New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-12-18
"HAPPINEss FACE TO FACE"


permission.
"HAPPINESS FACE TO FACE"
What appears to have struck DIT Kener most
in the personality of his subject was the air OF
happiness which surrounded him:
"All that fate-kipling would call il the good
God-has To bestow of real worth has been
granted TO this wonderful child Of fortune: love
domestcity independence. fame and power in
the vigOr Of youth Che is only thrty-twol ana
sound health. and above all the capacity for
enjoying his good fortune. He has known how
by wise economy to obtain full independence he
has for many years been placed in such po-
s:tion that he can Withstand all the temptations
OF publishers and editors. and in his creative
work need only respond To the inner call and
his literary conscience. Literary creation u.s.
for him. the highest JOY and the calling OF "a
writer the noblest pursuit Nor is that all: Kip
ling has the happiest fortune which can happen
to when he has attained his highest
aims, his father and mother are still alive. and
he can and does say with proudest modesty All
that l am to them kipngs father was
an artist holding official position IN India, and
lives now IN retirement in the neighborhood or
his son. for with such a glote:rotteI Wiltshire il
regarded as quite near Sussex Happy father
and happier SON. or his mother ne naturally
does not speak TO strangers. hut II rs sufficient
to hear a man say my mother to understand
the relations that exist between them"
The impression Of all this happiness was go
strong upon Dr. Kellner that after his interview
he said to himself To-day have seen happi-
ness face 20 face
HOW KIPLING WORKS.
The first impression produced 10y Nh kipng
on the interviewer was striking in its diversity
whenever Mr.. Kipling speaks and turns his
face full upon you you would think YOU had be-
fore you very wide-awake lively and harm
less child but the profile shows strong man
who has not grown up in the atmosphere OF the
study. have seldom. adds the interviewer
received two such different impressions from
one and the same face. The WOrkrOom IS OF
surprising simplicity; the north wall is covered
with books half its height: over the door hangs
a portrait Of Burne-Joncs (Mr klplings unce)
to the right. near the window stands PLAIN
tatlc-not a writing tahle-on which lie couple
Of pages containing verses. No works OF art no
conveniences no knickknacks-the unadorned
room simple and earnest like Puritan chapel
81 much fear" began the interviewer. that !
have come too early. and that have disturbed
you in your work. NO. no. interrupted Mp
ling Il have done my daily task"
81 looked astonished at him. The late Ia
mented Trollope came TO my mind who under
all circumstances wrote his twenty pages every
day--but Trollope and Kipng' He guessed al
once what had astonishcd me Il DO my ddly
task con scentiously. but not all that write is
printed: most Of il goes there. "The waste
paper basket under the table here received
vigorous kick, and a mass oi t"rn-up Papers
rolled on the ground Kipling's movements are
Quick and lv,ly. and perhaps somewhat ner-
vous: a thoroughly Southern temperament
The interviewer despairs OF giving any verbal
account Of the interview. which lasted Tor some
five hours, but gives for his German readers a
sort of analytic account Of Mr.. Kiplng after
the manner Of Taine but evidently based on IN
formation supplied by the novelist hnsef. Thfee
differen. nationalities have gone I" make ny ms
&C mplica ted nature ON the mothers slde S'"i
land and Ireland. on the fathers England.
though four hundred years ago the kIplnss
came from Holland There is likewise IN 'xture
Of two different temperaments in Inc gem ai"eE'
Both grandfathcfS were clcrgymtn, bul Inc
father is an artist and the mother has through
ont her life told stories in verse and prose The
same compexity existed in the early environ
ment Of the future author, spent IN the wonder
ful world Of India. midst the primitive culture
Of the Fast on one hand ana the in"s' anNan't'
civilization Of the West on the other. the chlid
could thus see ore family content with four clay
walls under a straw thatch. Tire" earihen pots
and q handful Of rice earned 10y nara WORK
while close hv he could find hims II surrounded
hv III the convenicnccs which Europeans mo
+ necessary e. make their stay IL India hcdrdlhr
As the child began to talk he learned l" can
. things hv two different names. kiTIlng SPEAKS
/ Ujndustanee as fuently as English. Ihr"uth 'he
servants h came in touch with all inc IcHElons
~ Asio. his Avail was Roman 'ath"ic ana ne
kncIt with her at the same altar: other serVahts,
took him into the MOSQUES diners h'r''' Ir
him into the temples Of the Hlndoos ana iai-
.o.c Az snnn as ne reached the age OF hnyhood
ne was torn from these marvels ana placcc al
an English school at Westward no hht ~
had scarcely time to learn his new SURROUNDINGS
before H. again went 20 the East, to earn MS
own bread AZ the age Of sixteen f"r seven
wears n. passed through the dangerous al'pIth-
/ ticcship Of u journalist in India DANGEROUS W
/ cause ne remained throughout that tIne III the
/ Mains even when all other Europeans mao ne"
| 10 thc hills Throughout the heat ana the RAINY
] season he remained watching ne military ana
civil organizations Of England at WORK No
man. not even physician sees 50 i'i"on -. INV