The Minneapolis journal., 1902-10-25

VARINA ANNE blunt titles nave
JEFFERSON DAVIS. been frequent Of late
Attention was called in this column re-
Gently to The Sheep stealers," as the
reader -discouraging title Of book OF
considerable merit.
The Red Shirts Is said to be a ro-
nance, and not one of flat town. either.
1.-The Liars is title that sticks in the
mind. It may have got there by asso-
citation with the name Of a certain play.
not because there is not material enough
on which to build a romance-perhaps
one of the historical kind.
THE Sea Lady, reminds one of the
Cook Ladies' Union," which became
known through the farce, "The House
That Jack Built
"Pete's Devils comes as near the limit
Of plainness and bluntness as anything
of the sort seen in fiction recently.
Then there are 1.-THE Assassins," Next
to the Ground" Naughty Man, Spindle
and Plough" "The God of Things "Ro-
nance of an Old FOOL and THE Garden
of Lies"
These are only a few picked up at ran
dom. A more extended search would
doubtless disclose more such. A search
Of the shelves of ancient libraries would
show many books bearing titles of like
plainness. Old Aristophanes, the Greek
satir1st, never sought fancy names for his
plays. There were THE Clouds" THE
Frogs" 1.-THE Birds" and others of like
character. Doubtless there has always
been and always will be those who will
prefer tot give their literary offspring
plain, forceful nanese rather than
names of a romantic. stilted or learned
sound, whatever the field to which they
belong.
wEsTw1ND SONGS. By Arthur Upson. Min,
neapolis: Edmund D. Brooks.
The deeper the experiences Of life
touched by the poet, the more lasting
will be his poetry and consequently his
fame. There may be apparent exceptions,
but they are only" apparent.3 The music
of mere words does not live long, the
sentiment or the thought must appeal to
the heart and awaken profound memories
or excite profound feeling. Such MEM
cries or feelings may be those of Joy or
sorrow, of high or low thoughts. The
poetry that touches them, If 1t does 1t
deftly, will last. Some, at least. Of Mr..
Upson's "Westwind Songs make strong
appeals of the sort that gives poetry per-
manence. That they have touched deeply
Carmen Sylvia, queen Of Roumania, a dis
eliminating critic. who writes a very DELI
cate appreciation of the poems by way
Of an introduction is evidence Of their
power.
1t is real poetic genius that puts into
a poem on so unpoetic a theme as Wheat
Elevators these words:
Souls of ripe seasons and spirits Of sweet rains
Flock hither-
Singing Of those who are often called
failures" he gives this:
Or else they nodded when their Master Chance
Wound his one signal. and went on his way.
This from Gospel of the Fields brings
at once a sense of peace:
Have you ever paused in the din
OF traffc's insistent cry,
To think Of the calm in the cloud.
or the peace in your glimpse Of sky?
These lines all go to the heart of things
and are delicately done. 1t is hard to
choose among so many things as are
found even in so small volume. but the
two stanzas Of "All's Well show the
authors ability to say much, n14sically,
in small space:
This in a dream at night: A flying start
A waving OF white arms-a shroud-a bell
sudden turning of trusted heart
Some frantic errand over peak and fell:
At dawn you wake: Ais we'll.
This in life: The strain for what is not
snatching at the sunbeam in your cell
The hope that fades-the sacrifice forgot
The frozen smile-the chime that dies a knell:
At dawn you wake: Alls well.
The book in binding and letter press is
attractively got up and is being dis
played with pages from the manuscript
Of Carmen Sylva's Introduction In the
| windows Of local book dealers.