The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1914-02-04
RICHEPIN, FRENCH
 IMMORTAL" 65 TO-DAY. PRAISES THE TANGO.

T
 Argentine's most celebrated export, the tango. which has been frowned upon by so many eminent men, has also found friends in high places. One of these is Jean Richepin. one of the worty "irnmortalss of the Academic Francaise, and famous the world over as poet, novelist and dramatist. A few months ago Riehepfn, in an ad- dress before the five academies of the institute, eu1ogized the tango in no mild terms, and traced its origin to re1notest antiquity. He declared that it was the highest form of expression of that rythmic movement which all the world calls the dance.
 The story Of Richepin's life abounds in incidents more thrilling than any in deah, Algeria, sfxty-ffve years ago to- day. the son Of an army surgeon. He studied medicine in Paris. but aban- doned. that profession for journa1ism. During the Franco-Prussian war he was editor of L'Est. Later he re- turned to Paris and made a bid for literary fame with a novel, Jules Valles,'' and a drama, .tR REtoiIe." In 1s76 he wrote .tChansons des Gueux,'' which earned for him a term in pris- on and a heavy fine
 After his release from jail Richepin temporarily abandoned literature for the sea, serving as a common sailor. He soon wearied of this, and, back in Paris. became editor of Gil Blas and devoted himself entirely to literature. lTT<x ,517se STa0 stories, Les Morts Bizarres,' which he had written while a convict. " Les BIasph z a volume of verse, fol- lowed, and then came several novels, rejecting the realistic or natura1istic spirit, which won@for their author the honor of election to the Academy of Immortals.
 In his literary work M Richepin has disregarded all the conventions. religious, moral, social and literary and has written with a boldness that has at times shocked even Paris In defending the tango he said: seThe graceful. stately dances of long ago which the unoralists would like to see to-day all had as lowly origin az the tango. All had rustic birth. Ali
 
 by country pumpkins, even the suave nninuet. which was first a country jig in Poftou. and including the charm ing gavotte. which originally rhymed with the click of heavy wooden shoes worn by the peasants Of Brittany
 Georges Brandes, the great Danish Jewish man of letters, was born in ICopenhagen. seventy-two years ago to-day During his long literary career he has lived in France, Italy. England Germany. Poland and Russia. as well as in his native Denmark, and has written nearly two-score volumes of Literature, criticism and history. Last October Prof. Brandes was refused permission to visit Russia again on account of his Jewish parentage. Sir John Jackson. the famous Eng fish contractor who has built scores of great public works in all parts of the world, was born at York sixty-three years ago today Two years ago he began work on a gigantic irrigation system in Mesopotamia which is ex- pected to make that ancient land once more the granary of the world He was also interested in the Man chester ship canal, and built the rail- way across the Andes in South Ameri- ca from Africa. on the Pacific, to La Paz, the capital of the hermit re- public of Bolivia.