The daily morning journal and courier., 1898-08-02

ance with his histrionic procliVities, which had been considerably developed by his successful parts In amateur the atricals on speech day at the various colleges. He became professional wrestler at fairs. ...
 The Paris papers sang his praises, but the spirit of unrest began It's work He engaged himself "before the mast on a coaster trading between Nantes and Bordeaux. and this time the DOT ter's knot" came In. It is to that eX- perIence that we owe his collection of poems entitled La Mer," than which, for sheer, unaffected pathos and down right honest strength. know nothing better in the range of modern French verse.
 Even the Bay of Biscay, with It's constant dangers and hardships. was too narrow for his love of adventure. He was about to sign on a merchant 1 man bound for South America when he fell in with band of gipsies. The | original melodies of their race consti- tuted however, no part of their pro- | gramme. The chawbacons and Gallic | Hodges before whom they performed lpreferred the modern music-hall ditties, and Riehepin, in virtue of his Parisian training, was promoted to the post of | channonnier-en chief. How long he would have remained must be a matter | Of conjecture, but the sister of the im- | presario offered him her heart and 1Eand. refusal meant a stab of the knife on some dark evening. Richepin | fled to Paris. The incident, considera- l bly altered, has been utilized for two powerful situations in "Le Chemi- neau."
 The odyssey of shortcomings" was drawing to an end. A few transpon- tNne papers began to publish Richepins articles.
 The problem of constant breakfasts, dinners and suppers was yet not who'll ly solved, but the bill of fare of the cheaper restaurants no longer read like a Utopia" The letter F stood for feeding as well as for fasting" and sometimes it stood for "feasting," as was attested by Gargantuan repart-- with regard to quantity if not quality which opened at midday and was not finished at D. m., at which each of | the guests had consumed seven lunch cons without Judging, and the bill of which entertainment came to seventy six francs. Each portion cost half a | franc, and the company numbered eight. Allowing the third of the sum for the cheap wine-a liberal allowance
 assuredly-at one franc per litre, each pf the party had slowed away more
 than three litres of liquid and twelve
 ulates of solid. One of these, however, had an appetite like a mouse, and even
 as early as the beginning of the seven-
 sies drank tea. I am alluding to M.
 Paul Bourget, the well-known author of
 "Cosmopolis." That is why made nc
 mention of the coffee, cigars and li- 3 queurs.
 Gone are the days of feasting and fasting; Jean Richepin has not become
 a recluse and short of failing health
 which Heaven forefend-will never be. come one He no longer wears the
 conical hat with tassels, nor the hes
 sians and tight fitting brooches but the
 velveteen jacket remains, and so do the kindness to his fellowmen and tender. heartedness to animals and children. 4 cat, a dog or baby, be it ever so plain : is sure to stop Richepin's progress, lei his hurry be whatever 1t may. It is not my province to judge his theatrica
 work, Of one thing I feel, however : certain; if "Le Chemineau" breathes the spirit of unrest, it also breathes tht
 spirit of boundless humanity, the tol erance for all human foibles, for whicf nature alone is responsible Albert D Wandam in the London Daily Mail.