The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-06-08
A NEW LITERARY STAR.
Rudyard Kipling and His Stories of Hin
doc Life.
Especial Ccrresponderce.1


doc Life.
Especial Ccrrespondence.1
NEW YORK, May GA new star has
blazed out rather suddenly in the galaxy
Of British literature. Many have smiled
and sighed over his short articles, and
many more have been puzzled, especially
by his local dialect stories. His name is
2udyaEd Kieling, and ne rs an Anglo
Indian. It does not certainly appear
from the notices in the British press
whether fsesis an Elglishrnan born in
India or one taken there very young, but
enc Of these he must be, es he writes
English very much as if It were to him
an acquired tURSuer and employs Hindoo
words il d way to howfamilarity with
them FROM childhood.
And this is at once charm and de-
feet II his writings N describing things
pTraly local or persons purely native the
reader is treated to the actual thoughts
and feelings of India~--he feels this in
every iine-bJTt IN writing Of life among
the English IN India there is altogether
too much of this ''Eindoe business" It
is evident from the start that Mr. Kip
ling thinks like EfDdOo. The novelty
is as great as if soEne Indian from the
wilds Of Arizona or Montana should sud
denly come before the American people
with thrilling and graphic portrayals of
his Wild life. We should get at once a
complete realization Of that we have
often wondered about, viz: What do real
ly intellectual Indians think of the world
and things in generaP
For the first half hours reading this
sort Of thing is wonderfully exhilarat-
ing. Taking Up at odd intervals Mr..
Kipling's little collection, plain Tales
from the Hills" is indeed fascinating.
But no one should read it certainly
not all OF it at q sitting-it would be like
making a dinner entirely of mince, sugar
and spice. The life he describes as that
of the English in their hot weather re-
treats in the India hills is altogether too
intense. He has lived it for many a
season-that is self evident-and equally
evident is the truth that it is not natu-
raj or healthy hfe in any respect and
least Of all in social morals. Ills other
productions are chiefly On the same gen
eral subject, but some of these are hu-
morous, the Irish private soldier in In
dia being used for the humorous ele-
ment.
Many critics have already compared
Mr.. Kiphng 20 Bret Harte, and there is
similarity in their styles. Both have
the tremendous advantage of locating
their scenes IN a far away, un-
known and most peculiar country and
climate, and selecting their characters
from societies which have no counter
parts elsewhere. The dnIlest writer who
should simply have lived few years IN
the hills of India, or in the mines of
California in $4,000, and jotted down
al he saw in plaine8t prose, could scarce
" fail to make book worth reading.
Mr.. Kip1ing is but q years old and has
been IN England but six months, yet he
complains already OF over work.
Indeed, he cannot supply the demand
upon him He was extremely preco-
cious, inheriting Etarary and artistic
talent from both parents; at the early age
of Is be became sub-etdtor of The Civil
and Military Gazette OK India, and many
of his short stories first appeared m that
paper. The English critics speak in the
very highest terms Of his versatility and
predict brilliant future for him.
J. Il. BEADLR.