Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1900-12-08

appears on the lecture platform many
who have read his book want to SEE
what manner of man he is. We all
know how the personality of an autho,
is a source of infinite curiosity on the
part Of the public who reads his hook
and the opportunity to see and hear
him speak is the most convenient one
offered his readers, most of whom. in
the nature of things, can never hone
to make his acquaintance at short
range, to satisfy themselves on this
point. On the other hand, people who
go to hear him speak, If they are in
terested in what he says, want to read
his book"
Ernest Seton-T hompson's wild
Animals That l Have Known" though
1t was published more than two years
ago, in the autumn of 1898, is one of
the best selling books on the Scribner's
list, being now in it's eightieth thou
sand. 1t has had the somewhat I'M
usual fortune of meeting with a con-
stantly increasing popularity, and the
demand for it now is said to be larger
than when it was first published.
There are excellent TRANSACTIONS into
Spanish of Kipling's works, the best
being that of plain Tales from the
Hills" made by Don Augustin F. de
Laserna, formerly vicepresident Of
the chamber of deputies. and himself
a clever writer. Many Spaniard can
recite passages from the stories of the
Anglo-Indian.
The masculine members of the
Arnold family, it is intimated, have
not viewed with any great approval
the literary productions of their
thoughtful relative, Mrs. Humphrey
Ward. Matthew Arnold, We are told
did not give his niece's work very
enthusiastic welcome. He had a con-
vincing formula, which was not exact
ly logic: No Arnold can write a
novel. If ArnOlds could. should have
written one myself AS for the late
Thomas Arnold, the lady's father
The London Chronicle declares that
he did not find it easy to follow with
very close interest his daughters
pages. The critic of the Pail Mall
Gazette. by the way, says in discuss
ing Mrs. Wards novels, that, while he
has fully admired their clearness of
thought and delicate observation of
social and psychological life, he has
felt himself almost repealed by the
characters held up to his sympathy
and esteem. THE heroine of 'Helbeck
of Bannisdale,' he adds, ''irritated
me almost to madness, and l would
have walked a considerable distance
to avoid meeting the lady called Mar
celia. 1t seemed to me that Mrs.
Humphrey Ward ignored the evil
quality of arrogance or assumption.
One seemed to be expected to take
these ladies at their own valuation.
She seemed to forget that the assump-
ton of superiority is the worst as it is
the most elementary sort of bad man
nerS, and that it is altogether incon-
sistent with personal grace or charm. -
Emile lola has been busy since the
memorable year 1899, when he filled
the world with his name during the
Dreyfus agitation, in putting the fin-
ishing touches on a new novel, which
is entitled Travail" This will appear
in English early in the new year, I'M
der the title of Labor" and will be
published by Harper & Bros. When
his "Fecondite" was published-it APP
peared in English under the title of
"Fruitfulness'-it was understood to
be the first of a series of four coma
nected works, which his admirers call
his -four gospels The others will be
"Verite'' and Justice" In Fruitful
ness" NJ. lola dealt with family life;
in Labor it is said. he gives us the
big city, with it's problems and pulsa-
tions, depicts the struggle between
labor and capital. and then goes on to
create a new state of society, with
work. conducted on new lines.
Anxious readers of Mr.. Rudyard
Kipling, who have watched with in
creasing sorrow the flagrant waste of
his abilities in the writing of stories
like those of 'Stalky & Co.." or in the
composition of vixenish diatribes ike
those which have been offered to us in
the guise of letters or stories on the
South African war. may recover their
confidence in him within a short time.
The first pages of kim of the Rishti
have appeared in the December num-
Der of McClure's Magazine, ana
while Mr.. Kipling's previous attempts
at novel writing have not inclined US
to expect much from his latest eXcur-
sion into the field, there is at least
renewal of his old style in this opening
instalment of kim" 1t is free from
the bumptiousness which has lately
made him almost impossible to read.
The small boy who is the hero of the
new story is a beguiling young vaga-
bond. He, attaches himself to an
ancient lama bound on pilgrimage
and the first step in their journey IN
wolves the lad in the affairs of a native
spy in the pay of the British. Plainly
there is excitement ahead. and we look
forward to it with the more interest
because of the authors return to the
tone that suits him best, says the New
York Tribune.
Readers who have enjoyed Seunas
MacManus' stories of Irish life, VIII De
interested in the following sketch OF
the literary beginning of this prom
Using young author, given by London
writer: Seven or eight years ago
Young Irish schoolmaster in Donegai
began printing in the local papers the
tales and ballads with which he USED
to distract his fellow-pupils while
ranged among them on the self-same
benches over which he now ruled.
Later he began to publish ana
through Messrs. Downey & CO., l
.h;,L II was he issued "TWaS in