The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-12-23
Charming Scheme of a Recent
Successful Story.
.EBEN HOLDEN.


ture and Language .........W elch
'EBEN HOLDEN"
There IS haunting veracity about
''E,ben Holden" It is one Of those tales
wherein the readers mind Jays hold Of
the assumption in the early pages that
the writer is telling facts, and is using
fctionaI names only to keep sacred those
things which ought to 60 into autobiog-
raphies. and never do. In these days Of
impossibiy successive tableaux in swsfh-
buckler novels. the mind wearied with the
long strain Of keeping up credulity finds
a delightful relaxation in narrative.
which hasn't an improbable line in it,
It is a plain tale ana how good plain
tales are. Life is so homely, and its
dramatic mile posts so few and far be
tween and SO weak without the warmest
intimacy with the actors and long, II
monotonoUs acquaintance with the envir-
onment when a narrative presents life
truly it charms. Eben Holden does that.
Eben Holden is a kindly, vigorous man
who carried an orphan boy in a basket
out of Vermont. westward. TO northern
New York, about fifty years ago Man
and boy finally pull rein at the home OF
prosperous north country farmer, David
Brewer" who has a baby daughter. Hope.
The descriptions Of the pioneer life Of
that day do not lag There is the big
snow storm incident; the maple camp in
cident; several good horse-swap stories;
the country literary" much as It is in
the west to-day; the country fair, pr0to-
type Of the annual pumpkin and art gal
lery" atrocity Of many q Kansas county
to-day "a country love scene; the doc
tors visit; instances are given Of that ex-
tinct type Of dry-land derelict-the half
witted itinerant fiddler; and OF another
type, nearly but not quite gone in Kan
sas and Oklahoma, the ragged random
footed poet.
Hope. the daughter grows into a beau
bful young woman and is sent TO New
York city for the cultivation Of her voice.
VIII. the boy of the basket. becomes a
young man and is sent TO college and the
thread through the narrative is the love
affair of these two. Young Win seeks
employment from Horace Greeley His
descriptions of Horace Greeley are broils
with the juice retained. Here is one:
81 remember that one day when he
was sunk deep in composition. a negro
came and began with grand airs to make
a request as delegate from his campaign
club. The Printer sat stiT. his eyes close
to the paper. his pen flying at high speed.
The colOred orator went on lifting his
voice in a set petition. Mr. Greeley bent
TO his work as the man waxed eloquent.
a nervous movement now and then be-
trayed the Printers irritation. He looked
up. shortly his face kindling with anger.
Help, For Gods sake he shriued
impauently, his hands flying in the air.
The Printer seemed gasping for breath
Go and stick your head out OF the
window and get through he shouted hot
ly to the man He turned 10 his writing
"a thing dearer to him than a new bone
to a hungry dog.
Then you may come and tell me
what you want ne added in a miIder
tone"
Here is another view Of Greeley: st re-
member coming into the counting room
late one evening Loud voices had halted
me as I passed the door. Mr. Greeley
stood back Of the counter a rather tall
wiry. gray-haired man before il. Each
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And here IS sfll another. Re was
writing when came In. A woman sat
beside him talking AT immense ham lay
on the marble f1p Of the steam radiator.
basket az EGGS sa- IN rba floor near Mr.
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"e-7 I- -'i7 'as -0-
notice. ana SOLD az auction. 90 members