The sun., 1919-03-02
PUSSY FOLK.

PUSSY FOLK.
THERE is peculiar kink in human nature
known as fussiness. 1t is peculiar that it
cannot be described or defined; it must be seen.
There is the man who will use the subway.
There is the writer who can write only on yellow
paper with green ink. There is the lady who will
never dine with bewhiskered man. And we all
know the person who insists walking in step with
you, as If he were going into battle
ARNOLD BENNETT, in his latest book Self and
Sclf-Mand9ement, has chapter on The Complete
Fusser. There is Of course, the superfusser, whom
we call the reformer, the cosmic meddler with his
finger eternally stuck in some one else's pie. Mr.
BENNETT does not deal with him. but with the lady
who could not bathe without her favorite brand Of
cigarettes the man who cannot attend funerals be.
cause he has anti-black amendment in his
psychical constitution the dandy who cannot sit at
a table with friend who cats asparagus.
1t Is hard TO understand why Mr. BENNETT has
undertaken the task Of nursing back to conven-
tional sanity those who give our daily smile
Pussy people are often lovable and sometimes
Gkable.
1t is not every collar button that has the genius
to roll under the bureau. And the fusy person is
often just that admirably sefwilled collar button
that keeps us scrambling and alive.
"'TWIXT EAGLE AND DOVE"
>HE most delicious little book Of essays that has
fallen into our hands in many a long day is
collection of contributions by Mr.. E. V. LUCAS to
Punch and other English serial publications which
this accomplished author has gathered together
under the somewhat enigmatical title Of 'Ttcirt
Eagle and Dove, 1000 copies of which have just
been published by Methuen Co. in London, and
which is obtainable here through G. P. Putnam's
Sons. Mr.. LUCAS possesses the art Of investing
everv Occurrences IN eit cfreefS and enhI,rhq
in railway travel, IN tho country and at the res
shore with freshness Of interest and q ehafr.
rarely found nowadays in the writings Of English
or American essayists.
The first essay relates to q memorable date
January q, 1859-'when . shadow fell on this
planet, none the less a shadow because one OBJ
served II at the time. The Kaiser was born" Mr..
LUCAS finds that JOHN STUART Mill had just then
completed his famous work On Liberty, little
thinking Of the sucking arch foe to Liberty who was
entering this mundane sphere" at that very mo-
ment of time.
In q series Of ten essays naval topics, ancient
and modern, q curious fact is brought out
ing the Golden Hind, the ship in which DRAKE cir
COMMUNICATED the globe. A certain imaginative
enthusiast in 1881 seriously proposed that this
vessel should be lifted to the top Of St. Paul's
Cathedral (which then had a spire) and perma-
nently kept there Mr. LUCAS points out, however,
stroyed by the Great Fire in London, 80 that it
would not have done any good now; but he
wishes that memorial of the kind might still
be- established. He mentions the fascinating model
gaeon which serves a weathercock on Lord
AsroRs new Embankment house the Thames,
rear the Essex street steps, example Of what
lie has in mind.
Tie only authentic souvenir Of DRAKE's ship in
existence is chair in the Bodleian Library at Ok
ford made out of tie timbers Of the Golden Hind.
HOW TO ENJOY POETRY"
NE of the most charming men imaginable con-
~ fessed 10 us all at once the other day the
ou.radictory facts that he didn't like poetry and
fhat the only poem he had ever enjoyed was one Of
SyrDDER MIDDLETON s. The utter whimsicality Of
the statement failed to impress him. If you have
ever enjoyed one poem you are poetry lover in
the Embryo; aid those people who boast that only
c,r,ain type of red -blooded" or "out-of-door'