There were two Ballestiers. The good one, beloved of the gods (and men), died young; but the one that resides near Brattleboro will probably live to be a hundred. Rudyard benefitted the man and as a sure result got his enmity. He is just literary enough in his instincts to read his brother-in-law’s books for gibes and jeers at himself. He imagines that every villain in the Kipling books is a black attempt to paint a Beatty Ballestier portrait: not knowing that an author (like Diety) creates in his own image. So the Ballestier reads and rages and cuts hickory clubs and lies in wait for Mowgli, who dares not venture out of sight of the bungalow except after dark. Has Rudyard Kipling written the best he ever will? is a question that the bad Ballestier proposes to answer by sending the soul of Kipling to join that of Tomlinson. Some folks are saying “Good hunting to you, Kaa Ballestier,” but Kipling in the meantime has had the rogue elephant put under bonds to keep the peace, this as preliminary to the killing, should the rogue continue to fool around the ’rickshaw. * * * * * In the story of “Kate Carnegie,” now running in _The Bookman_, Ian Maclaren uses the exclamation “Dod!” about three times to a page. This is understood to be a little advertising scheme suggested by Mr. MacArthur. Your Scot is a very thrifty person. * * * * * Mr. Percival Pollard who fights in the Commissariat, and once received a red badge, by being bumbasted with a pie (although he swears ’twas a tart) is uttering rank heresy in the _New York Journal_ concerning Stephen Crane. The statement is made that Crane is only a producer of “Bloomingdale symbolistic hash.” But now behold Mr. Pollard has discovered Nankivell “King of Colorists and Past Master of all living Draughtsmen”—bless my soul! when up pops a writer in the _Art Amateur_ and declares that the only fit man to illustrate The _Black Riders_ is this same Nankivell. * * * * * They do say that ’Enery James has resolved to write a novel with an incident. Gosh! * * * * * Is it true that a folio periodical issued in Philadelphia is to have a serial story entitled, “People Who Have Bored Me,” and that the first chapters will be written by Mr. Howells, with comments on Scott, Dickens, Thackeray, Dumas, Shakespeare, Moses, Phidias, the critics of the daily papers and Henry Clay? * * * * *