Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1900-04-26

\M\ J
STEPHEN CRANE
as those penned before he had ever
smelt powder burned in anger or heard
the singing of hostile bullets.
Crane represented a New York pub
LEGATION during the brief farce comedy
furko-Grecian war, and was also in
Cuba during the campaign at Santiago.
He was always distinguished by cool
insolent bravery which, although
tlnged by affcCtation, was certainly
real He is an inveterate smoker of
cigarettes and frequently caused heart
disease among the army people in
Greece by sitting around on powder
kegs and heaps of shells, putting away
as If in the Turkish parlor of some
Tenderloin resort, says New York
paper.
In cuba he did some clever descrip-
tive work, and was always well up to-
ward the firing line He contributed
largely to the magazines, and his war
stories printed in the monthles were
always readable.
Crane is of slight physique, but in
Cuba was wiry and apparently in good
condition He was devoted to con-
yersations pertaining to himself, and
sulked if the conversation led away
from him. However, his Conceit had
none of the bumptious quality that dis
tinguished some of his fellow cores
pondents. He seemed quietly con-
scious that he was the greatest move
list and correspondent that ever lived,
and seemed shocked to receive any in
timation that this fact was not gem
orally recognized In this he differed
from others. who always endeavored
to establish proof of greatness when
opportunity offered.
One incident in Cranes rather siren
uous career illustrates very neatly
The faint Of afeetation in his char
dCter. With several fellow unfortu-
mates he was wrecked while heading
for Cuba with a tilibustering eXpedi-
ton, and for a time it looked as
though his career were doomed to a.
sudden end The captain Of the sink
ing craft explained there was about
one chance in seven hundred to get
ashore, and appeared rather deSpond
ent. \ small boat was prepared and
four men entered it, ready for long
trip to the Florida coast with excel
lent prospects OF never reaching there.
When Crane got aboard the little craft
10 was noted that he had prepared for
death by strapping on a belt with two
heavy reyolyers and a bowie attached,
IL meant death in case he had TO swim,
as the hardware was enough to carry
BOyton in his rubber suit TO the bot
TOM His only explanation was that
ne wanted TO appear properly framed
up when his body was washed ashore
This trick of playing to the gallery
is noticeable about Crane, but there
Is something back of ii which makes
10 less offensive than 1t would other
wise have been. His gameness re-
lieves his rather arrogant self con-
ceit of much that would otherwise jar,
Cranes style is marked by a fond
ness for striking obscure phrases. In
his writing he has frequently sacrificed
a fine situation 10 turn a neat SEN
,euce. He is compact and vivid in his
work however and his style is sell
dom tlresome. Such phrases as "A
wave Of establishment whirled into her
hair. occur frequently in his stories
and while they have caused him to be
rid.culed by many readers, there IS
usually enough good stun carried
along with these bits Of fantastic writ
ing 10 round his stories UP in fairly
good style, Frequently he invents
something as good as this:
Freddie surveyed them with the
ronclad gaze Of man who Is mixing
( a cocktail
Crane suffered a severe shock to his
reputation IN New York several years
ago by his defense OF a streetwalker
who was arrested in the Tenderl0in.
There was something QuiNotically
I courageous in this act. however, and
vhila generally condemned by the
. professionally good he was regarded
\ by those os broader gauge With much
F appreciation.
For some time past Crane has re-
le3 Ia a Sussex castle near London
+ where be asserts The literary atmos