The Washington herald., 1908-07-05

Our great writers are already Degln-
ming to leave Paris. remarks a corre-
spondent OF the Athenaeum. Maeterlinck
has already sought a shelter in his es-
tate in Normandy. St. WandrilTs Abby.
there 10 finish the writing Of a drama
entitled Magdeleine." In spite of
what this title seems 10 hint, the subject
matter Of the play is not mystical, and
the new work has nothing TO do with
dramas or dream and legend; it is rather
IN the style OF "Nonna Wanna" which
marks an evolution Of Maeterlinck's tai
ent toward reality and drama meant for
the stage In one Of my next letters !
hope TO expound the thesis of Maeter-
linck, who has promised me the earliest
communication concerning this unknown
drama 1t will be acted next winter on
one OF our famous Partisan stages by
Nine Georgette Leblanc -Maeterlinck,
who will create its chief part with her
usual skill and mastery. Some OF your
readers Will no doubt find an opportunity
To see her play in London, as she hopes
70 give there next winter a series of per
fOrmances Of Maeterlinck's chief dramas.
Her thorough knowledge Of the poets
meaning in his earlier works. which are
at times somewhat uncertain and alb
struse. has enabled her 70 compose
charming lectures In which she comments
on them with unerring taste. These lee
tures viii be gathered with the text from
which she quotes into one volume. which
will probably come out AZ the end Of
the summer.
Henry Holt & Co. announce that since
it was made known that Miss Eliza
Ruhamah Scidmore wrote "As the
Hague Ordains: Journal OF 6 Russian
Prisoners Wife in Japan" the popular
ity Of that book has increased. II has
just gone through sixth printing.
From the July Century we clip John
Erskine's poem The Dead Master"
No singing chord OF youth was dumb.
No star Of youth was dim
II seemed 70 long ere age should come.
] kept light watch for him
Light Watch Ger heart snd nerve and eye,
His entrance OveruCIe-
And. %. the shadow. stealing By.
Found AZ unguarded door.
] dreamt Of far-of fields vell-fought.
Fierce battle, yictov bright;
Il shall have praise from him. Thought
Who taught me first 70 fGht."
Then ! remembered! a breath
Blows the dry rose apart;
Fer. 10! the sudden touch Of death
Had aged ne % the hearti
The Minneapolis Bellman prints a good
story about Thackeray and the Garrick
Club:
a man Of fortune. named Hill. self
made. but illiterate. who sometimes went
ast.ay with his his, was a candidate for
election. Il piled him because he is a
liar" said Thackeray. He calls him
self III when he isn't"
In the Bi5uotheca sacra for July. Ed
ward NJ Merrins attempts a rationalistic
expiration OF the plaques Of Egypt. OF
the first plague, when the waters OF the
Nile were turned into blood. and the
FISH IN the river died. and the river staDk.
50 that the Egyptians could not drink OF
its waters. there is this 10 be said:
The extraordinary death Of fish points
10 q 'Ow Nile as having been the first
plague, for the waters of a high Nile,
though disCOlOred. are not Injurious 10
animal life. but are then most potable.
. To Judge fIOm ar ancient hymn addressed
20 the Sod of the river. this death o. fish
when the waters were low cannot have
Ueen ar extremely rare event:
To his house be doth return
Like O. priest Tor oracles.
Shrinking % his Uru;
Cometh forth Just when be wills.
From his mystic fame;
BY his wrath the rsh are slain.
Then the hungry come before thee.
For the waters they implore thee" &c
AS TO the waters being turned into
blood. perhaps the statemet ought not 10
-H-H a.
IL may simply mean that the water. espe-
cially IN the irrigation canals, was thick.
stagnant, and offensive. as would be the
/ case when the river was very low. and
10 this extent it resembled deCOmpOSing
blood. If we are 70 understand that the
water exactly resembled blood in all its
qualities: IT, in the words OF a devOut
exegete. from bank TO brae the tide OF
crimson gore swept on, hour after hour,
and day after day." then the phenomenon
observed by travellers. Of the Nile and
the Red Sea. being turned red by "the
presence and incOncelvably rapid growth
OF the microscopic animals Unfusoria)
and minute cryptogamous plants OF a red
color" is suggestive OF a possible ex-
PLANTATION.
1t is not a common experience for an
author. particularly a poet. 10 live to wit
ness the sale at high prices OF his first
editions. A copy Of Swinburne's Rosa
mond and the Queen Mother" however,
has Just been sold in London for ES2 The
book, Of course, is a first edition, and
dates back 10 1860.
In his latest work. THE Confessions
OF Tradesman," Frank T Bullen will
take the public into his confidence over
the secrets Of the days before he turn
cd author. 1t appears that when he was
a government clerk, earning about SO
a week. his wife received a legacy Of
Sl.cOO and that they purchased a little
shop IN 2cckham, "a picture frame and
general fancy emporium" Mr.. Bullen
retained his clerkship. but the struggle
to support the family appears 10 have
been, nevertheless, a desperate one. and
Il is fully and sympathetically described
IN his Confessions. II was not until
Mr.. Bullen found his skill with the pen
that he was able to leave behind him the
days of penury.
A real war is going on in the heart OF
our own country. In four States men are
burning and blowing up buildings. up
roofing fields. and shooting to kill. if
need be. Mr.. Day Allen Wiley has made
an investigatiPn Of the tobacco war and
its causes for the Metropolitan Magazine.
his article. The Night Riders" appears