The Irish standard., 1908-12-26

odical published in Dallas, Texas. His
reputation as poet and critic had
grown widely through his contriDu-
ticns to the Century, Harper's, the
Atlantic. Lippincott's the Cosmop ,l-
itan. the Youths Companion, the
Southern Magazine, tho Arena and
other magazines. Much had been
written Of him in the newspapers of
the South, so it was only natural that
the Round Table should make a "hit"
which it decidedly did-and attract
t, it's pages the best talent of the
country. 1t numbered among it's reg
ular' contributors such writer's as
Thomas Nelson Page, James Lane
Allen, Father John B. Tabb, Robert
Loveman. Joel Chandler Harris, John
Fox Jr., Maurice Thompson, and
many other famous authors. During
his editorship of the Round Table, MIR.
o'Malley became acquainted with
practically all the southern literary
men and women Of note, and for the
most part they are his friends to-day.
1t was by chance that Mr.. O'Malley
was drawn into Catholic journalism.
Owing to an accident which Kept him
from active work for two years. he
devoted what time he could to the
editing of Purgatorian monthly.
Then, eager to get into che chair
again, he founded. with the cooper
alton of some friends, the Angelus
Magazine at Cincinnati, which at once
attracted wide attention. Two years
later he became editor of the Midland
Review Of Louisville. Though backed
by thousands, that journal, five Years
later, was unfortunate in . change Of
business managers, and suspended
publication, being purchased by. the
Catholic Telegraph, the Oldest Catholic
paper in the country. During the last
year of the Midland Reviews exiot-
ence, Mr.. O'Malley edited also the
Illustrated South, q secular monthly
Of high standing. When the Review
was taken over by the Telegraph, he
went to the Pittsburg Observer for
six months: then took the chair of tho
Telegraph at Cincinnati, thus regain
ing his old audience.
Mr.. O'Malley edited the Telegraph
for nearly two years. when he was
finally induced to take the editoria!
chair Of the New World Of Chicago.
which he held for several years, up
to the time Of the establishment of
the Syracuse Catholic Sun syndicate
OF papers. Of which he then became
the editor. This year. at the solicita-
tion Of the Archbishop Of Chicago, he
returned to the New World. Under
his guidance that journal has grown
to be quoted throughout the country.
and. like every other which he has
directed. has established a reputation
as a literary medium not often at
tanned by a Catholic weekly. Some of
the best talent of both this country
and Europe has been attracted t, IT'S
pages. $50.
Though there is perhaps 10 more
brilliant Catholic journalist, nor one
better known. or OF more varied cx-
perience in America, it is after all
as a poet Of the very highest order
that Charles J. O'Malley will be
known. He is not a versifier, a Sun
day-school rhymer, or even a poet
of the pretty line. He is rather a
poet Of force, fire, virility. The
olympian flame burns in his. SOIL.
Yet the philosophy that would clip
an angels wing is also there, lust
ip the true proportion of balance. He
fs pre-eminently a Southern poet
When he sings Of the South, the Ian
guorous air of indolent summer DAYS
breathes in his poetry, hame-lit au-
tumn woods lie glowing beneath
flushed skies of evening, or dar.:
against the pulsing afterglow of twi-
light; and woven through 1t all is the
liquid music Of running waters; or
there breaks clear on the Hush the
plaintive melody Of a cedar-bird or
the golden Warble Of an oriole. Sem
suous. voluptuous, in it's ravish;ng
beauty Of nature -picturing, his poetry
has often the effect of music. ,,wo:on
So softly as to be almost mufflcd, ther
sounding a chord Of vibrating power
and beauty. 4
There is no doubt that Charles j
O'Malley is a poet. Swinburne has
not done more exquisite work, and
Poe, Shelley, Keats-all that rare
be. proud to own some
Of his beautiful songs. II have never"
he has said, got over the desire
r9 lied nnofr1,. thi,,l,