The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-04-15
POEM IS REMARKABLE
Discovery of Talent in Okla
homa Is Made
BY PRESIDENT A. C. SCOTT
Miss Roe and Her Picture of
a Winter Prairie Fight
BY PRESIDENT A. C. SCOTT

Guthrie, o. T, April 14-President A. C.
Scott of the college at Saltwater, always
alert for indications of talent among the
youthful Oklahomans has rescued from
oblivion a beautiful poem, and has given
to genius probably the breath of encour-
agement which has set spark Of in
spiration in a young woman's brain to
glowing, possibly to a blaze that later will
produce for the world a great art, for the
young woman herself fame.
The poem is a prairie scene and is
clearly, strongly limned. In his letter to
the Eagle in regard to the Poetess. Presi-
dent Scott says:
II think I have discovered a new poet
in Oklahoma. The little sketch which 1
enclose was written by Miss Virgie Roe,
few years ago a school girl of Guthrie.
Her father, DR.. Roe, will be remembered
by Guthrie people. and is now at Carney,
! came across this sketch in the Perkins
Journal a little while ago. You know
what the contributed poetry in country
newspapers is. and the blame is not
on the papers, either-they just can't help
il. There Is a horrible fascination about
these productions, however, and I started
in to read this one with the usual pain.
But I soon awoke to the fact that l was
reading poetry-both in conception and
workmanship-and think that the young
lady ought 10 have, and one of these days
viii have a wider hearing.
Sincerely your friend,
"A. c. SCOTT"
Below is given the poem of Miss Roe:
THE FIGHT OF THE WOLVES.
A low-bent, whirling sky of sombre grey
Hung round the clear-cut horizon, where
lay
A wide expanse Of snow all coldly white
Which by its very fairness held the lost
days light.
With tossing heads and paving of the
snow.
And tails turned where the strongest
plain winds blow.
Pressed close together in the waning light,
A bunch of ragged western ponies wait
the night.
They rub against each other, push and
sQUeal,
With many teasing bite and flying heel,
When. 10! from way beyond the dropping
SKY
Comes trembling down the wind long
drawn. cuivering cry
And mark the change! Each shaggy
mustangs eye
is filled with fire. each head Is tossed on
high;
For better far than any tongue can tell
Those frightened horses know the dismal.
horrid yell:
Wolves! and in the dreary, snow bound
light,
The little band forms bravely for the
fight
Down from the north a skulking form
appears;
Then shadowy followers gaunt with
eager, pointed ears.
They gather in pack and slowly swing,
A waiting circle round the ponies ring.
The fight begins. A grey, grim-visaged
sire,
With red, low-hanging tongue, and eyes
of lur!d fire.
And strong ribs showing through the
roughened hair,
A half tail longer than the largest there,
Emboldened by the presence of the rest,
Springs straight, with savage force, upon
a broad, warm breast.
The fight is on! A cloud of flying maiie!
While sharp hoofs flashing through and
through again
Cut at the dangling form that sways and
clings.
And tear the cringing. quivering flesh
each time 1t swings.
And thus all round, opposing strength and
might,
The battle RACES herceiy through the
night.
At last faint grey streak foretells the
day,
And bafhed, battered, beaten back, rob-
bed OF their prey,
The fear of daylight quenching all their
fire,
The gaunt, grey wolves reluctantly retire
The sun rolls up ana sees across the plain
with haggard eyes, ana hanging mead
and blood-washed name.
A bunch of western ponies. gashed and
torn,
Ragged. unkempt, and painting in the
morn.
Down in the snow, with fercely. red.
bright eyes,
And broken. useless back. the savage
wolf-king lies.
He drags his massive shoulders up with
pain,
To watch his whilom subjects cross the
plain,
With wild despair and rage he see:
them so.
And sends one plaintive, dying how
across the snow.
VIEW TARSNEY TAKES OF 1T