St. Paul daily globe., 1893-03-06
BOOK TALKS.

example or the later uay CHRISTIANS,
who have grown up under the influence
of that broader spirit of Christianity
whose first evangelist was DR.. Arnold,
of Rugby. 1t may seem bit shocking
to those dear, good brethren and sisters.
who see only tae stern Judge, and never
the loving. even indulgent, Father, III
the Maker of the world, to find that any
one has discovered in our Book of
Books sign of humor. But If, as we
claim, the Book suits all moods and all
people, surely that most helpful OF
gifts. humOr, has not been forgotten
In truth, think that most OF us have
secretly enjoyed those little bits
old humanity in those ancient
worthless whose histories the Book
chronicles, but have not had the conr-
age openly to tell of them as Dr.Shutter
does in this little book he calls wit
and Humor of the Bible," so far from
seeming sacrilegious, it seems to a
thoughtful person wise act to call
the attention of ones fellows to all that
will endear and attract in the Bible.
Why people should have grown to look
upon any display of wit as of the devil.
it would be hard to say. for some of the
best and highest sons of men have been
humorists, and have hidden behind
bit of fun some of the wiSeSt and most
helpful lessons. DR.. Shutter has made
very readable book, and one that viii!
be suggestive i'll many ways to large
number of people. The style of the
book is very bright and taking, and it is
easy to prophesy great popularity
for it.
In reading any of Hamlin Garland's
mranhif. 1nrfrnuoiS nf Nv lifa n nd
people, one is unconScIously brought to
wonder what sort OF woman his mother
was, or perhaps not so much to wonder
as to see revelation of her mortal
makeup in the decided bias of her
gifted sons genius. The lights and
shades Of the stories he has bound in
this later book, under the title OF "Prai-
rie Folks" are SO intense that one
might style him the literary Rembrandt
of the West. He has lived among the
people he deScribed-been of them
and not only he himself, but the mother
who bore him, has seen and felt these
things. | am not sure that these stories
of Western life would appeal so power
fully TO one who had never dWelt among
them, unless that subtle cord that
undeTieS the world that we call
sympathy, may reveal the real human
lty OF the characters TO those to whom
the scenes would be alien; but this l
do know, they are real pictures of real
people in real homes in all their Sordid
or pathetic details. and the discerning
could duplicate every one of them in
any of the older Of the Western settle
ments. Perhaps the most tragic of this
little cluster of stories is 'Sim Burns
Wife," that poor overWorked, poverty
crushed woman, whose miStreated body
at last rebelled, and whose fit of des
peratiOr, such as only tired woman
can know, eliminated in o dumb rage
that was almost deviliSh against the
world, against things generally, and in
particular against Sim Burns. In whose
service. us it seemed to her. she had
spent all that made life worth having.
After the quarrel she took her children
into the other pitiful room to put them
to sleep, full of remorSeful tenderness,
such as only mother feels who has been
betrayed into making life harder for
the poor little ones, for whom she knows
it will be hard enough. There was an
awful feeling Ill her heart as she sat
there and the house grew quiet. She
thought of suicide in vague way; OF
somehow taking her children into her
arms and sinking into lake some
q.
troubled, where she could sleep forever
without toll or hunger. And Sim, in
his way as much TO be pitied as his wife,
tried to solve the insoluble problem OF
endless toll, no eXtravagances and hard
ly the decences of life, and hopeless
poverty. Other people who had not
tried the matter had plenty OF explana-
tons, but the neighbOrS, who were
mostly in the same boat with Burns,
said: Il d. know. seems as If things
get worse an worse. Corn an wheat
glttin' cheaper IN cheaper. Machinery
eatin' up prOfits-got to have machinery
to harvest the cheap grain. an then the
machinery eats mp profits. faxes goln'
up. Devil to pay all around: a. know
what in thunder is the matter.
Back Country Poems, "by Sam Walter
Foss. Books of poems are plenty
enough, but there is only one Sam
Walter FoSS, and the cream of his
kindly poetic spirit can only be found
within the covers of this book, his latest
success, Back Country Poems." lis
homely rhymes appeal to the old
and the young, the learned and the un-
learned. They breathe spirit of
earnestness and whole-Souled interest
in human nature which seems to touch
a chord in the heart of the reader that
brings To his mind memories OF bygOne
days, and awakenS in his soul thoughts
which seem to have long since been
forgotten.
The logic and, as the poet himself
would call it, the ''hOSserfy," which is
contained in these poems is deeper than
might possibly be expected, but it is so
simply set forth Ill Foss' own peculiar
style. coming as it does from the heart
of the author, that it appeals alike to
every one, no matter i'll what class of
life they may be situated.
1t is this whole-souled, truthful, out
spoken manner of the author, wherein
he says exactly what he means, and
uses the simplest words and phrases in
every case, calling "a spade spade"
that has made his poems the most
widely copied of any of his cOntempOr-
aries. 1t is impossible to take up paper
anywhere in the United States today
without sooner or later finding in its
pages some poem taken from tho Yankee
Blade and written by Sam Walter FOSS,
The following are extracts from the
book:
An the angels played so bully, thet the
music reached the gateway,
An came spillin' through the opnin' an
a-slngin down TO earth,-
Came a-singin7 such great way thet the
universe wuz straightway
Shoutin' in the glad retention OF n holy
secon' birth;
An IL set a-straddle on the ridge-pole of
Creation,
An only iii TO holleF in my nootin' happi-
ness.
Wen Meiindy. my Melindy, filed my heart
ith juoilauon.
Wen Melindy, my Melindy, tor me 'Yesl"
From wen Melndy Toll Me Yes,'' in
Back Country Poems.
We start with courage in the heart
To try the endlessness of art
In hope that we mag speak some day
The word the Spirit lids us say.
But ere we speak the word Alright
The shadows conc and ii is night lli
Put out the light %ud close tine doors,
For good or i'll we've done our chores. I
From Chores,