RUDYARD KIPLING. RUDYARD KIPLING, an Anglo-Indian poet and story-writer, was born at Bombay, Dec. 30, 1864. His father, head-master of the Lahore School of Art, sent him to England to be educated; and in 1882 he returned to India as an editor and correspondent of the Lahore Civil and Military Gazette and the Allahabad Pioneer. With wonderful rapidity he issued volume after volume dealing with English life in India. In 1889 he left India and traveled in China, Japan, America, and England, and then settled in Brattleboro, Vt.; but in 1896 returned to England. Kipling's works include: "Departmental Ditties" (1888); "Plain Tales from the Hills" (1888); "Soldiers Three" (1889); "Phantom Rickshaw" (1889); "The Light That Failed" (1890); "Story of the Gadsbys" (1890); "The Naulahka" (1892); written in collaboration with his brother-in-law. Other books are: "Life's Handicaps" (1891); "Ballads and Barrack-Room Ballads" (1892); "Many Inventions (1893); "The Jungle Book" (1893); "The Second Jungle Book " (1895); "The Seven Seas" (1896), verse; "Captains Courageous" (1897); "The Day's Work" (1898). THE THREE MUSKETEERS. (From "Plain Tales from the Hills.") MULVANEY, Ortheris, and Learoyd are Privates in B Company of a Line Regiment, and personal friends of mine. Collectively I think, but am not certain, they are the worst men in the regiment so far as genial blackguardism goes. They told me this story, the other day, in the Umballa Refreshment Room while we were waiting for an up-train. I supplied the beer. The tale was cheap at a gallon and a half. Of course you know Lord Benira Trig. He is a Duke, or an Earl, or something unofficial; also a Peer; also a Globetrotter. On all three counts, as Ortheris says, "'e didn't deserve no consideration." He was out here for three months collecting materials for a book on "Our Eastern Impedimenta,' and quartering himself upon everybody, like a Cossack in evening dress. His particular vice- because he was a Radical, I suppose was having garrisons turned out for his inspection. He would then dine with the Officer Commanding, and insult him, across the Mess table, about the appearance of the troops. That was Benira's way. He turned out troops once too often. He came to Helanthami Cantonment on a Tuesday. He wished to go shopping in the bazaars on Wednesday, and he "desired" the troops to be turned out on a Thursday. On-a-Thursday! The Officer Commanding could not well refuse; for Benira was a Lord. There was an indignation-meeting of subalterns in the Mess Room, to call the Colonel pet names. "But the rale dimonstrashin," said Mulvaney, "was in B Comp'ny barrick; we three headin' it." Mulvaney climbed on to the refreshment-bar, settled himself comfortably by the beer, and went on:-"Whin the row was at ut's foinest an' B Comp'ny was fur goin' out to murther this man Thrigg on the p'rade-groun', Learoyd here takes up his helmut an' sez-fwhat was ut ye said?" "Ah said," said Learoyd, "gie us t' brass. Tak oop a subscripshun, lads, for to put off t' p'rade, an' if t' p'rade's not put off, ah'll gie t' brass back agean. Thot's wot ah said. All B Coomp'ny knawed me. Ah took oop a big subscripshun - fower rupees eight annas 'twas an' ah went oot to turn t' job over. Mulvaney an' Orth'ris coom with me." "We three raises the Divil in couples gin'rally," exclaimed Mulvaney. Here Ortheris interrupted. "Ave you read the papers?" said he. "Sometimes," I said. "We 'ad read the papers, an' we put hup a faked decoity, a -a sedukshun." "Abdukshin, ye cockney," said Mulvaney. "Abdukshun or sedukshun- no great odds. Any 'ow, we arrange to taik an' put Mister Benhira out o' the way till Thursday was hover, or 'e too busy to rux 'isself about p'raids. Hi was the man wot said: We'll make a few rupees off o' the business."" "We hild a Council av War," continued Mulvaney, "walkin' roun' by the Artill'ry Lines. I was Prisidint, Learoyd was Minister av Finance, an' little Orth'ris here was |