Life — January 2, 1896 — page 6: what you’re looking at

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

Ip THE MeTROPOLITAN Caste Company GUIDANCE OF INEXPERIENCED GRIPMEN. IN AN ALCOVE—NEW YEAR'S EVE. ‘ [T has been a great year for fighting,” said The Red Elphberg, as he settled back on his shelf and looked around the fiction alcove in the dim and quiet last-hour of the year. What a war-worn lot of veterans you look— backs bent, gilt tarnished, pages dog-eared and torn! Why, Weyman's company and Doyle's battalion are seamed and scarred almost as much asthe Dickens and Thackeray veterans of fifty y “We have spilled a lot of blood with paper said A Gentleman of France.‘ The great public has been as insatiable as the daughters of the horse I them all they want of it.” ars.” swords, ech, and we've given “I'm fearsome that we've been ower muckle wi’ our fechtin’,” said A Man of the Moss Hags, with customary canniness. You canna killa maun in more than so many ways, and done them all.” I've noticed,” said Sherlock Holmes, “that when you are used to it, blood is as common- place as water, That is why I warn you in my professional capacity that you won't be as popular nest y “After all.” said The Red Elphberg, ‘it is barbaric instincts that appeal to, 1 do think that we have done it very well—good writing, good taste and all that sort of thing. something You'll ras this." we have made our But a civilized man is more than a fighting machine. notice, gentlemen, that I'm rather HAVE SPACE FOR MORE SIGNS WE WOULD SUGGEST A FEW prouder of my love-making than of my fight- ing. * [have done something in that line myself,” said the Gentleman of France, ‘yet I'm con- vinced that most of the love-making in contem- porary novels is about as barbaric as is the fighting. We're over-fond of making the brutal instincts prominent in each.” ** Some of us don't,” said Dolly Mickleham. “* We play the game of love as we play tennis— bandying over sentiments back and forth with quick strokes, and always keeping them in the air. * You are not on the right track either,” said the Brier Bush Dominie; “love is more than a game of repartee. When. brutal fighting and brutal love-making are lost to life and to literature, and when the cold cynicism of society has ceased to be considered smart, there will still survive the pathos of homely affection, the love that is founded on sacrifice.” “He likes to preach,” said The Red Elph- berg, ‘but he has got hold of the right end of a truth, There is going to be a reaction toward spirituality in fiction, and our popular trick of killing and making love for Honor—as we say—will cease toattract. The novel of spirit- uality went under a cloud when it became over- analytic and introspective. Healthy-minded people can’t stand spirituality that is self-con- scious and pharisaical. But civilized men and women ought t6 be and are something more than high-minded animals.” “LT have always said so,” remarked Marcella, waking up from a deep reverie on a question of social economics, ‘You have all taken yourselves too frivolously. Fiction is brain- LIKE THE ABOVE FOR THE food for most people—all they ever try to get. In the name of Culture give it to them with some solemnity of purpose !" “Gracious, what a blue stocking !" laughed Dolly, shaking her little curls, ‘I'm glad this watch-meeting is almost over—for I don’t want to listen to a sermon on Duty. Listen, the clock is striking twelve! My good friends, I give you all a New Year's toast: The Netw Novel—may tt be clean and bright and honest and full of love, but not too solemn!” Droch, A PLACE FOR ITS EXERCISE. NATOR GORMA T under- stand that lecture of Senator Hill's, which the people wouldn’t go to hear, he is going to work off on the Senate in a speech one of these days. SENATOR BRICE: Great Scott! Has the man no idea of what Senatorial courtesy means ? Caw : have discovered what started the New Woman craze. Cumso: Let's have it. CAWKER: Listen to this testimonial patent medicine advertisement : “Since taking four bottles of your Health Restorer, | am a new woman.” ina AWYERS'’ houses are built with ~ fool's money.