Life — August 18, 1898 — page 7: what you’re looking at

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

throw in a few poets of our own that Lrrg is prepared to name in confidence. . . « NEW edition of Will Carleton's “* Farm Ballads” (Harper) recalls a brand of poctry that flourished amazingly a quarter of a century ago. form of it bas found recent favor inthe pooms of Riley. But Riley is too sophisticated. Tho old style poem that boys and girls wept over and droned at country school exhibitions wasan affair of marvelous barrel-orgap regularity in rhythm, A few lines of it would start a whole meeting-house full of people to patting the floor with their » feet. ‘The troubles solved: by the poem were always of the simplest domestic kind that only needed a little horse- sense and religion to straighten them out. You always knew how it was coming out in the end, but you could suffera heap while getting there, It could hardly be called poetry, but it favored pleasant emotions in the breasts of people who were just on the ove of plunging into “ Bitter-Sweet" and “ Katrina.” . . . ERTRUDE HALL shows in * The G Hundred and Other Stories” (Harper) a very original talent in story-telling. She has ideas of her own about people and plots—and they are not limited to a few kinds, The house-servants in “* The Hundred” are just as cleverly charactered as the young people in “Chloe.” Her phrases have a certain distinction that used to be associated with the short stories of Henry James. Sifted down, it is for the most part the choico of words for intel- ligent reasons, founded on an exact knowl- edge of their use by writers of broad equip- ment and cosmopolitan culture. — Droch. “A*SMALL COLD BOTTLE AND A WOT BIRD." A moro lyrical One Of the fish: WBS A CRANK. WILE the anthor of «A Sparrow Tragedy” kindly send bis or her name and address to this office? VOLUNTEERS who are displeased with Colonel Roosevelt for saying that the Rough Riders were worth three regiments of State troops will please remember (1) that the Riders were much better armed than most of the Volunteers; (2) that they were picked men, chosen on account of feroctty of disposition, fighting qualities, or celeb- rity as athletes or swells; and (3) that, though brand new troops, they were promptly assembied, carefully and eftl. ctently drilled, and given, in all particu- lars, the best chance that offered. They are good troops, but they ought to be. HE proof of a proclamation {s in the reception of it, and inasmuch as the Porto Ricans seem to be entirely satisfled with the recent proclamation of General Miles, that manifesto must be rated 8 a Up-top document. As literature, however, it {snot much, Con- sidering how much General Miles writes, it ts surprising how badly he does it, When It comes to @ question of hiterary style, he ts notin the same class with General Shafter. ‘HE COMES EVERY SUMMER AND LETS DOWN CLOTH BUTTERFLIES. A Recent “Conversazione.” § ONVERSAZIONES” still continue to be popular at the department stores, I have never been invited to one, and I felt so like an interloper when I at- tended one unasked last week that I with- drew very soon. I approached the hosiery counter, and found that tho “conversazione” was already in progress, “ Mame Quinlan has a face like a crime,” pleasantly remarked an angular young lady, whose own faco resembled a misde- meanor at least, “Rosie, that just hits it off. I'd be ashamed to have a steady if I bad a face on me like that.” I hero interpolated: ‘I'd like to look at number 12 black socks, not too expen- sive.” “ Rosio” glanced at mo, but evidently con- sidered that I had taken the wrong cue to begin, for she went on: “Why, sho's so thin in the face that her cheoks crowd her tongue, Bay, fer the love or crime look at that noo floorwalker, Ho looks dopey. 1 wonder