The Washington herald., 1914-09-20
Gables Kipling to Come and
Read Two Famous Poems

A resident Of Cambridge. Mass. Franz
Hugo Krebs. has cabled an Invitation TO
Rudyard Kipling to come to New York
and read two Of his famous poems. 1t is
only necessary TO say that the two
poems are The Truce of the Bear" and
THE Grave Of the Hundred Head TO
indicate that Mr. Kriebs is a German
sympa thizer. who would like to hear
from Mr.. Kipling's own lips what he
thought some years ago of the forces
that are now fighting on the side OF
England.
Here is his cablegram:
Sept II. 1914
"'Rudyard Kipling. London, England:
You are reported in American papers
as going on platform to ask your fellow
countrymen to volunteer to risk their
lives in order TO support Russia in at
tempting to crush Germany. hereby offer
you $500 and your expenses for round
trip to come to New York and read ION
any night you may select IN october
1910 poems written by you, THE Truce
of the Bear" better known as Adam
zad." and THE Grave of the Hundred
Head" I further agree that all monies
received in excessl Of amount paid you
shall be paid to the Red Cross for use In
England, Germany, France, and Aus
tria (also in Russia, should you person.
ally so request). Further, am willing TO
place Red Cross Society in complete
charge of box office receipts People
here anxious to hear you, and. with your
legion of admirers in this country, can
guarantee you as cordial a welcome as
Charles Dickens or any other English
author ever received. Kindly send rea-
sonably prompt reply.
FRANZ HUGO KREBs.
Cambridge, Mass"
The two poems Mr.. Krebs wants Kip
ling to read are reproduced below;
THE TRUCE OF THE BEAR.
Yearly, with tent and rife. our careless
BY the pass called Muttianee. to shoot in
the vale below.
Yearly by Muttianee he follows our white
Matun. the old blind beggar, bandaged
from brow to chin
EyeIess. noseless. and Iipless-toothless.
broken of speech.
Seeking a dole at the doorway he num-
bles his tale to each;
Over and over the story. ending as he
Make We no truce with Adam-zad-the
Bear that walks like a man!
There was flint in my musket-pricked
When / went hunting Adam-Zad-the
Bear that stands like a man.
looked my last on the timber, looked
my last on the snow, ~
When l went hunting Adam-Zad ntty
summers ago!
'I knew his times and his seasons, as he
knew mine, that fed
BY night in the ripened maiZeheld and
robbed my house of bread:
1 knew his strength and cunning, as he
knew mine. that crept
At dawn to the crowded goat-pens ana
plundered while 1 slept.
up from his stony playground-down
from his well-digged lair
Out on the naked ridges ran Adam-zad
Groaning, grunting. and roaring. heavy
with stolen meals,
Two long marches to northward, and 1
was at his heels!
Two full marches to northward, at the
fall of the second night,
came on mine enemy Adam-Zad all
painting from his fight.
There was a charge in the musket-
pricked and primed was the pan
My finger crooked on the trigger-when
he reared up like a man.
Horrible, hairy, human, with paws like
hands in prayer.
Making his supplcation rose Adam-zad
the Beari
looked at the swaying shoulders, at the
paunch's swag and swing,
And my heart was touched with pity for
the monstrous, pleading thing.
Touched with pity and wonder. did not
fire then
have looked no more on women-1
have walked no more with men.
Nearer he tottered and nearer, with paws
like hands that pray
From brow to jaw that steel-shod paw,
it ripped my face away!
sudden. silent, and savage, soaring as
flame the blow
Faceless fell before his feet. fifty sum-
mers ago.
heard him grunt and chuckIe-I heard
him pass to his den,
He left me blind to the darkened years
and the little mercy Of men.
Now ye go down In the morning with
guns OF the newer style,
That load q have felO in the middle and
range q have heard a mile?
Luck to the white mans rife that shoots
so fast and true,
But-pay, and / lift my bandage and
show what the Bear can do!''
Sr1..t m. .t,.- a.. a..