Rudyard Kipling's Lllness.

Manawatu Herald, 11 May 1899, Page 3

Rudyard Kipling's Lllness.

A L">ndon correspondent sends to an exchange the following particulars : — Mr Rudyard Kipling, aidt-d by his fiae constitution and unusual will-power, has won his long fight with death. On Sunday he was pronounced out of danger, and since then his progress has been steady. He has still, however, eora9 fuver, and, as he is wretchedly weak, it is thought necessary to keep from him the death of hi 3 little daughter Josephine, to whom he wa3 tenderly attached. She died of pneumonia on Monday. Even bis wife, therefore, keeps that secret, with what suffering under her smiles only mothers know. The patient is, however, allowed to hear some of the telegrams Ehowed upon him from all parta of the word, the most noteworthy, perhaps, being one from the German Emperor. "As an enthusiastic admirer of the unrivallad books of your husband, I am most anxioua for news about his health. God grant that he may be spared to you and to all who are thankful to him for the soul-stirring way in which he bas sung about the deeds of our great common race.— William." The Emperor is evidently willing to substitute the Teuton for the AngloSaxon as the ruling race of the future. He did not quite venture to call Mr Kipling an American, but being anxiou3 that hi 3 telegram should be taken as a compliment to Americans ratber than to Englishmen, the German journals have received a hint to describe ths poet as an American. At least, as Germans read Kipling, and have translated him admirably, and kuow his pedigree as well as we do, that is the only explanation wo can offer for their otherwise iDexpiicible unan- ! imity in blundering. A perusal of the " Recessional " should have, taught them better. Americans, have mo3t of the v'rfcues, but an American frightened at his own success is an unthinkable phonomonon.