New-York tribune., 1900-01-28

Mr. 7. w. H. Crosland, the author of the
! clever literary parallels, many of which have
been reprinted in these columns has written a
parody on Mr.. Kiplings Absent Minded Beg
gar 1t deals with the absent Minded Mule"
whose escapadeS have been reported with some
feeling from South Africa:
When you're walking out your Gloucesters and
your Irish Fusiliers,
And you feel like slapping Kruger in the
mouth,
Don't forget to keep an optic on little chap
A gentleman in foor-boards just come South;
He's an absent minded beggar, and his style is
pretty high
Though, of course. we've got to take him as
find him
He is here on active service, and he's been and
done guy,
And left a lot O. little things behind him!
Old mue-boId mule-mue of the hairy tail
Mule of spirit and swift hind-hoof and fabby.
scornful lip
Each of him doing his country's work Chow when
he happens TO falO
Never go nap on an army mule, cause he'll
spi skip! skip!
He'd been trained to smell blank cartridge and
wink the other eye,
He delighted in the music of the band.
But he'd never seen no powders. and he didn't
want to die,
And shot and shell were more than he could
stand:
his country's call,
And his g'ment didn't need to send to find
He chucked his job and bolted-and the JoD De-
fore US all
Is to get the men he's went and left oehnd
himi
Rough job-tough job-job for Butler & Co
Job for fifty thousand men Chats the bloom
In upD
Each of 'em doing his country's work, each OF
Each of EN- ware of the army mule whatn
skip! skip! skip!
cd Mr.
Philip James Bailey. the author Of "Festus" IS
In exceedingly good health and spends many
hours OF each day in his study.
Mr. Anthony Hope in talking about the pro-
posed scheme of pensions for authors remarks:
Interesting to learn that authors become poor, |
is it? Ali the fabulous wealth Of the author is |
a pleasing myth. Indeed with but few eXcep- |
tions we lower in the financial scale than
the members of any other learned profession.
The amusing little story of a great novelists
spelling is retod by Mr.. Benson, Henry Fielding !
having been an Etonian under DR.. Bland Field |
ing once asked by Lord Denbgh why he /
wrote his name Fielding" instead of Fielding"
as His LOrdships family used. / cannot tell,
my lord replied the novelist except it be that
my branch of the family were the first that
knew how to SPELL
Mr.. George Meredith is preparing to bring out
is a volume Of "poetry"-worse luck!
We are told that there is little doubt but that |
the owner of complete set of the books print |
ed at William Morris's KelmscOtt Press is the |
owner of what may some day be modest fort |
The latest price paid for copy of the |
Kelmscott Chaucer $500. Many of the |
Morris books coming to this country The |
Kelmscott WoodbloCkS all in the British |
Museum, and cannot be printed from again
until the expiration of hundred years.
Ibsen's new play he calls "a dramatic epi-
1ogue," and il may be taken for granted that
this is really the last of his work In this drec-
ton. 1t is not a creditable farewell. for it Is
dreary, morbid and foolish to the last degree
Such it is, all the world will have a chance
to crticse it, for it is coming out in German.
Norwegian, English, French, Russian Dutch.
Hungarian Bohemian, Polish and Italian edi-
tions.
DR.. Nansen is just now busy with the scientific
work on the Far North of which he is the edi-
tor. This work, dealing with the zoology, orni-
thology, geological structure and remains of the
polar region traversed by him. is 10 be published
jim parts, the first being nearly ready; it will be
completed in about two years.
Mr.. COllingwood says of the author Of Alice
In Wonderland: Among the books which death
prevented Lewis Carroll from completing, the
lection of essays religious difficulties, for he
felt that, as clergyman. to associate his name
with such work would be more fitting than
that he should only be known a writer OF
humorous and scientific books. However il was
not to be so; he only lived long enough to finish
one OF the several papers of which the volume
was to consist; the subject-'Eternal Punish |
ment-was one which he felt very deeply and |
his method Of treating it is entirely his own"