Life — October 2, 1890 — page 6: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

- LIFE: OUR FRESH AIR FUND After wefore WE are coming to the time when we can count up some of the results of the summer's work. Unfortunately we will not be able to give you statistics covering just the number of peals of childish laughter that have rung through L1Fe's Village, nor the amount of rosiness that has been put into pallid cheeks, We think you can readily picture to yourselves these results of your generosity. Previously acknowledged $7,122 10 | From an Architect .... La Gagnotte, from M. A. A.B, Fall River, Mass. HM... : | Vib. Suey Real Henefactor, San An- tonio, Texas"... $200 400 20 00 300 100 00 The Woots . ‘ 10 co W. Landon, Lookout Point, vy ©* A QUESTION OF SACKCLOTH ANDO ASHES. E have been told recently by a persistent and whole- some critic, in the main, that if one prefers Kipling’s sketches to “ The House by the Medlar Tree” for example, “he had better get some sackcloth and ashes and put them on, for he may be sure that his taste is defectiv The special grievance which Mr. Howells has against Kipling seems to be that he is jaunty, and has a certain “ swagger and knowingness " in his performances which make him the “whim of effete Philistinism.” All of which means that Kipling is romantic and unusual—therefore, he must be put among the false gods who were worshipped by our fathers (Scott and Dickens and the rest) but from whom the man of taste is now emancipated. There is surely not the slightest doubt among Kipling’s intelligent admirers that he frequently violates certain con- ventions of expression which good taste approves—that he is, in short. rather btutal now and then, merely from excess of strength. But the admirers don’t propose to invest in sackcloth and ashes for so small a reason. They are proba- bly just enough of the “effete Philistine” to resent the impu- tation of “ swagge! wink-tipping " and “hat-cocked-on- one-side” which Mr, Howells imposes on Kipling’s very modest sketches into which he never intrudes himself. The one quality which all the tales have in common is straight- forward manliness which expresses itself vigorously and dramatically, There is enough of action in one of his ex- hilarating sketches to give substance to several volumes in “the shadow land of the American novel.” They are a little wicked, now and then, but it ought to satisfy a Realist to know that a score or more of “ returned missionaries " from India in confidential moments admit that they are wonder- fully true and accurate pictures of Anglo-Indian life. . IN OTES John Fiske’s « Civil Government in the United t States” (Houghton) is a very clear and entertaining account of the origin and development of our township, county, city, state and federal governments. The book has some admirable text-book machinery, and yet it never obtrudes itself into the continuous narrative. The amount of interesting and specitic information which it contains about the com- monplaces of government which touch our daily life, but of which we are profoundly ignorant, commends it to every young person as an ideal hand-book to put on the same shelf with Nordhoff's Politics for Young Americans," John- ston’s * American Politics,” and Wilson's “ Congressional Government.” Captain Charles King’s “Campaigning with Crook” (Harpe s the stirring narrative of a unique kind of war- fare which will probably never be repeated in this country, It seems to be agreed that great Indian outbreaks are at an end—and that another chapter is closed in the romance of the West. Fok I DID PLAY A LAMENT- Tuk BLOODY KNIFE SHALL ABLE PART. UMPIRE, VLAY THE A HIT, AVERY PALPARLE HIT. —Hamlet, THOU CANST NOT HIT IT. —Two Gentlemen —Love's Labor Lost. —Komeo and Juliet. Verona. comicbooks.com