New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-02-01
SERVICE A RECENT FIND"
Poet, Novelist and Globe Trot-
ter. Born in Scotland.

Robert W. Service has more than once
been called the "Kiplng of the North
~. sprang into sudden fame scant half
dozen years ago with the publication OF
his first book OF verse. Although he calls
himself a Canadian his rolling stone"
proclivities are responsible for his citizen
ship. for he was born a Scotchman. and
was in fact in the midst of his course At
Glasgow University when the impulse to
wander oycrpowered him and drove him
overseas.
Mr. Service made for the North and
began wandering. working and loaiins
through Canada and the Northwest. The
events which attended these first years OF
adventure and sordid fact are lightly
passed over nowadays by the brilliant
poet and novelist whenever he happens 10
be lured into a reminiscent mood. II Is
certain, however. that the youthful uni
versity student in the carly period Of his
tracking through HE camps and wastes
OF the North took his fun share OF life as
he found il.
Il reached the depths" is his simple
statement wv b'iN'' e. NN'r'~'''''
reach"
Gradually he became accustomed IN the
straugencss OF the Hintry land of his
choice and began 10 20 more quietly. lie
farmed for a time. worked I'm the camps.
and later taught school. Finally he got a
place in the Canadian Bank of Com
Incrce. and there remained. worliing as u
clerk. until he set out for the Yukon.
After various adventures IN the gold
country Mr.. Service settled down again
In "A bank in Dawson city. and il was
during his spare time pottc ring over
Lodges and doing other highly unconGcnlai
though necessary work that he wrote the
verses which brought him sudden fame
For several Years nc had spent the
greater part Of tho long northern sum-
mers tramplng and scrioblinS. and II was
due 10 the enthusiasm of IA friend that ne
first thought seriously OF writing verse.
Mr.. Service showed some Of his ballads
and his chum I'm q lumber camp advised
him TO publish them.
The author. AS ne now smilingly admits,
had tho usual percentage OF vanity IN his
makeup. and the idea appealed To MN
powerfully. He accordingly utilized his
first leisure time after his arrival In tho
Yukon To get together his odd scraps Of
verse. which he sent to a Canadian pub
Usher. This expert had no faith In the
market value OF the poems. and suggest
cd 10 Mr.. Service that II nc wanted 10
publish them ne would better advance the
money himself. Happily, however. the
collection fen into the hands of "A man
who appreciated thor worth. and within
a few months they appeared under the
title Songs of a Sourdough." Within "a
few months the volume had run through
five editions and the adventurous bank
AIRY find Of a decade.
The success of these verses prompted
the production OF more. and 10 the amaze
mcnt Of tho critics the second collection
measured quite UP to the worth Of the
first Mr. Service, now fully conscious OF
his powers as a writer. next took a flyer as
a novelist and the result was The Trail
Of 'aS." which promptly took place among
the "six best sellers OF the year. Last
October the young author forsook his
northern fastncss and came to New York
10 ttGdUgF l'i lU' pbpll'utibll VI dil'Ah'l
volume of verse "The Rhymes Of Il Roll
ing stone" and completed the celebration
OF his return to civilization by going to
Europe. From tho great centres OF cult
ure he pushed East. and when the Balkan
war broke out seized the chance to see
tho hated Turk In his own country and
to study him at first hand under the
stimulating effect OF Christian attack.
After one or two weeks the things nc saw
In Constantinople determined him to join
tho Red Crescent and add one TO the none
too numerous tenders OF wounded and dis
cased.
While Robert W. Services literary
genius is undisputcd. the vibrating youth
and vitality which mark all his verse
and prose are more the expression of his
life and everyday mental attitude than
they are the result OF careful artistry.
After all Mr.. Services artistry consists
In his faculty of self-expresslon. He is a
Young KAN with all the wholesome en-
thusasms of one who spends his nights
and day I'm the open. for even during his
vacation" OF year ago he chafed at the
artificiality of his brief city existence.
Only his friends know how far from be-
ing pose Is his professed preference for
the great wastes of the North. He spends
all his time. winter and summer. In the
camps and oil long tramping trips, ono Of
which-a 3.OO0-mile 'hike"-he completed
about n year aKO,