The age-herald., 1898-10-23
A-BY PAUL PRY.

A communication came to me during the week from some kind, though unknown, friend in the city. I say "kind" because the sender seemed solicitous about afford ing me some information in regard to d certain very charming French writer fam iliarly known as "Gyp;' but as the Com tesse de Martel, as she Is known in Paris, is an old acquaintance of mine, and as have no less than half dozen portraits of this attractive little woman in black and white, couldn't make out the purport of the communication. There was simply clipping about "Gyp," with my own note about her new book taken from last Sun days Age-Herald pinned to 1t. In my short note there were two typographical errors, and my first thought was that some one was holding me responsible for these apparently unavoidable mistakes. I pom dered for solid hour over the matter. felt sure there was some significance, or a two-cent stamp would not have been so ruthlessly wasted. The more I failed to see the point the more determined I was to find it. Occasionally my friends tell jokes. the point of which fail utterly to discern, but then-I can look knowingly and join in the laugh and no one is the wiser; in this instance it was different and I really wanted to comprehend.
 Like a flash it came to mel Oh, yes! you thought you had scored one on Paul Pry," and that you would inform her that "Gyp" was woman and not a man."
 Now you read the clipping again and &C., knowledge that you really were "obtuse."
 "Gyp,' the favorite French writer, has written a new novel called Journal dun Grinchu.' Gyps 'Grnchu' denotes a pecu- liar species of the grabbed variety of the genus man; he has good deal to say that is interesting and witty about the men and events of the present day. and his own story is very interesting" Now this jour nal' Is written by man. and 1t is "he' that tells This own story that is interest mig. "He'' is the one that says the witty things about men and events of the pres ent day-not "Gyp" at all. See?
 But I have lots more interesting things to write about than even "Gyp," who really writes very readable little love tales that please the ordinary reader of fiction. for I've been reading "Kipling's" latest pub lished book, "The Days York;
 I am ashamed to remember that I ever made the vain-glorious boast that I posi- lively could not read "Kipling,'' for, all have to say now is-if you can't read Kip ling" something is wrong with 'you." not "Kipling."
 For their perfect style and choice English certain works of MT. Kipling's are given as supplementary reading in the department of English at Harvard university, This is a compliment, for Harvard, you know, heads the list when 1t comes to the teaching of English"
 The more you read "Kipling' sthe more you are profoundly impressed with the keen-sightedness of the young writer; his many-sided yet thorough knowledge and his wondrous versatility. Aside from his gen. jus as an author what a mind the man has! In these stories entitled "The Days Work" the reader forgets the narrative and thread of the story in silent admiration for the penetrative and comprehensive learning of the man. Where in his short and busy life has he had time to acquire it all? for he was born only about thirty-three years ago in the city of Bombay, and when only IT years old entered into journalistic work as sub-editor of the Gazette.
 
 There is no doubt that the wide and va ried experiences here encountered were in- valuable in forming the rugged strength that was soon to show forth in his literary work While "The Man Who Would be King vividly presents this newspaper ex- perience, and the many-sidedness of life in India, yet, 1t also shows the monotony and unceasng labor which the life required. So that one wonders when in his busy life he has had time to study out all about these various phases of life and it's component parts. However, amid the stress of journal stic work he found tme to write ballads, for it was a poet that Kipling first won fame. These Departmental Ditties" and "Barrack Room Ballads" won immediate recognition and fame.
 Tn them the Seamy heroes sang of the life they lived with all their dramatic virtues as well as their dramatic sins. The rugged strength of the handling and the brilliance of the color were recognized, yet, critics questioned the claim of these rhymes as poetry.
 MT. Kipling proved his adherence to or thodox poetical traditions in his dignified lyrics, such as "Benediction," Song of the Battle" and "The Three Decker" His "Recess onar' was the most notable poem ssseesssSsesSesesssSeeeeeseeeSs
 IEcSE EPENCtJ PIANO GO.