Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1890-10-31
THE WORLD OF LETTERS.
Kipling and His Suddenly Acquired Fam
h Story Tellers.

lHE WORIO Or LEI I ERS. er&
Kipling and His Suddenly Acquired Fame.
Other Story Tellers.
Especial Correspondence
NEW YORK, Oct. 13.-The report that
Rudyard Kipling has been obliged to sus-
pend work and take q season of rest ind1-
Gates that his popularity sstill maintained
in Great Britain. The extraordinary de-
mand which he has had for his writings,
and the incessant labor which he has given
in order to meet it, are said to have
brought on a sort Of nervous prostration.
Yet it is understood that after he made
his hit last spring he met this demand to
some extent by, supplying publishers with
manuscripts which had long lain in his
desk, and some of which had been rejected
; when he offered them before his name be-
came famous.
If Kipling's popularity is still sustained
in Great Britain there is some indication
that there is u falling off of 1t in this coun-
try. The manage of a house which pub
fishes stories in cheap form tells me that
they are still selling more of Kipling's
books than of almost any other of their
publications; but there appears to be a fall
ing off in the demand. The popularity has
been mainly in the east. In some parts of
the west the stories have fallen flat, al
though this is accounted for partly by the
dialect which characterizes the 'Three Sol
diers'" conversation, and which is at times
almost as difficult to understand of some
of the colloquialisms in Scott's novels. It
is generally admitted that Kipling cannot
maintain his reputation for any length of
time with his tales of the humorous ad-
ventures of his "Three Soldiers" or with
further illustrations of life in India, and
there is a great deal of curiosity, according
to reports received from Great Britain, re-
garding his long novel, which it is under
stood will deal with contemporary life in
England.
An interesting report also comes from
Great Britain, and from a well informed
source, which seems to indicate that Kip
ling's sudden and magnificent success is
due to influences which are not wholly lit
erary. The report as we hear it here is
that the young man was able to command
social favors which were of immense value
to him, and which to some extent counted
for the very flattering article which ap-
peared in The London Times, and from the
publication of which his popularity is to be
dated. This social distinction, coupled with
some incidental advantages which greatly
advertised the young nan, contributed, as
the report says, very largely to his success.
Kipling himself was not a party to any ad-
ventitious efforts to bring his personality
and work before the public. He did not
seek society for the purpose of booming
himself, but partly because he is fond of It
and partly that he might study it.
This report again illustrates how often
it is due to chance that a writer wakes up
and finds himself famous. For instance,
in this country regulations lave been made
by what seems to be almost accident, and
in a manner which surprises those who
have the good fortune to enjoy this expert
ence. Bret Harte, for instance, had at
tracted some attention from the critics
and among a certain class of readers, but
his name was not at all well known until
he published his poem 'The Heather Chi
nee" which he dashed off at almost a mo-
ment's notice, regarding it as merely dog
gerel, and a thing of no account whatever.
10 this day he seems to be ashamed of the
poem, and does not like to nave it alluded
to, yet everybody remembers how when it
was published it went through the coun-
try and set everybody to talking about the
author. 1t brought him fame, and that
which goes with literary fame, great Pc
cuniary returns, which, had he been a less
cratic man, would by this time have re-
suited in a fortune.
On the other hand, there are several
writers of sketches and short stories in
this country whose works enjoy u great
popularity, for they are widely read and
circulated, and yet the authors are men
who are never heard of. A series of short
stories has been for several years published
one each week, and excellent judges pro-
nounce them to be as good work of the
sort as is ever done. The stories are re-
copied everywhere and are looked forward
to with interest, yet the author is not
known excepting to a very small circle,
and there has never been any inquiry for
him on the part of the general public, al
though good judges Of literature have fire.
quently asked who the writer is. 1t so
happens that he is a writer whose name is
known throughout the land, and who, if
he permitted his name or nom de plume to
be attached to these stories, would find his
fame greatly increased; but either through
whim OF for business reasons he insists
upon publishing these stories anonymous
ly. If he keeps them up the time will be
likely to come when by accident his per-
sonality in connection with them will be-
come known, and it will not be surprising
if he become as famous thereby as Kipling.
n T EDrrAnDo