The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-01-11
MORNING JANUARY H. 1885,

bright star Of the renaissance In ic-
ton We were therefore prepared for
something startling in The Red
Badge and It Is well we were. 1t Is
a story Of exceeding strangeness, with
no visible plot. but dabbled profusely
with singular fancies and word pic
lures. Mr.. Crane rejoaces In surpris-
ing his readers. He scornsl convention
ality, and lies awake at night thinking
up new expressions. When his char
acters swear 1t Is with crimson oaths';
bullets 'spang' into trees: stars lie
like glittering pebbles on the black
level Of the night and the sun itself
and Is pasted In the sky like q wafer
-:ll:-
From all this 1t might appear that
Mr.. Cranes imagination runs away
with rhyme and reason; and In the
case Of The Black Riders such was
assuredly the fact. But in The Red
Badge there Is a more substantial
quality than mere eccentricity. His
writings. to be sure, are an acquired
taste. One must become hardened to
having everything described as muir
der red.' and to having ones composure
startled by lurid SMILES This
achieved, there comes q realization
that Mr.. Crane possesses a power of
his own, knowledge of truth. and
an ability to portray it forcefully. The
battlefield is no longer the conventional
scene Of heroism. but the arena OF very
human emotions In which fear is real
istically prominent. Mr.. Crane Is only
twenty -four. but his literary career is
already eight years old. He began
haPn H2
sixteen. and his first boOk-'Maggie, q
Girl Of the Streets'-was published
some three years ago without creating
an appreciable sensation. Hamlin Gar
land. who Is something of a realist
himself. said In a review of It: with
such technique already In command.
with life mainly before him, Stephen
Crane In hencefOrth to be reckoned
with The further development of the
young writer's ability has fulfilled this
prophecy. Mr. Crane will doubtless be
reckoned with mercilessly in many
quarters. so long as he persists in his
riotous style; but 1t Is to be hoped that
this will not discourage him. He is one
of the most original writer's OF the
day"
tilt
AUTHORS AND PUBLISHERS:
Hieronymus Lorm. the famous poet.
philosopher and critic, of Germany, IL to-
tally blind.
Hezekiah Butterworth is travelling in
Chile securing material for new story
or adventure for boys.
j. NJ. Barrie has taken house in Glou-
cester road, South Kensington, and in
tends to make London his permanent
home.
Professor Archibald Geilkie, director gen.
erai Of the geological survey of Great
hn nf vaytA ,s,tl
soon make a lecture tour In America.
Hall Caine does his best writing at his
Isle OF Man home. Greeba castle. In Lon
don his home Is near those of Herbert
rifles.
DR.. Elias Leounrot. country physician
OF Finland. has been called the 'Christo-
pher Columbus OF Finnish poetry" The
ooctor mas wri'ten one or two epic poems
celebrating the early history Of the coun-
try.
One thing Of which the late Baron
Tauchnitz. the great publisher, was es-
peciaily proud was the fact that, although
iIeipsic has long been a hotbed of social
ism. no strike has ever occurred at the
Tauchnitz printing works.
since the death OF Dumas the chances Of
Zofa for election to the French academy
srs Srsor ,nousht % to be much m brighter than ever
urged by his friends while his old-time
enemies are preparing against contest.
Count Leo TOlst0i is a vigorous hater of
ENGLAND. He says the English and the
Zulus should be herded together as the
two most brutal nations of the earth. His
chief regret, he declares, Is that he can
not spare the time to write about the
English people.
Robert Louis steyenson's unpublished
history Of his own family Ia to appear in
u Forthcoming volume Of the Edinburgh
edition OF his works, 1t ends with the
story OF the great achievement OF his
grandfather's life In the building of the
Bell Rock lighthouse.
London publishers, seeing that authors
nave organized themselves into a society
and that booksellers have followed their
example, have determined to have an
assocla ton also. They declare that they
DO not Intend to cause antagonism, but
will simply look after their own interests.
Thomas Nelson Page has decided 10
make Washington his permanent home.
The new house which he Is building on
Of the show residences Of the city archi-
tecturally. The site cost $4,000 and the
house itself will be constructed regardless
OF expense.
Minneapolis Journal, that Paul Bourget
was for some time a resident of South
Dakota. Before the bottom fell out OF
speculation Of horses he was member of
a French horse ranch company, operating
on Lame Johnny creek, In the Black
hills. and gave the concern his personal
attention for some time"
James Whitcomb Riley denies that he
either Is writing or has thought of writ
does not believe himself capable of a work
OF that character. Mr.. Riley Is living in
retirement. doing only such occasional
work with his pen as seems to him to be
q the nature Of recreation. He will not
NIL platform engagements this season.
Colonel Charles King, the military novel;
tst, with his half pay salary and his reve-
nue. from his books, Is very comfortably
fixed In life. He Is a handsome soldierly
tache and bronzed complexion that life
as civilian has not bleached. Colonel
King lives In Milwa ukee and is now ad.
Jutant general Of the state Of Wisconsin.