4 EMILY'S WANDERINGS IN HADES The Most Respectable Sketch In "The Undertaker's Gar- land," a Gruesome Volume by Messrs. Wilison and Bishop, Recounts the Adventures of Emlly, an Ameri= can Ghost, in the Phantom Under-World. By Prof. W. T. Allison. t= Such is the perversity of human 8, such fts bravado, that death d the grave are often made tha bject of jest and the sexton aad undertaker regarded as comic The last funny story 1 d was gruesome in character, r it played around the deathbed @ Scot who was such a long time ying that he wore out the patience his good wife. There are few of who have not heard jokes about 'funerals. In the days of Cheops or , I suppose men haw-hawed pleasant japes concerning the lution of the ancient mother- . But rarely does it happen & whole volume of verse and "prose, most of it witty, all of It im- 'plous in tone, is devoted to what most people is the most solemn of all themes, Bound 4n black and purple, and illustrated in a ghoulish style by Boris Antzibasheff, "The . Undertaker's Garland," by John "Peals Bishop and Edmund Wilson, ~ Jr., (The Macmillan Company, Tor- (onto), is ome of the oddest books 'that has come my way in a whole decade, in fact I believe that nothing Mke it has ever been published in "this country, nor perhaps ever will "Be again. Owing to the flippancy of tone and the Aubrey 'type of illustration In this book, the "whole thing seems to me like a 'Bang-over from the eighteen-nine- les when "The Yellow Book" was "In flower. It could not have been written by the bold, bad descend- ants of that period, however, for the suthors are young Americans not 'Jong out of Princeton. Both served in the war and both have been on dhe staff of "Vanity Fair" at one ' Hime or another. - Emily's Trip Through Hades. ; The flower in this ghastly gar- Jand which will attract most inter- 'est 1» a sketch by Mr. Wilson entitl- 'od, "Emily in Hades." Possibly it was written in his college days when 'Be was deep in Virgil. At any rate 'Ms ground conception of the lower "world is that of the ancient poet, al though the only character that he Picks up from classical story fis Charon, the surly fertyman. We pasy over the circumstances of Em- dly's death during the influenza epi- 'demic, leave her bereaved husband sitting by the bedside, and follow her ghost as she advances through #& grey mist to the bank of the grey river. She sees a clumsy boat and 'makes her way to it. Old Charon is sitting there, regarding her without interest from dim and lifeless eyes. As he 'gazes upon her, Emily: sud- * denly becomes aware that she has 'Bothing on but a night-gown and ~ that her hair is down her back. 'When he tells her to get in, so that he can take her over to Hades, she * i Protests that she is not dressed, only £0 be told that it does not matter. . Bhe accepts his lackadaisical invita- _#lon, and, as he pulls on his oars, she peers at him through the shad- 'owy and uncertain atmosphere, . Charon 'Is dressed in old and weather- . worn clothes, as colorless as the "barge, and rows with infinite weari- "Bess and indifference. As she asks Question after question, being ans- "wered politely but languldly and 'succinctly by the old boatman, Em- "fly comes to the conclusion that Hades is a dreary sort of place. "She 'ould have thought it might at least "Rave been horrible or in some other Way exciting. If Charon had only been kindly, or hateful, or grand, in- 'stead of being aimply indifferent snd stultified dy his work! Her thrill of adventure faltered; was am going to be just like life?-- 4 did aot often indulge in thrills, (Baving learned ¢hat nothing ever If you thrilled in -antici- ] nm, You were sure to be disap- ted. So Emily found life, and obably death was no different. . e presently she spoke again; sic in Hades?' * he answered, 'No music.' - 4 moment's pause, she went on: me," she said, 'how shall I ever the people, when I arrive over " JX shall land you where you .| with phantom kisses Erg wading. t was i g - = would not be able ter. So she descended and £ fel 4 Eis fg iki & £ file: § FoF i 8 ¢ : i : ; i | £ I i 228 32 8 § wr 8 > i and, staring fear- she recognized EER g § i f if : i £ wag still wearing had on when he was in & motor accident, on an el- night celebration; and he displaying in ais lapel an legend: 'Vote for Taft!' But the woman she was glad to note, wore a nightgown like her own, having died respectably in bed. They had never been very happy together, but they now walked side by side, as if from sheer force of habit. Neither turned $0 Emily nor spoke; she could not even tell whether they had seen her. They passed on and dis- solved in the shadows, two lifeless, colorless beings, wandering slowly and in silence, without interest or alm." Emily Finds Her Mother and Aunts, Emily felt huffed because people whom she hed known intimately on earth did not trouble to welcome her or express sorrow that she had died 80 young. But after she had a rath- er acrimonious debate with the shade of the headmistress of the boarding school which she attended In girlhood days, she received some- thing of a welcome from a circle of relatives whom she chanced to find. The accoufit of this meeting and the dialogue between Emily and her mo- ther is one of the happiest portions of this interesting fantasy. How did Emily know that she was in the pres- ence of her mother? I can imagine that I can see the smile of every wo- man reader as Mr. Wilson explains, ~--"She recognized her mother at once, though she was approaching her from behind, by the little hard knob of black hair which she wore at the back of her head. Bhe had always felt that this knob was de- presaingly old-fashioned and had of- ten wondered why her mother had imitated her grandmother in this, brushing her thin hair-straight dack and parting it in the middle." Bm- ily soon discovered that her mother bad changed as little in character as in the way she wore her hair. "Her mother raised solemnly upon Emily her large and gentle eyes, in which was neither happiness mor sorrow, but only a prosajc seriousness and a mild sort of wonder. Her long pre-ocoupation in dife with kitchens and housework and furniture and the more physical aspects of the care of her husband and children had In- vestéd her with the soulless dignity of a plain mahogany bed; and, now that she had come to Hades, where there was nothing more for her to do, she seemed ready to sit through eternity, we if she were a chest of drawers, content in the conviction of her usefulness and the sense of her duties discharged.' Emily Refuses to Stay With Her Relations. When Emily glided into the fam- lly oircle beside her grandmother, mother, and aunts, her mother ex- claimed, "Why EBmfly! I didn't ox- pect you so eoon." When the daugh- ter told the mother what she had died of, the latter sighed, "What a pity! And you married eo well, too." But the mother showed no real grief; Emily found 'her discon- certingly calm. After she had made Some enquinies as to how other mem- bers of the family were petting along in their earth-life, the mother con- cluded, "Well, it's nice to have you here. You can just sit around with us here and after awhile the others will be along and then we'll all be together." But the idea of a nice, long rest did not eppesl to Emily's active mind. Besides a half hour of her aunt's society was about enough for her. So with brutal directness she informed the cle that she was going to move on, for she did not wish to stay with meke me think that our little fam. Uy was the whole world. I never went anywhere and I never found out anything. You mmde me believe that all I had to do to be desirable ments that I must new ¢r. look into a barber shop when .I Was passing by in the street.' To this and other criticisms the mother made a garrulous defence, but Em- fly was inexorable. "She left them and lost her- self again in the grey." -- Love Amid the Twilgt wnd Mists. We judzs from 01s narrative 'tat when ¢mily was alive she was bever passionately in leve with her batsand. Four she would never have another chance-- that she was nothing but. a poor ghost, a bdodiless, passionless shad- ow! Bhe had told herself up to now sbut the languid people she had met were all old and stupid people, who were dead things Defore they died. But, in the presence of this ybung man, who might once have thrilled her with his touch, but who stirred her less now than a lover she might merely have imagined when alive, she knew with sickening despair and, sudden terrible grief, that she was only a shadow herself, that her flesh would never live again,'that she must walk emong Indifferent wraiths till she became as indifferent as they-- a wisp of spirit lost forever in a world of twilight and nists." ---- Mephisto Might Have Written This Book Emily met other people in Hades and always found something inter eating to talk about. I cannot fol- low her further, and part from her by saying how much I regret thet Mr. Wilson did not fill his share of the volume with the wanderings of the imaginary Emily in the imagin- ary lower world. I think that he and his pantner, Mr. Bishop, should be ashamed of much of what they no doubt consider to be very clever poetry and prose in "The Under- taker's Garland." 1 grant that is it clever, but it is very otfensive to any reader who fas any regard for hu- manity or any fear of God. These young Princeton graduates are cyn- ics who have long since sald in their hearts that there is no God. "The Funeral of Mary °Magdalene," the first selection, is abominably coarse and an insult to every Christian read- er "The Death of a Soldier" is ob- scene, "Resurrection," a Zolasque description of the exhumation of an Ameriosn soldier from a battle-flald in France is absolutely naseating, "The Death of the Last Centaur" is lecherous, and "The Death of God" i» blasphemous. Both these writers dave great gifts of imagery and of style but it is tragic to ses them put to such base uses. They have evi- dently sold themselves to Mephisto- pheles and just now they may think themselves very clever, as indeed they are, but 1t is beter to be good than clever, and I feel sure that twenty years from now, when, let us hope, a mild wisdom will have dis- sipated the foolish cynicism of youth, they will bitterly regret the publica~ tion of most of the material in "The Undertaker's Garland." ---W, T. ALLISON. Literary Notes. Bliss Carman was a conspicuous figure at the recent David Thompson pageant on the shores of Lake Wine demere, B.C. This was his second visit to the far west and with com- mendable enterprise the Vancouver "Province" pubMshed on that ocea~ slon not only his poem in honor of the early explorer, but eight lyrics regarding our laureate's impressions of western Canada. One of the best of these poems is entitled "Victor 1a," and is as follows; -- Victoria. Where the traveller Saanich, Fair is the sight he sees, A girlish imperial city Guarding the gates of the seas, With a robe of golden English broom Spreading about her knees. Lovely with old-world leisure Gracing her modest state, In youthful pride of dominion She sits by the western gate, Watching the liners come and go Through Juan de Fuca Strait. looks from 8he is crowned with ivy and laurel Fresh from an ageless spring;- Tales of the Bast and news of the North Her sheltered sea-lanes bring; And all her beauteous days go by, Soft as a grey gull's wing. Child of the strong adventure, Bred to the clean and fine, With touch of the velevt tropics And eyes with the Northern shine, Never to be fargotten-- Last of the Sea-King's Ifne. One of the books read by Lord Shaw of Dunfermline during his re- cent visit to this country was "The Romance of Western Canada" by Rev. Dr. R. G. Macbeth of Vancouv- or. He stated that he was *'charm- ed with its solid grip of history and §ts admirable presentation of a thrilling story." A second edition of Dr. Macbeth's most recent work, "Policing the Plains," is being pub. | lished by Hodder and Stoughton this fall. That much-discussed book, "The Pomp of Power," turns out to be the work of an expatriasted Canadian, Mr. Laurence Lyon, who for some THE DAILY BRITISH WHIG English Meerary firmament is Mr. Phillp Guedella, author of a volume of brilliant essays, "Supers end Su- permen." These are largely histor foal. A new book by this writer, "The Second Empire," deals with the life and reign of Napoleon III. Mr. Guedella produces iiterary and historical essays as a recreation. His chief energy is devoted to law and politics. Some Englishmen believe that he will one day succeed Mr. As- quith as leader of the Liberal party. Mr. H. G. Wells is at present ex- traqting . some more nuggets from [the sands of time. He is preparing "A Short History of Mankind," which will probably be as great a money- maker as his "Outline of History." Here are a few names which friends and foes have calied this industrious Georgian writer, Crusader, fantastic romancer, powerful electric starter for international mind-motors, born Story-teller, inexhaustible playmate, believer in fairies, articulate men of the people, artist, reformer, invent- or, propagandist, pamphleteer, Critics, like doctors and divines, often disagree. Sir William Robert- son Nicoll cannot bear Professor Lea- cock's brand of humor, but Mr. Gue- della, who 4s quite as keen as Nicoll, says, "I have the liveliest admiration for that best of modern bumorists, Stephen Leacock. He is probably the best thing Canada has ever ex- ported." Mr. Hendrik Van Loon, author of "The Story of Mankind," has been awarded the John Newberry medal, which 1s to be given annually by the ChiMren's Librarians' Section of the American Literary Association for the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children. It was Willlam Allen White's nov- el, "In the Heart of a Fool," that inspired Dr. wm. L. Stidger, a prom- Inent clergyman o Detroit, to preach his first "dramatic book sermon," and the interest it aroused has led to Dr. Stidgnr preaching a regular series of book-sermons once a month. His audience often numbers five thousand, and he finds that the ser- mons not only create widespread in- terest in books but are very success ful in promoting the sale of books by the women's committee at their Book Table after the service. Dr. Stidger also has monthly Book Pray- er-Moetings, at which members of the congregation report on - books supplied to them by the pastor, and these Pprayer-meétings ettract an av- erage attendance of five hundred. To achieve note as a literary man or a revolutionary leader in Ireland, it ls apparently necessary to be a schoolmaster. The most prominent contemporary Irish men of letters, Dantel Corkery and James Joyce, are both school teachers. Padraic Pearse, the leader of the Master week Te- bellion of 1916, was a headmaster of a boys' school. Thomas McDonough, one of the men: who were executed with Pearse, was a teacher in Pearse's school. Joseph Plunkett, another of the Easter week leaders, Was a teacher, De Valera was a pro- fessor at the Dublin University, as is Professor McNe#l, the speaker of the Dall. Miss Mary McSwiney, sis- ter of the Lord Mayor of Cork, who died of a hunger strike in e& London Jall, is a teacher. ~--W. T A. ---- The Story of the Canadian Revision of the Prayer Book. By Ww. J. Armitage, D.D., Pa D. Cambridge at the University Press, Toronto, McClelland and Stewart Lid. 442 Pages, / An enthusiastic commendation by the Primate of All Canada is to be found at the commencement of this very valuable contribution to ecclagi- astical Hteraturs. The book itself is tended to be a companion to the Revised Book of Common Prayer of the Church of England in Canada. The larger portion of the volume thereby give ing the Canadian edition a new value and interest to anglicans and others throughout the dominion. For years it has Deen felt by many that the dis- tinctive problems and needs of a country like Canada have called for some modification and amplification of the Prayer Book. This book is a most delightful study of such alter- ations and additions, * 'The first portion of the book fis mainly historical and biographical, and describes the origin and progress of the Canadian revision movement during the last two or three decades. The serious discussion of the gub- Ject gives place to two or three pages of genutne humor occurring in the seventh chapter, and Kingston read- ers will be intensely amused by Dr. Patterson-8myth's tii nk ? SATURDAY, SEPT. 80, 1098, sponsibility and service in the home, school, church and community. An excellent graded book-list for girls and loaders is given in the closing chapter of this practical handbook. How I Carried the Message to Garcia, By Colonel Andrew Summers Rowan. San Francisco, Cal. Walter D. Harney pubMsher, 32 pages. Price 25 cents. Many of us have read Elbert Hub- bard's "Message to Garcia," whick Appeared several years ago. It is, therefore, with considerable interest that we now read the details of the incident #self, narrated vividly and ret modestly by, Colonel Rowan--the fellow by the name of Rowan, who without asking questions, carried President McKinley's message to the leader of the Cuban Insurgents. This booklet is Intensely interest- ing and is deserving of a circulation equal 0 that of Hubbard's famous contribution. Nature scenes are weil described and thrilling adventures in [Cuban jungles and on the sea capti- start to finish. In one of the front pages, there is a fine portrait of the author and hero of this episode. c---- The War Work of Lennox and Add- ington, Published under the auspices of the Lennox and Addington Historical Soclety by Walter 8. Herrington, K.C,, F.R.S.C., president, and Rev. A, J. Wilson, B.A, B.D., secretary. Napanee, Ontarto. The Beaver Press, 278 pages. . This book will perpetuate in a nox and Addington. It is really an epitome of what took place all over the dominion, and {s valuable as de- monstrating the splendid service ren- dered by the boys who came from farm and office to rally to Britain's ald in the great war. The compila- tion of this volume is the result of painstaking effort on the part of the publishers. It contains a record of the Red Cross work of the county, the honor roll of the county and an account of the patriotic fund and other kindred organizations. Perhaps the section of the book that will most of all endear it to many citizens is the part headed "In Memoriam." The brief biographical sketches here given arg splendidly done. They will evoke a universal response, for the human heart is ever responsive to thrilling heroism and devotion, the products of the finest characteristics of humanity. Five full-page réproductions of appropri- ate photographs are given, There are two reasons why it is hard to tell some people anything. One is Decause they think they al- ready know it all and the other is be- cause you can't get them to stop talking Jong enough to listen to what You have to say. Young Ladies, Read This If you are bothered with pimples, rashes and ugly blotches on your face, it your complexion is sallow, it's an evidence that you require Dr. Hamil- ton's Pills to tone up the blood. One of' these splendid regulating pills makes a complexion like peach bloom-cheeks soon become rosy, eyes brighten, you again look the picture of health, look and feel well because you use Dr. Hamilton's Pills of Man- drake and Butternut, 25c at all deal- ers or The Catarrhozone Co., Mont- real. ------- 'w . 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