The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1898-11-10
kipling's Latest Poem.
His Fearless Warning to the World not to
Heed the Gar of Russia.
From tho Wa hi pnct


wildly and to the point, in words that
be said to exert very appreciate influ-
ence. 1t was this knack of getting the
pith into forms and figures that strongly
imprint themselves upon the memory,
which made 1.-THE Reeessionap' the most
notable poem of jubilee year. The world
recognized in it the fearless expression of
sober thought, making itself heard
above the not inexcusable babel of voices
in time of great national rejoicing and
justifable national pride. And the same
keen -sightedness which made 1.-The Re
cessionaf' possible has given rise to
poem, if not greater, at least as great
''The Truce of the Bear which Mr..
kipling contributes to a recent issue
of Literature (Harper q Bros.) "The
Recessonar' is remarkable for its humil-
ity, "The Truce of the Bear for its
fearlessness. 1t gives expression to what
has been in many minds since the APP
pearance of the cars proclamation in
behalf of universal disarmament, and it's
motto is ''There is truce with Adam -zad-
the bear that walks like a man. Mr..
kipling does not hesitate to show his dis
trust of the motive which inspired that
now. famous document, and the result is
perhaps his most important achievement
in poetry. To cite from the car S proc
lamation:
lit is the supreme duty, therefore, at
the present moment of all States to put
some limit to these increasing ornaments,
and to find a means of averting the ca
lamities which threaten the whole world.
Impressed by this feeling, his majesty the
emperor" etc.
Nh. kipling tells in his own wonderful
way the story of the hunter who forbore
to kill the great bear. The poem, which
has not previously appeared in any news
paper, is published in The Post by special
arrangement, and is as follows:
THE TRUCE OF THE BEAR.
From Literature, published by Harper x
Bros.
Yearly, with tent and rifle, our careless
BY the pass called Muttianee, to shoot in the
vale below,
Yearly by Muttianee he follows our white
men in
Matun, the Old blind beggar, bandaged from
brow to chin.
Eyeless, noseess and lipless -toothess, of
broken speech,
Seeking a dole at the doorway he mumhles
his I'd e to each
Over and over the story, ending as lie began,
Make We no truce with Adam-zad--t
bear that walks like man
There was flint in my musket-pricked
and prmed was the pan
When | went hunting Adam zad-the bear
that stands like a man.
| looked my last on the timber, looked my
last ON the snow
When | went hunting Adam-zad fifty sum
mers ago.
81 knew his times and seasons as he knew
mine that fed
By night n the ripened maizetield and rob-
bed my house of bread
| knew mis- strength and cunning, as ne
knew mine that crept
! At dawn to the crowded goat pens and plum
| dtIed while | slept.
"Up from his stony ygrGund-down from
his well-dgged lair
/ Out on rhe naked ridges ran Adam-Zad, the
bear.
Grooming, grunting and roaring, heavy with
sGOlen meals
| Two long marches to northward and ! was
at his heels!
''Two fun marches to northward, at the fall
OF the second night
/ | came on mine enemy Adan-zad, all weary
from his flight.
| Their was charge in the mus ket-pricked
/ and primed the ban
| My finger crooked ON the trigger, when he
reared up like a man.
Horrible, hairy, human, with paws ike
hands IL prayer,
| Making his supplicatiou, rose Adam zad the
bear.
] looked at the swaying shoulders, at the
paunch's swag and swing
, And my heart was touched with pity for the
nIonstrous, pleading thing.
Touched with pity and wonder, did not
fire then
| have looked no more on women-I have
walked no more with men
Nearer he tottered and nearer, with paws
like hands that pray,
| From brow TO jaw the steel-shod paw, il
ripped my face away.
Sudden silent, and savage, soaring as flame
the blow
Faceless | fell before his feet fifty summers
ago.
| heard him grunt and chuckle-I heard him
pass to his den.
He left me blind to the darkling years and
the little mercy of men.
snow We 60 down in the morning with guns
OF the newer style;
That load q have felt) in the middle and
range Il have heard mile?
Luck to the white mans rifle, that shoots SO
fast and true,
But-pay, and l lift my bandage, and show
(Flesh, like Stag in the furnace, knobbeG
and withered and gray
Matun, the Old blind beggar, he gives good
worth for his pay
Grouse him at noon in the bushes, follow
and press him hard
Not for his raging and roaring finch yt
from Adamzai.
"But (pay and put back the bandage) this
is the time of fear,
When he stands up like a tired man, totter
ing near and near,
When he stands up as pleading, in mon
strous man brute guise,
When he wells the hate and cunning of the
little swinsh eyes.
"W hen he shows, as seeking quarter, witt
paws like hands i'll prayer,
That is the time of peril-the time of the
Truce of the Bear
Eyeless, noseless, and lipless, asking a dole
at the door.
Matun, the Old blind beggar he tells it o'el
and Ger;
Fumbling and feeling the rifles, warming
his hands at the flame,
Hearing our careless white men talk of tht
morrow $ game.
Over and over the story, ending as he be
gan:
There is no truce with damzad, the bea
that looks like mani
The Weather for October.