The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-01-11
KENNEDY'S BOOK.

1t was on Sunday evening early last
winter that I saw the book Of Alistair
Kennedy. Months before, In talking Of
the work and ambitions common to us, he
had mentioned that he had grown bold
and was writing at length. Then and
several times since had asked him to tell
me more than the mere fact, to describe
his motive and characters; but always he
had laughingly refused. Friendship was
constant In everything save In affairs of
authorship He could say that he had
found vein Of life as yet unworked by
the novelist When the book was finished,
should see 1t and praise. Until then my
curiosity must be unsatisfed.
A day or two before the evening he had
written me that his work was done, and
that the book would be brought out at
Christmas. The publishers had returned
the manuscript with some suggested al
formations, and II like might see 1t be-
fore 1t finally left him. My answer to the
letter was visit to his rooms on the even
Ing, and Of this visit and of what followed
write. As faithfully as can will tell
the incidents of the two or three hours
from the time Kennedy replied to my con-
CALCULATIONS,
"Yes, he said, Brown & Bowyer have
accepted 1t, and I expect big sale, I
don't think the book Is badly done, but
then am prejudiced. You shall judge
for yourself. Here it is. Do you read, and
I will smoke and watch II you approve.
I took the bundle he passed across the
table and turned over the typewriter
sheets and learned what was his book.
The unworked vein of life was the Saliva
tion Army. On q gray background Of
barrack room and shelter he had shown
gray pictures Of men and women. With
the circumstances that gives air OF truth
he had told the loves and hates Of captain
and lieutenant bandsman and tambourin-
ist. 1t was an unkind book. Blame was
sounded often and clearly, praise seldom
and in falsetto Of cynioism. The writing
was the writing Of scoffer. Unfair
though the book was, 1t was cleverly
made and would find public willing to
buy. Chapter after chapter quickly read.
certain power The book would have the
SUCCESS that was hoped for But 1t was
bad, bad as it was clever At the end of
bitter impeachment entitled BLOOD
Royal" tired of the reading, Pushing
back my chair, looked to Kennedy in re-
monstrance
"Well," he said, "what do you think of
it2 Will 1t go9"
"The book is not good, said at is
very easy to abuse people and parties of
people to bring forward the bad and hold
back the good. 1t is
THAT Is not what l mean" he inter
rupted lis the book well written Will
it sellS"
Yes" 1 said. 1.-THE writing has
strength and will be read But the whole
thing is unfair I cannot understand how
you, Kennedy, an emotional man, could
have written It, Where is the morality"
''If the book takes" he said somewhat
angrily, II shall be content. The morality
is clear to me. You think am showing
up the army. Well, perhaps am, and per.
haps am right to do so. Let me ask you
II question. Have you ever been to Sal
vationist meeting, or slept in shelter, or
talked to a soldier"
NO." said "But''-
"You confess" he interrupted. you
know nothing of tho people or thor meth
DDS, and yet am unfair. Why, my dear
fellow, have lived the life for months
and have written from facts. 1t Is you
who are unfair. But 1t is not too late to
begin to study. am not quite satisfied
with the coloring of the third-the CONVEX
sion-chapter and should like to watch an
other meeting. There is hall but few
yards away, and presently we will go to it.
You shall listen to the bandsmen as with
music they charm the world. You shall
sec the sisters as with flourish of tambour-
ines they charm the bandsmen. You will
Gomez
"You talk as you write, Kennedy
said. "Yes, will come. When do we
START"
Now" he said gathering together the
typewriter sheets II will put these
away-no, will bring them with me,
you may want to refer to them-and we
will go. The show begins at 2, and we will
lose as little as possible"
His anger had gone at the thought of
guiding me to the life he had found, and he
laughed as he gave me my hat and led the
way to the street Arm In arm we walked
to the corner and across to the low rooted
puiluiuSi Wnicn was inc nail.
ut is late, and we have commenced but
think there is standing room. Come In.
God bless you," said the soldier OF the en-
trance as we passed into the meeting
Eyes, the seats are all taken. We will
wait here, said Kennedy, placing his book
on the floor, and near the beginning of the
middle aisle we stood and looked about the
room.
Across the far end was raised platform,
on one side Of which sat men who played
on this and that instrument and were the
band, and on the other women who shook
tambourines and sang in high, shrill
voices and were now the followers and
now the leaders of the men. Below the
platform, and with face sometimes toward
and sometimes away from 1T, stood tho
captain, waving rude time with the hymn
book in his hand. Between tho captain and
our place of watching were 800 or 400 peo-
pie, who sang or tapped their feet on, the
floor, or were silent as was their mood
Around platform, captain and people were
thin wooden walls, with 100 decorations of
texts and notices and advertisements of
Army merchandise and Army meetings.
Brothers and sisters, F" said the captain,
las some Of you know, we have visitor
tonight. Lieutenant Gray has come from
to speak to us end has much to
Say. May the Lord bless her words. Will