe he leans nsln the fence , when he
starts In to crow , * '
the "new hearse , " and the other funny
" " that Inimitable
Items of "news" which compose
table letter. Uut again seriousness settleJ
over the listeners as the letter drew to Its
close , until It deepened to something solemn
and holy , for who does not ngrco that "earth
eeenui nearer heaven when mother sends her
love. "
Just then we were Interrupted by a neigh
bor whom wo had mltied from our circle for
some months.
"Where have you been nil this time ? "
"In Chicago for the most part. "
"What have you been doing ? "
"Oh , everything , work , play , you know
the pace one goes there. I see you are fond
ot Eugene Field's works , Judging by these
books. By the way , I dined at his home
not long ago. I think I have a note from
him with me. Have you c > cr seen his writIng -
Ing ? "
We pressed forward eagerly.The writing
was odd and beautiful , as small and clear
as the engraving on a man's card.
"Now , do tell us something personal about
him ! Has ho always written poetry ? Did
ho show any 'symptoms' In childhood ? " we
asked In chorup.
"No , his first poem was not written until
he was 29 years old. It's name was "Christ
mas Treasures. " I believe It Is In 'A Little
Book of Western Verse. ' "
" " Grandmother. "I
"I remember It , said
have always liked It. "It begins : 'I count
my treasures o'er with care. ' There Is a
similarity between It and 'Little Boy Illue. ' "
"Yes , I bpllove they are written In mem
ory of a lost child , and I think the volume
'With Trumpet and Drum' was published
as a memorial of the same child. "
"How many children has Mr. Field ? "
"Tliero have been eight three daughters
and flvo sons. "
"Is ho a man of wide reading or travel ? "
"Ho attended school at Williams college ,
at Knox college , at the State University of
Missouri. After his school dnys closed ho
cnt to France , Italy , Ireland and England ,
hero he says he 'spent six months and his
atrlmony. ' Later In llfo ho passed two
ears In the old world. His talents have
cen broadened and deepened by study and
xpcrlcncc. Ho has been connected with
eadlng western newspapers for the past
wenty years. "
"How old Is ho now ? "
"About 45 years. "
"What are some of his likes or dislikes ? "
"Ho Is fond of almost any kind of a pet
, ogs , cats , birds. Ho says If ho were a
cglslator ho would make the abuse of
orscs , dogs and cattle a penal offense ,
lo has a great dislike for politics , fireworks ,
: uns , anything of that sort. A curious vein
i his nature Is his outspoken predilection
'or ghosts , stories , fairy tales and dolls ! "
'That ' must account for his great sympa-
hy with children , " said Grandmother.
"Forgetting your friendly admiration for
Im , what Is your estimation of Eugene
Meld as a poet ? " asked Grandfather of our
elghbor.
"I think that ho Is Improving nil the
Imc , and that ho will ultimately reach
Igher ground than ho has yet reached.
iVnether his works will be read a hundred
ears from now I cannot prophecy. Mr.
Field Is not a writer who sounds the whole
amut of human emotions. His themes are
written In the keys of C major and A minor ,
, 'lth a few harmonic changes. Jin confines
Imself to humor and pathos and does not
ndulge In Dyronlc flights. In fact , Mr.
leld openly announces his dislike for that
much discussed .pclon of-the Brltlslv- nobility ,
osslbly ho Is what might bo called a poet
of the hour , but In these flays when mortals
re prone to browse among the classics ere
o contract mental Indigestion in their fran-
Ic efforts to take In all the 'ologles and
sms' at one swallow , It Is a relief to find
someone who Is more Inclined to be simple
and sweet , and tender. He has brought
many smiles with his verses , now and then
a tear , perhaps ; ho has freshened some
weary hearts , and beyond that what is a
poet's mission ? "
MAUD BRYANT NOTT.
'oncernlnc ' Oporgo IClllot unil liar Hook !
Previous to 185G George Eliot had written
nothing In the line cf a novel except a dt-
scrlptlon of a Staffordshire village and the
Ife of the neighboring farm houses. It was
owing to the constant urglngand encourage
ment of Mr. Lewes tnat she made the at
tempt then. Her first bit of fiction was
'Amos Barton , " the Initial story of "Scenes
from Clerical Life. " This collection of shorl
stories was a favorite of hers through life
She often said there was more of her owr
llfo In these sketches than In "Adani Uede. '
* * *
When her stories first began to appeal
over the name of "George Eliot" the idetv
tlty of this new genius was a problem In
terestlng to many great men and women ol
England. Thackeray said they were cer
talnly written by a man. Frondo said : " 1
do not know whether he Is a" young man 01
an old a clergyman or a layman. " Jam
Carlyle said : "I have conceived him In. mj
mind a man of middle ago , with a wife
from whom he has got those beautiful fern
Inlne touches , a good many children and I
dog ! For the rest not Just a clergyman
but brother or * first cousin to a clergyman. '
Mrs. Ollphant , the novelist , was sure the ]
were not written by a woman. DIekens
however , penetrated the secret. He said : ' .
have observed what seemed to mo such wo
manly touches In those moving fictions tnn
the assurance on the title page Is Insufllclen
to satisfy mo even now. If they orlglnate (
with no woman , I believe that no man eve ;
before had the art of making hlmsjlf men
tally so like a woman since the world be
gan. "
*
The germ of "Adam Bede" was a stor ;
related to George Eliot by her aunt , a Metho
dlst preacher , who nad attended a girl con
demned to death for child-murder , in orde
to offer her religious consolation. The flgh
between Arthur and Adam , the novelist con
celved one night at the Munich opera , \vhei
she was listening to William Tell.
The name of "Mill onthe Floss" groatl ;
perplexed George Eliot. Among- the name
suggested by herself and her friends wer
"The Tulllvers. " "St. Oggs on the Floss , '
"Sister Maggie , " "The House of Tulllver , '
"Life on the Floss , " and "Tho Tulllver Fam
lly. "
Of the origin of "Silas Warner" she said
"It came to mo quite suddenly as a sort o
legendary tale , suggested by my recollection
of having once , In early childhood , seen
linen-weaver with a bag on his back. "
*
The writing of "Romola" was the creates
strain of her life. She says : "I began It
young woman I finished It an old woman. "
*
George Eliot received 600 for "Felix Holt,1
7,0001 for "Romola" and about 10,000 fo
"Mlddlemarch. "
*
Of "Mlddlcmarch" she said : "It Is
subject which has been recorded among m
possible themes ever since I began to writ
fiction. "
A Sen Midi.
( lly a Woman ) .
Small and new the shack. The brlgh
pine boards baked In the sun. Within , th
table , bed , chairs , stove and dishes. On
shelf , a shell from the sea , tinted pink as
rose. Without , the plain.
A woman looked from the door toward th
fields , where the corn absorbed the hen
hungrily and swelled with mere vegetabl
corpulency. Then she turned back to he
baking. What with the stove and the sur
the room was as hot as a forge , and th
woman's blood throbbed In her face an
burned In her eyes. Once she staggere
from the heat , and the room grew a twlllgh
blur to her. She- took some water from th
bucket , gingerly , with a consciousness c
the need ot economizing it , and molstene
all her head with It , The water wa * tepU
with no refreshment In It , but It made the
little auburn ringlets leap up.
Suddenly , her eyes caught tight of the
shell. She seized It , lifted It to her par , nnd
listened. Slowly and voftly a smile dawnctl ,
trembling round about the piteous mouth ,
while In the eyes the tears came gently ns
summer rain. Their btlne fell on the shell ,
which had known the brine of ocean. Still
the listened. In Iti pink convexity roired
the breakers majestic , eternal I The trars
dried for sheer content. The mlle faded Into
peace. The blood fled pleasantly from the
throbbing head back to the heart. The hands
grew steady. Before the eyes floated Unions
\lslonsl Green and marvelous blue , like
the wing of the wild duck , were the testing
waves. The wind lifted Itself up from mys
terious hiding places and ranged at will. The
wild gull dipped his wings. Tlio rung of the
sea the exultant shout ot the sea was there !
She laid the rosy shell back on 1U shelf ,
A Woodland Wooing.
The south wind went a wooing
The violet In the dell ;
With soft nnd warm caresses
He vowed he loved her well.
The robin In the oak tree
Sang sweetly nil day long1 ,
Anil his love for the blue-eyed violet
Was the burden of his song.
The moss that grew around her feet
Ills true love dared not tell ,
While the wind spoke soft and the bird
sang sweet ,
IJut the violet knew It well.
In autumn flew the robin
The south wind came no more
But the moss , who feared no winter ,
Crept closer thnn before ,
His timid heart grown bold now ,
His loved one warm to Ueep ,
And In his faithful bopom
The violet fell asleep.
Ethelwynne Kennedy.
Tohoiii the I'rlzc ?
( Translated from the Trench of L. Lahure. )
The Society for the Prevention' Cruelty
to Animals gives each year prizes to those
of Its members who show themselves most
worthy and faithful adherents of its pre
cepts.
A great French woman , friend of beasts In
general and of files In particular , was annoyed
by the buzzing of a large fly that had gained
access to her bed chamber.
After having vainly tried to make it go ou
the window , she called her servant and tali
to him : "Catch that fly without Injuring 1
and put It out of doors. "
The servant , with the greatest precaution ,
seized the fly and disappeared. After a mo
ment he returned tenderly holding the fl"
between his fingers.
"Well ! " said the lady , "why have yci
still the fly In your hand ? "
"Madame , " said the servant , "I had no
the heart to put It out it Is raining to
hard. " GEORGIA LINDSEY.
Kl < ld' Social Evolution.
Mr. Benjamin KIdd's "Social Evolution" li
pronounced by Dr. Marcus Dodds to bo "on
of the greatest books we have had since Dar
win's 'Origin ot Species. " "It Is , " ho nays ,
"wldo In its survey , pe-netratlng In Its In
sight , sustained and masterly In Us argumen
and surprising In its conclusions. " ThU es
tlmatc , strong as It Is , seems too moderat
to the sympathetic reader , especially' If ! >
bo a student of social problems. To him th
work seems to stand alone as a logical an
comprehensive statement ot the present con
dltlons ot the social organism. , Its history an
the method of Its future development. Other
have set social questions In array ; Mr. Kid
answers the great Inclusive ones "Whence ?
and "Whither ? " as these are applied to so
clety. Others have enlightened ; Mr. Kid
gives a new point of view.
The significant fact about the book , whlcl
by the way , Dr. Alfred Wallace characterize :
as "thoroughly scientific , " Is that therein
man of high scientific attainments , after year ;
of special scientific study along- social lints
declares religious beliefs to be "not a clas :
of phenomena peculiar to the childhood o
the race , " but the "characteristic feature o
our social evolution. " The process of hi
argument , which It Is well-nigh Imposslbl
to mention In the space permitted , Is some
thing like this :
First. The "survival of the flttest" Is the
Immutable law of all evolution , Prof. Drum-
mend to the contrary notwithstanding.
Second. This law , which Is one of progress
to the race. Is antagonistic to the Interests
of the Individual , who is therefore always at
war with society.
Third. A religion which Involves (1) ( ) a
sanction , superior to reason , for conduct In
the Individual , and (2) ( ) an altruistic motive ,
will lead Individuals to so conduct their
affairs that the best Interests of society will
bo observed. That Is , It Is a religion of
faith and love which has been the most power
ful force in the progress of society for cen
turies. To such a religion , we must look for
the "progressive subordination of the present
Interests "of the self-assertive individual to
the future Interests of society. "
FRANCES M. FORD.
THE rflESBVr STATUS OF TUB CltlTIC.
Apropai at 1'oe , the Literary Dicta
tor.
Where are the critics of old. times , those
Berserker men of might who , armed with
, only a fragile goose-quill laid about them as
with a bludgeon ? Not to go so far back as
the great autocrat , the tea drinking doctor ,
or that dread creature who said : "This
will never do , " who , nowadays , would
dare to put forth Macaulay's sweplng de
crees ? Who would stand as the spokesman
ot America as did Poe ? He narrowed his
field , moreover , to that of a sectlonallst ;
ho was the champion of southern poetry
against the northern literati , yet he was
listened to by the north as well as the south.
Loyal , devoted to his muse , ho fought like
a soldier for the Just dues of poetry for
careful scansion , tor pure English , for sin
cerity. Ho had a scapel for the genial ex
crescences of Longfellow's verse ; of Lowell
and Hawthorne. He checked the fulsome
general worship of Elizabeth Barrett Brown
ing while paying her a glowing tribute him
self. He was great enough to say kind ,
meaningless nothings about the literary
ladles of his acquaintance and lift them a
round or two up the ladder of fame before
1 they should slip oft forever.
Pee took an-1 easily kept the chair of Sir
Oracle among men of letters , although the
bulk of his poetical work was so much less
than that of his compeers , and , what was
more , the temper of his mind was so un
certain. Would he have the same place
now ? Would he pull down the mighty from
their seat to such general applause ? Times
have changed. Then a champion needed
but the backing of one or two good maga
zines among the very few to command his
public and quell cavillers. Now a score ot
reviews ot reviews , of booklets on booklets ,
bandy the last word until the thought Is all
gone. He could now , as then , rely on his
prestige as a poet. I doubt It he ever
caused an Irreverent smile that he asked
for a change of lyre with Israfel. But this
last month the crltlclcts made merry when
u rhyme of EJmud Gesso said In substance
that ho had not the art of Shakespeare.
And Edmund Gosse holds very much the same
position among lettered men of England
that formerly belonged to Poe In America.
They might well bo compared In learning ,
In artistic discrimination , In knowledge ol
form. But In criticism the more modern
writer had learned an urbanity and modesty
which tho.older writer never had to as
sume. Poe , to have readers In these times ,
would have to discontinue the use ot ex
uberant quotations from foreign languages ,
especially those a llttlo wide of the mark.
His provincial tone , his raising of the Ameri
can flag or the southern crest would be
pitied by the 5-cent weekly pamphlets. Hie
self made canons ot form would have to
yield before the theories even of the laity ,
properly taught. Ills fashion ot repeating
himself would , be pointed out by the dullest.
Then what would remain of Poe , the great
critic ? I am one who likes to believe that
a great deal would remain. The authority
would vanish , as do other authorities ol
these latter days , but the knightly spirit ,
the love of truth , the eye "that winces al
false work nnd love the true" cannot be Im
agined out ot him any more than his match-
lets gift of song.
CLAIRE RUSTIN M'INTOSH.
Notes.
Collectors of American autographs , manu
script , poen.B and first editions prize most
highly things of this kind belonging to Poe ,
probably owing to the difficulty ot obtaining
them. Hawthorne ranks second In the llsl
ot "rare findd" and Longfellow- and Whittier -
tier next.
Edgar Allan Poe was one of the first to
appreciate Miss Barret I1 , afterward Mrs ,
Browning , as a poet. It Is quite certain
tbat he borrowed the repetend movement
'Twns Ever Thus A LITTLE WOMAN FOR LUCK
If V
Large Women
can edit a great daily'successfully and march right on to fame
Little
can have a Skipping Rope Free latest wire wrapped pattern
Free with every pair of shoes bought during- May
We Give Skipping Ropes Away
Because girls like skipping ropes and because skipping ropes wear
out shoes , and because it's the best way we know of to keep the
girls from outgrowing the shoes they buy of us , before they arc
worn out.
We never had such a big line of misses' and children's spring
heel shoes in tans and black from the lowest price you ever heard
of , to the finest makes of this country. That's what keeps us busy.
WILCOX & DRAPER
$1.50 The best Vftluo Shoes for School
LITTLE wo'vo scon in our great We have never shown Wo offer until they're ' all gene
stock of shoes is the Shoes for Dress such a lot of misses and any $2.00 pair of child ron'o
WOMEN ' No shoes for show They
misses' titn goat spring '
children's tan and black red shoosany , slzo or width
all . Wo trade
heels bolng sold lot- wear. are
ONLY Si. 50. builders and can afford low shoes. Our prices lor
They're goat and to sell nothing without make you our customer. $1.00. . - ,
' .
.
NEED APPLY. they're good. merit.
Size is the essence
FOR A DOLLAR It Is
of this contract Misses' and children's Children's tan button ,
the grown women tan shoes front lace sizes 8 to 11 ; one line at Ladles' tan and black low Wonderful
are barred from newest things yet T * " " " * fl.OO ; another at $1.50 ; shoes in narrow toes and
What an of Oxfords
. A dollar array
square. seems
our skipping ropes $1.50 and $2.00 the next at ? 2.00. No liner little. They are put out fords in now shapes no
Now square toes. made. for trade winners. can show.
Wouldn't you be
little again ?
Ladies' yellow low For ? l.nO we have tried Ladies' tan colored lace LADIES'LINEN ' LOW S1IOZS
Girls get shoes from $1.00 up hard and feel well paid. shoes with needle or narrow The latest the new
SKIPPING ROPES to the finest made at All the new things In color row square toes. They est sells for
and shape lu our $1.50 range from
FREE oxfords. . $3.00 to $5.00. $3.00.
with any pair of
shoes bought in
May. We will wrap up a Skipping Rope with every girl's mail order received in May.
We intend-to
WILCOX &
keep them all DRAPER
jumping , thrb'
1515-1517 Douglas Street.
the month -of
May. . ' ps lues Aw lo Girls lo Buy ii
of the raven from Mrs. Browning's "Court
ship of Lady Gcraldlno.1 A cursory ex
amination 6f her poetry will 'at once show
how fond she was of"uslnpircfrnln ? and hoW
effective It became linlier tiands. >
Some of the world's-greatest books lay
apparently dead for months after issuing
from the press ; A notable example ot the
last generation was "Vanity Fair.- " Benja
min Kldd'B book , now undoubtedly the
most popular work ot Its kind , slept the
llrst six months of Its life.
This seems to bo a period of evolution
and our literature in common with other
growing things takes on the character of
the hour. "Tho Evolution of Industry , " by
Henry Dyer and published by Macmlllan
stands a sort ot companion to KIdd's "Social
Evolution , " published by the same house.
Lovers of George Eliot will be gratified
at the announcement made by Merrill &
Baker of New York of a cabinet Illustrated
edition of her works , which may bo pur
chased either in the set , including Cross's
"Life , " or singly and at a very reasonable
price. The books are embellished with cx-
qulslto etchings. The paper and printing
are perfect and in every way It Is the best
American edition of this great woman's
works.
The royalties on Eugene Field's "With
Trumpet and Drum" are paid to his eldest
daughter , Mary French Field.
Ibsen has produced In his last play , "Llt
tlo Eyolf , " a simple and appealing thing
possessing none of the "unknown" quali
ties of the "Master Builder , " but presenting
Instead many attributes entitling It to rank
' ' ' Carol. "
beside Dickons' 'C'hrlstmas
In speaking of the late Christina nossettl
the scholar and devoted helper of her
brother , Dante Gabriel nossettl , Theodore
Watts , says : "Steelo said of a certain
lady that to know her was a liberal educa
tion , " but In describing the sweet lady and
poet and saint of whom I am to write.
Steelo's eulogy would have to bo amended
In something after this fashion : "To know
her was an education of the heart and a
purifying ot the soul. "
A prominent critic after examining Grant
Allen's book , "The Woman Who Did , " adds
rather elgnlflcantl ) that the title ought to
be completed so that It would read "Tho
Woman Who Did Nothing. " Ho closes an
uncomplimentary criticism by saying that
the novel possesses the ono unpardonable
fault of a novel dullness.
The latest biographer of Napoleon Is Prof.
William M. Sloano of Princeton , who Is
contributing to the Century the serial now
attracting so much attention. Ho Is the
son of an Ohio pioneer who served as presi
dent of at least two colleges In that state.
Prof. Sloano has demonstrated by the few
numbers of his "Nap"bleon" already pub
lished tbat ho is a vigorous and accurate
writer. Talno said of him : "Ho knows
France better than any other foreigner I
have ever met. " Jle has been at Prince
ton eighteen yearsrcpwt ot the time as
teacher In Latin an $ Uter as professor of
history. It Is InterastlER to note that he
received his lnsplratoi ) ) . for historic work
from George Bancroft swfclo | serving as sec
retary to him In Gebniy.
Mrs. Humphry WardTOAkes her first essay
a serial story , wrltlnft'lrftho May Scrlbner ,
which will contain the flrst part of a novel
called "The Story ofiDcsglo Costrell. "
"Tho Poet on tho' Poets" Is certainly a
catching title. Such Jq Ihb name ot a little
book compiled by Mrtf. , Illchard Starchey
and made up of leading' ( Uts from our great
poets on their art. The/ work contains Sid
ney's "Apologle ton 'Voesle , " the famous
preface to "The Lyrical Ballads , " by Words
worth and Shelley' * " 'Defense ' ot Poesy"
among Its other selections. The interest of
the book to students of poetry must be
great lu that wlthln.-Bmall compass we
shall be able to stqjyljo reason for the
various poetic methOf8 hat have become
standard owing to Ihefr usage by famous
poets.
There Is a new "Trilby. " really older how
ever , than the sesame * Trilby which has so
recently solved all questions from the
naming of a corn salve to furnishing the
plot for the latest drama , The story was
originally written in French by Charles
Nonller and the complete title U "Trilby
the Fairy cf Argyee. " Some notable differ
ences between this older story and Du
Maurlcr'B are to be found : First , the story
of M. Nordler depends entirely for Its In
terest on the magic attached to the Trilby
of today and Is being Issued through a
translation purely as a literary curiosity.
Trilby Is a fairy In the old tale and It fol
lows , It our childhood * doctrine of fairies be
correct , that the fairies' feet were small ;
she Is a boy this tme | , a fact that takes
some of the romance out of our notions ot
Trilby. The publluhers , Bates & Laurlat ,
took extreme care before its appearance In
the book stores , to prevent Us being stolen
by eorao other bouso. KotwlthitandluK
this , another translation appeared almost
simultaneously , published by another
louse. _ THE EDITOU.
Written Upon Her 80th Anniversary by Mrs.
F. M. DuiiRlas.
The , morning of life , with its bright golden
hours ,
Its sunshine and shadow. Its buds and Its
flowers ,
All laden with fragrance , passed quickly
awny ,
Too- rich In Its beauty , too brilliant to stay.
The noontide of life , so fervent anil glowing ,
Like wine In , the chalice , Its measure o'er-
llowlnp ,
With Its joya and Its sorrows , together have
Hewn ,
But memoriy still clings to the joys I have
known. ,
Sometimes life's pathwc ! "J over the
mountain ,
Where bright waters gushed from each
sunny fountain ,
But whether o'er mountain , or ocean , or
land ,
I Journeyed so slowly He still held my
hand.
Sometimes the way seemed dreary and lone.
When my sweet llowerets faded In life's
early morn.
"Grieve not , " said my Savior , "they are
blooming above ,
In the garden of Heaven , all eafo In my
love.
Weep not for your flowers , so sweet and so
Kach'bud la expanded in Heaven's soft air. "
The voice was so gentle , so tender and
S\VC"Ct
I gave up my treasures , nnd bowed at His
feet.
Once more came the angel , all radiant and
And bore oft In' his bosom a dear child
from sight.
My Illy of lilies , BO graceful and fair.
Whose pure petals drooped In life's murky
air.
"My Savior Is precious , " was all she could
say ,
And then with the angel went gladly away ,
Through the bright pearly gates , to the
mansions of love
Prepared for God's children In His kingdom
above.
The sobbings of anguish were hushed by
the word ,
"Be still , faithless heart , and know I'm the
Lord.
In my beautiful garden a river Is flowing ,
And on Its green banks your Illy Is grow
ing.
Long years spend on , less bright thnn before ,
And again the pale messenger stood at the
door.
Our hearts grew BO heavy , we spake not a
word.
For we knew that the angel was Jesus the
Lord.
Wa saw not His glory , but -we felt He
had come ,
That the dear one we loved BO would go
with Him home.
A soft voice then whispered : "Oh , be not
dismayed ,
Thy Savior Is near thee , will comfort nnd
aid.
Thy lived one so trusted , thy stay and thy
17 lit 06
' ' I have called
O'er life's checkered path ,
from thy side
To his bright homo In glory , In the realms
of the blest ,
From sin and from sorrow forever at rest. "
Thro' the storm and the sunshine of life's
devious wayn , , ,
The love of my children hath crowned all
Theft lovc falleth on mo like the dew on
the flowers.
Gladdening life's pathway and brightening
its hours.
The shadows of evening , BO soft and BO
Are failing around me on forest and hill ;
The dew-laden flowers have an added per-
And the star-petaled Jessamine opens its
bloom.
I catch the faint echoes that seem not of
earth , . . ,
IJut the voices of loved ones , calling me
1 htar the low sighing of soft winds BO
And I list for the fall of the angels' feet.
Beyond the dark mountain there shlneth a
star ,
So bright Us refulgence , no shadow can
max ;
It Bhlnes o'er the way , where the dork river
And the crests of the billows are burnished
with gold.
Though rough bo the waters , so turbid and
The he m of my boat Jesus keeps In His
hold ,
Till the bark grates Its keel on the bright
Bllver strand , _ . ,
And my feet touch the shore of God'u
"Better Land. "
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