e had a rare
opportunity to watch the native. The barrier of reserve, which was
always maintained against the native Englishman, was let down in the
case of this precocious child, who was a far keener observer than most
adults. And these early impressions lend an extraordinary life and
vitality to the sketches and stories on which Kipling's fame will
ultimately rest.

The early years of Kipling were spent in an ideal way for the
development of the creative literary artist. Born at Bombay in
December, 1865, he absorbed Hindustanee from his native nurse, and he
saw the native as he really is, without the guard which is habitually
put up in the presence of the Briton, even though this alien may be
held in much esteem. The son of John Lockwood Kipling, professor of
architectural sculpture in the British School of Art at Bombay, and of
a sister of Edward Burne-Jones, it was not strange that this boy
should have developed strong powers of imagination or that his mind
should have sought relief in literary expression.

The school days of Kipling were spent at Westward Ho, in Devon, where,
though he failed to distinguish himself in his studies, he established
a reputation as a clever writer of verse and prose. He also enjoyed
in these formative years the friendship and counsel of Burne-Jones,
and he had the use of several fine private libraries. His wide reading
probably injured his school standing, but it was of enormous benefit
to him in his future literary work. At seventeen young Kipling
returned to India, where he secured a position on the CIVIL AND
MILITARY GAZETTE of Lahore, where his father was principal of a large
school of arts.

The Anglo-Indian newspaper is not a model, but it afforded a splendid
field for the development of Kipling's abilities. He was not only a
reporter of the ordinary occurrences of his station, but he was
constantly called upon to write short sketches and poems to fill
certain corners in the paper, that varied in size according to the
number and length of the advertisements. Some of the best of his short
sketches and bits of verse were written hurriedly on the composing
stone to satisfy such needs. These sketches and poems he published
himself and sent them to subscribers in all parts of India, but though
their cleverness was recognized by Anglo-Indians, they did not appeal
to the general public. After five years' work at Lahore, Kipling was
transferred to the ALLAHABAD PIONEER, one of the mo