The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-06-25
Books of the Hour.
"Reminiscences by Mccarthy,

"Reminiscences by Mccarthy"
"reminiscences by Justin Mccarthy"
Harper & Brothers, New York For
sale by the st. Paul. Book and Station
cry company. e.. ~. N
1t is more than score Of years since
that fine series Of pictures, History Of
Our Own Times" gave his readers q con-
nected view of the great facts of the
modern world, and gave Justin McCar-
thy q conspicuous international reputa-
ton. To some men 1t Is given to see,
to others there Is the gift of interpreta-
ton, but upon Mr.. Mccarthy q lavish
nature has bestowed the double blessing
It could not fail that after long and
busy political and literary career, passed
for the most part in; London, but varied
by travel, meeting the most eminent men
and women at home and abroad. such a
man should have something to remem-
ber and that his "Reminiscences should
find a wide and cordial reception.
There Is good deal to interest Ameri-
cans in the story that is told, for the
authors friends are also our friends.
and we are glad to learn from one who
has seen them Important particulars
about those whom we honor for their
works sake, but have. never known in
bodily form. Then there are views OF
Americans as WELL. apdTreviews of Amer
lean affairs. Here lis what he says about
our newspaper enterprise:
Now the American interviewing sys-
TEN is an institution that defies exag-
geration You may read about it as
much as you like;i you may study what
seems to be the most extravagant and
highly colored pictures of it; but until
you become acquainted with the institu-
ton itself you can never know what 1t
Is in reality. Insmy former lecture tours
I was only an obscure individual who
had written q book or two, and whose
pame was just beginning to be family
known in literature, but on my last tour
1 was a man with a. political mission,
man who had just come from the heat of
a battle in which the whole civilized
world felt an interest, and therefore l
could not complain if the interviewer
marked me for his own. Indeed I have
nothing personally to complain Of: the
interviewers were all civil and consid-
crate so far as their business would al
low them to be considerate: but then,
there were so many of them, and they
appeared everywhere and they would
take no denial, and the life of a lecturing
tourist on the American continent owns
no soft hours Of selfish privacy. l did
not regard the presence OF the inter-
viewers as a conclusive evidence of my
individual greatness, and so 1 had to
accept the martyrdom without the con-
ISOLATION Of the crown"
This is leaf from the authors expe-
rience when he was touring this country
in 1887, with the purpose of interesting
the American people in the home rule
campaign for Ireland; The feeling at the
time was so genuine, and Mccarthy re-
garded as so eminent d disciple of Par
nell and Gladstone, that the newspaper
enthusiasm was proper reflex of the
national feeling.
His intimate relstiefN with Charles
Stewart Parnell make the writer's sketch
of him after this lapse of time, full OF
interest. He knewIe ParneH as he was,
and he tells the story frankly The great
Irish leader was neither man of books
nor of IDEAS but he was alive to certain
concrete wrongs III the Irish land ques-
ton which he Thought might be settled
by the aid of an Irish parliament with
such powers as a state legislature has in
this country. He meyer really dreamed
of Irish independence He was an alb
stemious man. given neither to~eating nor
drinking, nor to other forms Of pleasure.
He was warm-hearted and frank with his
intimates, If little distant and some
times even severe with his ordinary asso-
ciates. A man with a great capacity for
work and endurance OF physical kind
almost beyond belief, he was unfamiliar
with literature or art, and had none CT
the usual interests which stimulate intel
lectual people. Fond of athletics, fear
less rider, a great walker, he was the
very embodiment of masculine energy
He did not like to make speeches, but
was able to say just what he wished In