The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-04-05
INDIANA in FICTION.
Criticism of Authors, Who locate Their Alb.
surd Stories in This State to Its Damage.
OAKLAND CRY, Ind. April A.

X. NJ. Rabb, in Kate Fields Paper.
Mr.. Hutton. not long since. very severely
and very justly criticised an English
novelist's Texan character as one whom no
American citizen would recognize. In the
pages of the same magazine o story
appeared, the scene of which was laid in
Indiana. Just what part was not specified,
and since to one familiar with the State
from Lake to Posey county, which is equiv
alent to its Alpha and Omega. 1t is still an
unknown region. its author must "have
given to airy nothing q local habltation
and a name"
Not long before this Mr.. Boyesen wrote o
similar story. the scene of which was laid
in southern Indiana. a portion of the Sta to
familiar to the writer, but to her certain
knowledge not pecpled with the eXtraOr-
binary beings set forth by Mr.. Boyesen.
Several years ago such sins OF omission
and of commission might nave been par
doned. but to-day. when marvellous dialect
tales are achieved and thrust upon US. the
excuse given for their existence is not
their beauty-of which no one ever &C
cuscd them-but their accurate pictures OF
certain phases of life which would other
wise be unknown to US, 1t is certainly time
to object.
An airy young lady from Indiana fitted
through the pages of another story which
appeared in the No Name number of O lead
ing magazine q few years ago. Her style
smacked strongly OF Daisy Miller; each
separate curl on her small head was q
declaration of Independence. and she
talked shockingly of corsets and dress re-
form in the presence of innocent foreigners.
She was accompanied by q s~avage-pot
one of the kind Columbus di~scovered-but
q native of Indiana, whose beard hung In
rags about his cheeks and chin" and w whose
&c., Araa la-01 nfrOnr ndn 4ha
brim of an ecclesiastical hat" The feat
ures of this interesting creature were
"crudc and strong, with just a touch
of half-subdued savagery." But this was
been q Methodist before being converted to
catholicism. attending "a little carpeted
church In Indiana, with u pathetic. white
washed baroness. and twenty yards of
stove-pipe supported by iron wines from
the ceiling"
This extraordinary character hailed from
South Bend. Ind, where the fashion of
embarrassing churches and s~uepending
stovc-pipes from the ceiling passed away
about the time that it's citizens discovered
that it was no longer good form to suspend
persons of doubtful character without the
interference of the law.
We do not deny the whitewssh and the
stovepipe allegation, but it belongs to the
days of Mr.. Eggleston's Circuit Rider"
and not to the time of the Emancipation
waist which MISS Indiana peddles through
Europe.
The story first referred to is another ex-
fiction woven around Indiana. In the
pleasing tale. Regulators" q frail book
agent and q strong-minded young school
ma'am are the principal figures.
Indiana White Caps have. in truth. a ma
tiOnal reputation, but very few Indianians
nave seen them in their assumed character,
and the few who have been granted the
privilege cannot be induced to recount
their experience. 1t Is said that for rea-
sons best known to themselves the rcgulat-
ors prefer in daytime to play the role of
peaceable citizens.
But these astonishing regulators. known
as The Lucky Number" in the
courthouse yard. in broad daylight, and
take n vote, publicly, in a new and abOr-
lginal manner. as to whether or not a man
shall be hanged.
Let it not be supposed that we accuse
these writers of wishing to blacken In
the contrary. They seem possessed with o
zeal to show the world that we ore grow
ing enlightened; that we wear the
emancipation waist; that the woman's
Suffrage Club and the Christian Temper
90 to Oberlin and blossom into country
school-ma'ams; that our farmers neglect
their agricultural interests to read Plato,
purchased. probably, from the guileless
book-agent who has lately penetrated our
wilds.
All very kind. and we return thanks: but
we protest against the many errors DIS
ssminated by these well-meanlng but
uniformed authors. Their characters
talk q dialect unknown to any
Hoosier; In proof, compare it with
that of Mr.. Eggleston and Mr.. Riley
Their vagaries are unfamiliar TO any NOR.
tal. in Indiana or else where; their white
wash end stovepipes disappeared long ago.
moved on with the star of empire; and we
humbiy pray that these same delineators
of human nature may either mend theiI
ways OF that they, too, may move on.