Wichita eagle., 1888-05-24
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FROM NILE TO NILE.

| Newton Republic N.
in what may be called the beginning
! of the age Of Kansas literature. the bril-
| liant company who wrote for the Kan
sas Magazine, Steele, King, Ingalls,, and
| the others, found ill Kansas life and
scenery, and the yet stranger forms of
nature and the men in the country to
| the west and south, sufficient employ
ment. In its brief existence. the unluckv.
vet fortunate, magazine founded what
might be called the kansas school. F"
and with the result, that Kansas history.
Kansas life and manners, the Kansas
earth and the Kansas sky, have been
written up" III the most elaborate and
picturesque fashion, in prose and verse.
Kansas books, relating directly to Kan
sas. now form a respectable library.
For ten years past there has been "a
| Change of theme. The Kansas writer,
like Lord Brougham's famous "School-
MASTER has been abroad in mind or
body, or both. and the result is a second
! kansas library" or the material for
one, being the thoughts and observations
| of Kansas about other lands than their
| own Capt. Steele, the ''Deane Mono
han of the Kansas Magazine. wrote
readable book about Cuba, probably the
pioneer volume by a Kansan concerning
foreign country. Judge Thatcher, OF
Lawrence, issued a collection of his let
tiers from Europe, in a modest volume,
and is writing a second series, which
may be published. but it is TO be hoped,
in more desirable form. OF foreign
letters we have had many which have
never reached more preservable shape
than the bound files of the newspapers
in which they appeared, now slowed in
the vaults of the State Historical
society. Among these may be
mentioned Ward Burlingames let
tiers from Europe published
in the Commonwealth. the interesting
letters written by Mr. +. P. Baker when
Kansas commissioner at the Paris Expo
sition, and giving pleasant inside views
of great show" the letters from Ger
many, by Prof. Carruth, of the state
university, the letters of DIR. L. r. Elliott,
of Manhattan. from Sweden and Nor
way. and now we have In Prom Nile to
Nile" the collected notes of travel by
Col. Milton Stewart. Of Wichita, who,
has given us the most elaborate volume
yet written by a Kansas man on any
subject.
The book is a Kansas production al
around and there Is q bit of local herald
~ on the cover. We have there the
camel and the Arab. but we have also
the 'Grasshopper and the Sunfiower.
the armorial bearings OF Kansas, now
fully recognized and adopted, the grass
hopper being TO US what the hon IS 10
Great Britain. and the suntiower what
shamrock is to Ireland In the title
From Nile 10 Nile Is contained ref
erence 10 an aIusion" 10 q Kansas mat
ter which may not De clear at first glance
even to all kansans. the Nile OF Amer
lea" having been applied 10 the Arkan-
sas river by Col ". u. Aurdock but d
few years ago. but henceforth ''let it b.
recorded.
We NAV savs.of the traveller. before
spseakTng Of The travels, that b. possessed
the excellent qualifications Of American
birth: middle age: a good digestion;
prior experience in ''roughness. 81
volunteer soldier: the breadth OF mind
and lack of awe-struck and benumbling
reference which comes OF several ye.rs
residence in Kansas: and the society VI
his wife. With ali these in his favor.
Col. Stewart lourneyed through Ireland,
giving more time 10 that country than
Is accorded 10y most tourists; 5zleses
look ~ Scotland. aad then a