1 Two Contributions to Canadian' Poetry "The Wood Carver's Wife and Later Poems," by the Late .~ Marjorie L. C. Pickthall, and "Fires of Driftwood," by Isabel Ecclestone Mackay, were the Work of Intimate Friends Who Spent Much Time Together During Re- cent Years. . By Prof. W. Sane Within a few days of each other, ; 'two new books of Canadian verse i have been issued by the Toromu | - publishing house of McClelland and 'Btewart. For several reasons these i Yolumes are of extraordinary Inter- | 'ost. In the first place, "The Wood | Carver's Wife and Later Poems," by | ed the most fitting comment; beauty conscious at once Marjorie L. C. Pickthall, and "Fires | Driftwood," by Isabel Ecclestons Mackay, are works of art as far as | rmat is concerned. In binding, | title-pages, cover design, and print. "Ing they are § delight to the eye. the Pickthall volume we have the , portrait of the author that I ve yot seen. The design of both "books and the decorative work have "been done by J. E. Macdonald, A R. C.A., and he is to be congratulated on his excellent taste; with the eco- operation of the printer, the en- graver and the book-binder, M:. Macdonald has produced two of the most attractive volumes of poetry -@ver published In this country. © And these books are noteworthy for another reason. In "The Wood Carver's Wife and Later Poems" we Dave a volume of melancholy inter- the death of Miss last March, it is, s0 to '#peak, 'her last will and testament,' Ber final message to all of us of the _¢iWwonder and bloom of the world. { When we consider that this talent>d singer, whose shaping spirit of imag- imation nearly approached that of genius, was called by death, and that ®ight suddenly, when to herself and 'Mer friends it must have seemed as if not half her days were spent, we are in a mind to receive almost with | Peverence these her last visions of "ibeauty. "1 And how interesting and how Ufit- fing it is that the book of poet:y which walks out into the world with {this precious posthumous volume "should be the latest child of the In- yention of Isabel Bcclestone Mackay, Marjorie Pickthall's fellow-worker, eonstant companion, and intimate 'friend. If those who have paed on 'into the mysterious world are le 'to take note of what is o the earth-life, surely nothing could Bring a greater sense-ef-satisfactin to the late poetess than to know that _ the introduction to her last book of verse was written by her own famli- 'far friend, and that it should be ac- sompanied in publication by the same friend's own "Fires of Drift- ng in wood," many of which poems were | fsomposed almost in her presence on the shores of Boundary Bay. | Bho Road Her Poems by the Sound- Sea. ing : In her all too brief introduction 40 Miss Pickthall's last volume Mrs. Mackay gives us one reminiscence of _ those vanished summer days whon she and her friend lived by the Pacl- fic shore. "It was in June," she writes, 'and amid the wild loveliness of sea and forest that the writer first saw the manuscript of this Book. The author of it sat where © freat rocks wedged a fallen log-- fallen so long that its dead, gray bark had changed to the many greens of velvet mosses. Below lay the Pacific and above and far back T. Allison. © 4 a : the mountains rose. The forest sounds, secret and musical, accom- panled the rise and fall of the poet's voice as she turned the pages, read- ing here and there. When she hal finished little was said--silence and the dim loveliness of the place seem- had melted into beauty, making each more beautiful." Speaking of Miss Pickthall's personal characteristics, Mrs. Mackay proceeds, "In this poet, at least, there was a wealth of happy interest which linked her most companionably with the life ef everyday. To her, a sense of humor was always the saving grace, the balance-holder which never confus 9d the great things with the small, nor let the sublime slip into the ri- diculous. Tears were for secrat places, but laughter shared with a friend was a bond which made a closer bond more possible. The last poem written, in her own hand, !s "The Vision," and however we may Interpret dt, it rings most gladly con- fident. There 1s no hint here of work 'unfinished, or' promise unfu!- filled,' but a- sure knowledge and content that " 'Life and death are one.'"" Haunted by the Passion of the Past. Tennyson once sald that he was "haunted by the passion of the past." Although Miss Pickthall had a sense of humor, as Mrs. Mackay assures us, "A Mother in Egypt," and "The Wood Carver's Wife," to say nothing of scores of other lyrica which resurrect for us the joys and sorrows of those who lived in Bible times, In the middle ages, or in the days of the old regime on the banks of the St. Lawrence, had a feeling for the past, even deeper than that of the great Victorian poet. In the short poem of dedication which pre- faces this collection, Miss Pickthall shows this inclination of her mind to the days of old, Lord, on this paper white My soul would write Tales that were heard of old Of perilous things and bold; Kings as young lions for pride: Lost cities where they died Last in the gate; the cry That ¢old some eastern throng A prophet was gone by; The song of swords; the song Of beautiful, flerce lords Gone down among the swords; The traffick and the breath Of nations spilled in death; The glory and the gleam Of a whole age Snared n'a golden page, Such is my dream. And in spite of her mastery of pa- thos, and of the tender, graceful note regnant in her verse, Miss Pickthall had a love for adventurous days. Ome of the liveliest little poems In this book Is entitled "Rid- ing," and gives expression to a wish which few would have suspected in one who was habitually shy and r»- tiring: If I should live again, 0 God .ct we be young. Quick of sinew and vein With the honeycomb on my tongue, - THE DAILY BRITISH WHIG. te Tan in a moment flung {| With the dawn on a flowing plaia, Riding, riding, riding riding * Between the sun and the rain. It 1, having been, must be, O God, let it be so Swift and supple apd free With a long journey to go, And the clink of the curb and the blow Of hooves, and the wind at my knee, Riding, riding, riding riding Between the hills and the sea. One Star Differs from Another. When one turns from Marjorie Pickthall's~sad but beautiful domes- tlc drama of new France, "The Wood Carver's Wife," 'and from her ; other shorter poems to Mrs. Mack- 'ay's "Fires of Driftwood," one is of a change ia |style. That of Miss Plckthall is the j more delicate, but that of Mra. | Mackay is easy and close-woven ana {full of the color of real life. As one star differs from another in' glory, 80 with theses sisters of the heaven- ly muse. Mrs. Mackay has made an enviable reputation as a novelist, as a writer of children's verse, and as a | playwright, but with the appearance {of ths volume she becomes one of the leading poets of Canada. In fin- Is of phrase, in comniand of melody, |and in the application of ideas to {life, Mrs. Mackay has made in the hundred or more short lyrics in thie collection a notable contribution to our literature. In reading the aver- age volume of verse, I always run across many poems which are mere. ly pretty. That is the best you can say for them, and often you feel thay he writer would have been well- advised if he or she had omitted them because they were so slight In thought content. Now it is alto- gether probable that Isabel Eccle- stone Mackay, in spite of the sonor- ous strength of her name, writes some flub-dub poems, some airy- fairy, cypress lawn stuff, but if so, she has exercised a rigid censorship over herself and has refused to {n- clude trivia in this 'volume. I think her book is remarkable in this re. spect. And as I have hinted, she Js closely in touch with human lta. This is abundantly evident in almost every poem. I am glad to see thatshe Hkes to write sometimes on exclus- 'vely Canadian subjeets. She lives in Vancouver, the city of roses and rain, and she writes a little poem in praise of wet weather, another on "The Sleeping Beauty," a formation of mountain peaks above Vancouver Harbor, a fine poem on the roma:- tic suggestions of the docks, and many other poems which smell of the sea. But she is partial to othor scenes and other cities in Canada. She was brought up In old Ontario, and we get eastern color in some of her poems. I mention such titles as "Lake Louise," "The Bridge Build- er," "Calgary Station," "The Prairie School," "The Homesteader' and "The Gatekeeper," a poem which unrolls the glories of old Quebee. mtn, An Original Poem About Death. A poem which illustrates Mrs, Mackay's original turn of thought and her intense interest in spiritual things is the following: h,¥ Laureate. Death met a little child who cried For a bright star which earth denfed And Death, so sympathetic, kissed ir, Saying: "With me All bright things be!" And only the child's mother missed it. Death met a maiden on the brae, 'Her eyes held dreams life would be tray, And gallant taken-- 'Leave,' whispered he, "Your dream with me And I will see you never waken." Death was greatly Death met an old man in a lang; So gnarled was he and full of pain That kindly Death was struck with pity-- "Coma you with me Old man," said he, "I'll set you down in a fair city." So, kingly Death along the way Scatters rare gifts and asks no pay-- Yet who to Death will write a son- net? If any dare, Let him take care No foolish tear be spilled upon it! With Some the War is Not Yet Over. One of the most vivid poems In this volume describes some Iimmi- grants seen in the Calgary station. I am sorry that it is too long for me to quote. The poem which made the deepest appeal to me and which impressed me as being the most ori- ginal of all is entitled "Perhaps." It is written in free verse. So is thls powerful reminder of the tragle memories of the war: The Returned Man. They thought that he would come back Quieter, Less boyish, But still a hero with tales to tell. So, when there were no tales, Only blank silences-- When he lay for hours Staring through leafing branches And forgot them Utterly-- They tried to arouse him, saying: "The war is over," But when he turned on them His shadowed eyes, They stammered--; Knowing that they led: --W. T. ALLISON, Ldterary Notes. It has been decreed by the Cana- dian Authors' Assoofation that the annual festival known as Book Week this year be between Oct. 28th and Nov. 4th. The local branches of the association are making even greater efforts than last year in arrangirg various publicity features in the press and on the platform to call the attdntion of the Canadian peo- ple to our ndtional literature. Some critical persons have con- tended that this publicity work is commerdialising things of the spirit. They go even further than this and say that the Canadian Authors' As- sociation is helping publishers and booksellers to palm off on the pub- Ue lite wares of inferior qual- ity. criticlems as these are ill- founded. The officers of the Authors' Aesoclation would be the last peo- ple in the world to 'encourage poor work on the pant of any of the mem- bers. of the organisation. They would wish for the future weifare of Canadian literature that publish- ers should set a high standard and that the public should exercise dfs- crimination and not select a book because it has a' highly colored Jacket. But if books, written by Canadians of yesterday and to-day express high ideals and show good workmanship, then they beMeve that the people of this country should have their attention called to such volumes and should be urged to add .jthem to their private libraries. A laudable resolve for Canadians to make during Book Week would be to start a special shelf for Canadians. 8chool teachers might induce their classes to lay the foundation for a library of Canadian authors. There might well be in every school room, from Grade VII. upwards, a little cir- culating Hbrary of books written about Canada by Canadians. . strictly. forbidden by r of public instruc- beyond the EI [IRN Dd? ad WASHING DISHES 7 GILLETT S=¢ ly E cook. He sometimes forgot, how-! ever, whether he was dining at his remarked to his hostess: apologize to you for this extremely nasty dinner. 1 cannot imagine what has come over my cook. I have never known her to disgrace |. herself before." The recent death of W. H. came as a shock to many p« though eighty-two years old s 80 well preserved that he u.. uot look seventy. The death of his wife a couple of years ago removed his main incentive to Mve, He died in his sleep; a quiet end to a life that was mainly struggle and privation. --W.T.A. "Out For Character." By twenty-six of the world's thoughtful and great. Silk finished cloth, $1.00 net~The Vir Publishing Company, 200-214 N. Fifteenth street, Philadelphia, Pa. Young men and young women, too, will respond to the challenges to high-minded endeavor. Because the chapters in this book were each writ- ten by a thoughtrul person who knows. The sensible thing to do is to learn from race experience, There are people whose bodies are rotting out with loathsome disease who wish they hadn't. But the wish comes too late in the calendar. It should have anticipated transgression. Re- pentance cleans ofit the heart, but it does not cure locomotor ataxia. Natural law grinds on, and its mills are merciless. You are getting under its wheels when you surrender your body to lust. There are men and wo- men who have doomed themselves to a lifetime of physical torture, who "have gone lamed and Hmping to the grave, as the penalty of a single vio- latioi There is a holow-eyed, dough-fhced vacancy when the raws of health are defled and virtue and self control gives way to sensuality. The law of the harvest is inexorable. Natures bill must, be paid on demand and the demand comes Wyre and swift. It will be read by. many! thoughtful parents who will see to it that the facts in the book are!' handed to their adult children. Every | 100% ree LYE GILLETT'S | || OEE roc LYE A. '~ EN Disinfe cls Doctors and Speed Limit. Ottawa, Oct. 20.--That a docter larly forgetful frame of mind, he in his car, was vanced by two doctors DRAIN PIPES TOILETS ETC. Safety Deposit Boxes AZ YOURSELF of the many advantages afforded by a Safety Deposit Box in our vault for the care of your bonds, deeds insurance policies and other valuable papers. BOXES are of different sizes to suit requirements, they are ac- cessible at any time during busi- ness hours, the rental is moder- ate, and as the renter holds the keys, privacy is assured. OUR MANAGER will be pleased to explain their operation to you. 103 "BANK~TORONTO Incorporated 1855 BRANCHES KINGSTON LYNDHURS? teacher of the young and every min- ister of the Gospel will find a vital use for this book in their profession. HAS EVERY PROSPECT OF ENDURING FOREVER What New York Tribune Says About Removal of Naval Vessels. New York, Oct. 20.--The removal of four naval vessels, which have constituted the naval force of the United States on the Canadian bor- der, will give "greater importance to the moral value of this unarmed bor- der,"" says the Tribune today in com- menting editorially on the steps tak- en to reviee the Rush-Bagot treaty of 1817. "Modern history has shown no other imatance of such arrange- ment on the border between the two TE Nr A ------ pA -- great nations. The peace that has already endured for over one hun- dred years bas every prospect of en- during forever, for this withdrawal of the last ghips of war on the boun- dary symbolizes the drawing togeth- er of Canada and the American peo- ple even closer than before." Suspicion is the poison of true friendship. STOMACH UPSET GRAVES BROS. PLUMBING, TINSMITHING, STEA HOT AIR AND HOT WATER All work given our personal careful attention, HOUSE FURNISHING HARDWARE GAS HEARTBURN INDIGESTION !!! eee Chew a few Pleasant Tablets, Instant Stomach Relief! European Plan Dining Room Service De Luxe speeding. Magistrate Askwith ,oint. ed out that although ft might do own home or not. Once, when din- in a hurry to get to a patient shofld | ae law no harm to have a special ing with Lady A., end in a particu- be allowed to exceed the speed limit clause for doctors, there was none the argument ad-|at present, and he would have to m in the Pol!ve treat them the same as othe: people My dear Lady R., I really must Court yesterday, charged with 'und fine them $10 and costa. M HEATING, HEATING G9\| | CHATEAU BELVIDERE 141 King E. Phone 1743