ew York City
and Chicago, who died in 1888, leaving a fortune of about a million. Her
maternal grandfather was E. Peshine Smith of Rochester, N. Y., a noted
author and jurist, who was selected in 1871 by Secretary Hamilton
Fish to go to Japan as the Mikado's adviser in international law. The
ancestral home of the Balestiers was near Brattleboro', Vt., and here
Mr. Kipling brought his bride. The young Englishman was so impressed by
the Vermont scenery that he rented for a time the cottage on the "Bliss
Farm," in which Steele Mackaye the playwright wrote the well known drama
"Hazel Kirke."

The next spring Mr. Kipling purchased from his brother-in-law, Beatty
Balestier, a tract of land about three miles north of Brattleboro', Vt.,
and on this erected a house at a cost of nearly $50,000, which he named
"The Naulahka." This was his home during his sojourn in America. Here
he wrote when in the mood, and for recreation tramped abroad over the
hills. His social duties at this period were not arduous, for to his
home he refused admittance to all but tried friends. He made a study of
the Yankee country dialect and character for "The Walking Delegate," and
while "Captains Courageous," the story of New England fisher life, was
before him he spent some time among the Gloucester fishermen with an
acquaintance who had access to the household gods of these people.

He returned to England in August, 1896, and did not visit America again
till 1899, when he came with his wife and three children for a limited
time.

It is hardly fair to Mr. Kipling to call "American Notes" first
impressions, for one reading them will readily see that the impressions
are superficial, little thought being put upon the writing. They seem
super-sarcastic, and would lead one to believe that Mr. Kipling is
antagonistic to America in every respect. This, however, is not true.
These "Notes" aroused much protest and severe criticism when they
appeared in 1891, and are considered so far beneath Mr. Kipling's real
work that they have been nearly suppressed and are rarely found in
a list of his writings. Their very caustic style is of interest to a
student and lover of Kipling, and for this reason the publishers believe
them worthy of a good binding.

G. P. T.

Contents

AT THE GOLDEN GATE

AMERICAN POLITICS

AMERICAN SALMON

THE YELLOWSTONE

CHICAGO

THE AMERICAN ARMY

AMERICA'S DEFENCELESS COASTS

I. AT THE GOLDEN GATE

"Sere