The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-02-28
SOME STORIES ABOUT KIPLING
How He Got His Name. and How He
struck America.

struck America.
Rudyard Kipling was born in Bombay
! in Christmas week, 1865. His father. Lock
wood Kipling, was then professor OF art
in the Lehore intitute. He has led a life
Of unusual activity. He has been reporter,
war correspondent, traveller. hunter, ex-
plorer. His first book of verses, entitled
Departmental Ditties," appearing in 1886,
but long before that he had contributed
stories to the various journals OF India.
Many of these were collected under the
title of plain Tales from the His" Then
came Soldiers three" The Gadsbys."
Under the Deodars," and THE Phantom
Rckshaw," all of which have since be-
| come widely read.
When in 1896, Mr. Kipling, then only 3d.
went to England, he found himself fam
Gus. During the last ten A(rs Mr.. Zip
ling has steadily added to mis- fame and
fortune. He is a prolific writer, but unlike
most prolific writers, his work seems to
grow in strength and character from year
to year. He is certainly the most wond
erful figure in the literature of the nine
teenth century.
A pretty story-true, at that's told of
the manner in which Kipling obtained the
peculiar name of Rudyard. Shortly be-
fore the marriage of Kipling's father ami
mother, they were memoe:s of a little
excursion parIv that went from London
to spend a few Gays at 4 resort On lake
Rudyard, a small lake in England. Both
enjoyed the trip exceedingly, often speak
ing OF the delightful time they had. and
when, after their marriage, they went to
India and ason was born to them, the
lad was named Rudyard in remembrance
of the occasion.
AS an illustration Of the rapidly with
which Kipling attained worldwide fame
by his pen, an incident that occurred in
San Francisco ten years ago may be men
toned. A few hours after a steamship
from China arrived in port one day,
young man clad in sadly worn garments
that had not been in style for years. en-
tered the office Of the San Francisco Ex-
aminer, and endeavored to sell the editor
of the Sunday supplement some short
stories. The visitor explained that he had
just arrived from India where he was en-
gagged in newspaper work and story writ
ing and announced his desire to continue
the same line of work in this country
The editor-a pompous young man who
had but recently graduated from Harvard
told the young man that hemight leave
one or two Of his stories if he wished to;
that they would be read andp rinted il
acceptable.
Kipling returned a few days later and
was informed that his stories, while good
enough for country weeklies, perhaps,
were not of the high literary standard re-
quired by the Examiner.
Since that time the same young man
who gave Kipling his first rebuff in
America has printed many of Kipling's |
copyrighted stories at fancy prices But
Kipling has a name now. and when the
the incident narrated occurred he was IN
known.
4 facetious admirer OF Mr.. Kipling re- |
Gently read OF the large sum OF money |
paid to the author for a very short poem. 1
He counted the words and found that Mr.. /
Kiplng had been paid at the rate OF a /
shilling per word. Whereupon he wrote
a letter 10 KiplinE asking him for a shll- /
ling's worth Of his writing-snd inclosed /
q postal order for that amount.
Mr.. Kipl-ng was perfectly honest in the 4
matter. His secretary addressed a postal /
,ard 10 the correspondent and on the back
Of il the author wrote his shillings worth 1
the one word Thanks"
Mr.. Kipling IS without question the most
popular author of the day. HIS works
are read and rec.ies wherever the English
language 5 spoken and BE- Is no less ponu-
ar here than in his own country L
would be impossible % mistake the author
ship Of any bit Of his prose or poetry. and
whether l. be MS stories o. the LIFE u
Tommy Atkins or the wonderful tales
Z jungle life there IS something in every
hing he writes that bears the stamp OF
-ealty.
Mr.. Kipling." 70 use the words a
1ondon reviewer. stands out Ike a sharp-
booter as the Interpreter and champion
Z the private soldier. In rs verses he
llctures the hollowness Of sQciety life in
ne garrison. and the bubble bursts win
loud reP0-t OF laughter. mingled vita
ears
Although Kipling severely scored Amer
"a IA his American Notes re selected
q American woman as rs VIE NJ.
< ping xss e Mss Carolyn Ba.es.!er. SIS
- OF (. WaIc1;t Balestie- The American
0velist, wh1 died eign; year. ar- II Tlrs,-
en- Fer years Bsles,ser ard KIpl.ng had
esn chums and co-la boratars Mr. ana
Irs- kipiing spend much % iheis tina a.
be quiec It,Is home n vermont. ard %.
luch sopgat-after writer likes hie Arner-
Az refase more 5he leSs 5eca rse. X - far
-oH literary circles
Il thera 5 anything il thls Eorld that
.1dyarG kI2lins Graves = r 20 5e y,
lone ~lth his family II there Is anything