The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-09-06
OUT AND ABOUT.

Oct. 16 will see the Simultaneous pub
LEGATION in Paris, London and New
York Of the memoirs Of Victor Hugo,
-arsd it seems safe TO prophecy that their
appearance will be one Of the great
literary events Of the year The
memoirs date back to 1925, when Hugo
witnessed the coronation Of Charles X,
at Rheims. It was on the occasion Of
his visit to this ancient city that he
heard the name Of Shakspere for the
first time, from Charles Nodier, who ac-
companied him Nodier, who was
Shakspere enthusiast, happened upon a
secondhand copy Of king John,
bought it for six sous and read the
play aloud to Hugo, who was strongly
impressed by Shakspere's genius.
In 1880 came the production Of Her
mani" at the Coincide Franchise dis
NAL failure. Hugo says the critics con
demned it unanimously, the public
laughed at it, the actors treated it with
ridicule even in his presence.
Like Daudet, Hugo had small use for
the academy. and after his failure to
be elected, amused himself by satiring
that august body. When Louis Phi
lippe was on the throne, Hugo was
a welcome visitor at the Tuilleries, and
the monarch was wont to make him his
confident The king seems to have ex-
pressed his views upon current political
affairs unreservedly. The emperor Of
Russia, he said, lacked tact and was
a fool. Sir Robert Peel also found lit
tie favor in his sight, but he was a
warm admirer Of Pitt whom he consi-
dered to be the greatest English states
man he had known. He explained to
Hugo the methods Of a parliament and
nimicked a member Of the house of
commons in the act OF making a speech
All this was in relation TO the danger
Gus tension between Great Britain and
France over the protectorate Of Hayti
which the king depIored. He was deter
mined that there should be no war. lin
spite Of what Peel might do or say"
He talked about his experiences in
England, which he was about to re-
visit, and gave his impression of that
country and its inhabitants. He was
always well received there, he said. In
fact, he was afraid the cordialfty Of
his reception might diminish his popu-
larity at home.
Instead Of a Dewey parade, when
thousands will be spent on a pageant
that will not differ particularly from
dozens that New York has already
seen, why not put the money into a
Dewey hospital. The suggestion has
been made and seems a sensible one.
Plenty Of heroes have been greeted by
triumphal arches and firecrackers and
croWds, by luncheons and bands. WHY
not make the popular reception to this
nero something different2 A Dewey
memorial hospital would be the best
klnd OF a recognition Of his daring and
proves.
Or. A. @. GetchelJ-returned Thursday
from North Woodstock, n. H. Mrs.
GetchelI and her daughters are spend
ing a few days in Manomet, Me,
And now arises a correspondent in
the Drums Of the Fore and Aft" con-
troversy who says that. while she has
not gone Kiplihg-mad, she much pre-
fers this authors (Kipling's) milk
Tor babes to that of many well-meaning
writers who deal in milk and water"
The expulsion of this characteristic
Kipling short story from various New
York Sunday schools is now a matter
OF ancient history, but the dust thereof
stilI thickens the air and fur ceases not
to fly The reasons why it has not been
considered suitable for Sunday school
libraries are patent enough to every
adult who reads it. The fact Of the
matter is, Kipling does not write for
children, he is not a Juvenile author.
He is not even a Woman's author. but
delights in the strong talk and strong
situations that please men. Whether
women and children are injured by
coming in contact with this sort NJ
thing is, IL appears from the New York
controversy, a moot question. The lat
ter are born so knowing in these days
that there IS not very much in 1.-THE
Drums of the Fore and AFT" that thew
do not already understand. And be-
sides, child's appreciation of the ar
tistic qualities Of a work must be taken
into account, not less than his compre-
hension of its moral and social tenden-
cies. Children and young people show
an often surprising sensitiveness to
this sort of thing, and can distinguish
literary Stops from literature as quick
~ as they can tell cambria coffee from
a cup of strong, genuine Java
So
As matter Of fact, the graduate Of
course Of what is known as Sunday
school stories is apt to enter upon a
fresh course Of dime novels as soon as
he gets emancipated, and this is really
a serious business. On the other hand
the boy or girl who starts in on the
best grown-up books gets his literary
conscience strengthened and is never
thereafter led into temptation by the
tales Of Old sleuth and Mary j. Holmes
This is something for parents and
teachers to think over.
"At the Louisville convention, in 1896.
we nominated lying devil" is what
Mr.. Thompson was reported as saving
in Lexington the other day, but what
he really said was that they nomin-
ated Alvin Duvall. And the typos
laughed.
Emily Crawford, in whom SO much
interest has been felt in this country
IN consequence Of her comments upon
the Dreyfus.trial at Rennes, ia an En-
giish woman born in Dublin. She was