The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-09-04

- NE of the most interesting arti-
cles appearing in the September
VI magazines is A. j. Mountenay-
Jephson's "reminiscences of Sir
Henry Stanley" in Scribner's, which is
simply written and records just the
intimate details of his acquaintance
with the great explorer that one
wants to know. There is a tremendous
fascination about the life of this won
derful African traveller who did not
live to be an old man, probably be-
cause of the very hardships of which
he gave such a vivid and interesting
history in his famous book. Mr..
Mountenay-Jephson whose name is
familiar to all those who followed the
career of Stanley, was impressed by
the man from the very beginning. He
tells in this article of their first meet
ing in London and of Stanley's search
ing questions as to the reason why the
younger man wished to undertake the
hazardous journey into Africa Stan
ley was evidently satisfied for they
started in three days. The younger
mans admiration of his chief grew
steadily, though he admits he was not
perfect, but his faults were those of
his qualities. AS a tribute from man
to man, the article cannot be excelled.
Various accusations of cruelty and in
justice were made against Stanley in
Africa, but the writer is in as good
position to know the truth Of these
matters as any living man, and he
absolutely @contradicts them. He SAYS:
Stanley has often been accused of
cruelty, but can only say that during
the three years we four officers were
with him in Africa we never once saw
him do a cruel or wanton thing, or
anything of which our consciences dis
approved. Cruelty and wantonness
were entirely foreign to his nature.
This accusation of cruelty has only
been made by those who have not been
TO Africa, or who really know little
Of his work" There are always per-
3ons ready to decry and belittIe the
work of men who have done great
things, and Stanley had his enemies.
But since his death many Of those who
met him in Africa, or who knew him
intimately, have paid him tributes of
affection and respect which completely
eXonerates him from the aspersions
cast upon him. The writer of the pres
ent article says that the fact that the
natives of Africa who were his friends,
evinced much sorrow when they
learned Of his death, is refutation
enough of the charge that he was
cruel. His character was two-sided:
one side which the public knew was
that Of hard, unsympathetic and ap-
parently self-seeking man; the other
side, known to his friends and to his
fellow workers in Africa, was simple,
childlike and affectionate. Worn out
by hard work his system exhausted by
fever, Stanley died before he had en-
joyed the peaceful old age which he
had hoped for. But the world is
richer for his having lived and the
sum of knowledge much increased be-
cause of his explorations and discov-
cries.
If there Is anything in the fictional
signs Of the times psychics and oc-
cultism are certainly on the increase
and being given more and more at
tention. There is an immense num-
Der of recent books, to say nothing of
short stories, whose raison d'etre is
spiritism or something akin to it. 1t
who, heretofore, gave books of this
description a wide berth, are now be-
coming more tolerant in their attitude
and are willing to read them The
magazines are full of short tales of
mystic kind and writer's who have
never dabbIed before in this sort of
thing, are now INDUCING in plots of the
sub-conscious kind. Rudyard KipIing
h1ra Frnn Il OIcr
are examples of the latter statement,
and Kipling never wrote anything
which provoked more speculation and
wonder than his They" which APP
peared in a wen known magazine this
summer. Mrs. Burnett finishes her
story, I'm the Closed Room" in the
September McClure's, and the critics
speak well of it. She takes her child
heroine through a beautiful dreamland
of her own creation and into the spirit
land. 1t is quite unlike. Kiplings
psychic tale, and yet they both mark a
departure from the usual thing. 1t is
rather amusing to read the criticisms of
Kipling's story which have appeared;
some of them profess to have seen
nothing in it. save an oc-
casion for mirth, while other more pro-
Aounu claim lndl WHAT one SetS out OIL
st depends upon ones mental growth
in other words if one does not see the
point it is no fault Of the writer. The
story is very curious one and will not
be understood OF, the crowd, but 1T is
certain that Mr.. Kipling was greater
when he was simpler and more clear.
Anne Warner, the creator of the in
Irritable Miss Clegg." is in private
life Mrs. Charles Ellis French, of St.
Paul. "The Marrying of Susan Clegg,"
which appeared in the Century maya
zine last November, was her first short
story to attract attention. The book.
entitled Susan Clegg and Her Friend
Mrs. Lathrop," which will contain en-
tirely new material, is announced for
publication early in October by Messrs.
Little, Brown & Co. Miss Clegg is as