The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1898-09-12
K|PL|NG' 5 EARLY VERSES
HE WAS PUBLISHER AS WELL AS
POET.
Some Characteristics of the Man Who
Has Given Such Prominence and
Popularity to Tommy Atkins.

They say dimple in the chin de-
notes generosity of character, says a
writer in the London Critic. James
Payn had a deep dimple, and one is
strongly denoted in the portraits of
Rudyard Kipling. | wonder Sir Walt
err Besant has never used as a motto
line or two of Kipling's on publish
ing. kipling, in the very humblest
and most primitive, way printed and
published his own poems in India
There was no trade discount, no
reckoning twelves as Il irteens no COM
mission, and no credit of any kind
whatever. The money came back in
poor but honest rupees, was trans
ferred from the publsher-the left
hand pocket-to the authorize right
hand pocket. The ratio of expenses
and profits as l remember it, has since
prevented my injuring my health
with sympathising with publishers
who talk of their risks and advertise
ments."
Now and then, however. the author
makes coup" Hall Caine has been
bidding thousands for farm in
Mainland that has fairy story at
tached to it. A foolish idea, surely
If there had been an oil well i'm the
back yard, or unknown minerals un-
der the cowshed, that would be the
sort of fairy tale for a right -minded
capitalist Talking of poetry under
difficulties, "a sub-editor is not hired
to write verses says Kiplng of his
early journalistic days; ''he is paid
to sub edit. At the time this discov-
cry shocked me greatly; but some
years later when l came to be a sort
of editor-in-charge, Providence dealt
me or my subordinate one
saturated with Ella. He wrote very
pretty Lamb-like essays, but he wrote
them when he should have been sub
editing. Then l saw a little of what
my chief must have suffered on my
account"
But all the time, reporter sub
editor, editor, Kipling went on writ
ing verses. They came without invi-
tation," he says, "unmannerly, in the
nature of things; but they had to
come, and the writing of them kept
me healthy and amused. To the best
of my remembrance no one then
discovered their grevious cynicism or
their pessimistic tendency, and | was
far too busy to take thought about
these things" 1t is mostly the critic
who spots the underlying intention,
the direct motive, the cunning suble-
ties never dreamt of by the author;
yet the author is hardly ever grateful
for these discoveries. How one re-
ioices to know that these first offer
ings of the muse before the music is
heard much beyond the authors own
nd h. nfh a,
with an intense delight! $50 rney
arrived merrily," says Kipling, "being
born out of the life about me, and the
joy of doing them was payment a
thousand times their worth" Ii Dib-
din's songs helped to man the Navy,
Kiplings Notwithstanding their occa-
sional deterrent stanzas, have stimu-
the popularity of Tommy Atkins and
the Service. Even before Kipling be-
gan to publish them in regular and
formal business way his songs were
sung to the banjo around the camp
fires in India, and some had run, "as
far down coast as Rangoon and Moul-
mein and up to Mandalay." The last
time | heard son the Road to Manda-
lay it was sung by a young Indian
student in London, who knew Kipling
pretty well by heart.
"A very nice chap" was the report
of Brightonian speaking to me of
Kipling, "apropos" of his house at
nottingham, near "LOndon-by-
Sea-" "Rides a bike all about the
place; hardly anybody knows him;
he don't know anybody either, and
don't seem to want to; comes into my
shop now and again, pleasant gen
tleman, you'd never think he was the
great man he is; know some of his
poetry has made me both laugh and
cry, and l amt easily given that
way"