Semi-weekly herald., 1908-12-03
THE PASSING OF THE STORM.
Denver, Nov. rs.

Many of our readers are doubtless
already familiar with Alfred Castner
Kings latest contribution to literature.
Those who are not have a genuine
treat awaiting them
The west has been represented va
riously-often curiously-in literature,
as If II were a collection of freaks,
lovable. engaging, interesting, but still
freaks. Nor do we deny their exist
ence. past and present. On the con.
trary we admit that we have them still
for like the wise men, the freaks
come from the east We do not ac-
knowledge, however. that they ever
were representative of our western
civilization. They were part of it,
but should not be considered typical.
In the book which is the subject of
our sketch, the author has chosen a
phase of life as familiar to him as
his own name, and discusses 1t with
temperance and fidelity. There is no
exaggeration, no emotional dissipation
no bombastic sentiment. The pioneers
are pictured as simply as they lived.
All life is simple when properly lived.
It is only the restrictions of artificial
conditions that make 1t complex. The
sooner we rid ourselves of those, the
better.
While the illustrations are suitable
and add to the general attractiyeness
Of the book, without them. we should
recognize in a moment the atmosphere
Of the mountains. The thought Is at
times as pure as the unsullied SHOWS
of our highest peaks; it is often as
clear as our Colorado sky on sunny
| morning; 1t reflects the dignity and
majesty of our Rockies and often ap-
proaches their grandeur. This is a
book for mountain dwellers. No plain
bred citizen could understand the at
traction these Everlasting hills" have
for the children they bear on their
broad breast; no prairie-lover could
appreciate, how well the author has
voiced their fascination and mystery
In places Mr.. Kings scenic descrip-
tions remind one of Scott at his best !;
while some of his interior word pic.
lures are as viyidly simple as the Iliad,
The book is dedicated to the pio-
neer prospectors, whose bravery, in
telligence and industry blazed the
trails in the western wilderness for
advancing civilization, and made pos
sible the development of the great
| West"
Its preface is an eloquent tribute
| to the same hardy class. In this,
Mr.. King corrects the misleading state
| ment SO often found In song and story
| hat the pioneer was crude, unlettered
a sort of ignorant, rough but kind
hearted barbarian, expressing himself
in a vernacular consisting of equal
parts of slang, profanity and question
able grammar, possessing no ambi
tions above the card table or the
strong waters which cause all men to
err who drink them"
| "The Passing. of the Storm" for
which the book is named, is, in its
poetical form. similar to the "Canter
bury Tales" There are nine chapters
each complete in itself. The first en-
titled 1.-The Storm gives a magnifi
l int Of m
of the elements in the high solitudes OF
the Rockies. Several chapters are the
individual experiences of pioneers as
sembled in the
Miners cabin quaint and rude
From the surrounding forest hued;
Nesting amid the spruce and pine,
Which fringe the edge of timberline' y
| One chapter is vivid portrayal OF
| an avalanche. and is followed by 1.-The
Rescue" in which other pioneers, who
subsequently relate their life histories,
are saved from destruction. Those
who know pioneer life best, will ap-
preciate Dad" and Uncle Jim," and
will give a sympathetic sigh to RUS.
sian Pete"
There are many beautiful and quota
BILE lines in the Passing of the Storm
which we omit on account of embar.
rassment of riches, as well as to avoid
making this article too long. There
are also occasional crudities, rough
| places, like the faults in mountain
| strata, where the words seem to fit
| the thought a trifle indifferently, in
marked contrast to the high general
average of the work These may be
! intentional. Many of the poets have
followed such plan, for the sake of
contrast; polishing certain sentences
to high degree and leaving others
crude as when they first came into
existence.
The shorter poems we may but brlaf-
ly mention. Most people would en-.
Joy the pathetic ''Dolores-Dolores. the
river of sorrow. Dolores, the river of
woe" Many of us too will agree with
the author in Dreams" for how
oftap-