The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-04-11
WILD ANIMAL TALK.
Mr.. Seton-Thompson Gives Topeka a
Taste of His Personality.

Mr.. Ernest Thompson. who is
sorry he ever wrote his name Seton
Thompson delivered two lectures in
Topeka Wednesday. one at 4:15 in the
afternoon and one in the evening. For
the two lectures he received the sum of
$3.50.
But then Mr.. Seton is no common man.
He has made the world familiar with
the traits of wild animals and the things
that were known by a few hundred are
now the property of millions. Mr.. Seton
acquired his knowledge in the school of
experience. He lived with the animals
and studied them and when he wrote it
was in delightfully."- simple manner OF
things he knew
Mr.. Seton's lectures are really supple.
mentary to his stories and those who
have been entranced with the adven-
lures of Molly oCttontail Leba and
Bingo find an added charm in the talks
Of the man who has perpetuated their
memory.
The pictures thrown on the screen are
nearly all reproductions of his own
drawings which are published in his
books. There was one series from Land
seers famous deer pictures and they with
the story of Mr.. Setor's stag hunt in
England furnished the only spot in the
lecture where the audience felt that re-
atty had given way to romance.
The Current Literature said of Mr.
Seton:
The author known as Mr.. Ernest
animals have gained him such wide
spread popularity, is really Mr. Seton by
name, the Thompson having been as
Sumed under romantic circumstances by
a prOgenitor. The authors earlier stories
were signed Ernest Seton, though his
present reputation is completely identi-
fed with the hyphenated surname. Mr..
Seton ThompsOn. as he will probably
still be known, was born in the north of
England. When he was eighteen he
started for London to study art and
na history
student who ever got a life ticket to the
British Museum. This was a first re-
fused him by the officials of the museum
because of his youth, but he finally
Wheedled it out of them. In London he
was hungry but happy, as he declrares,
living in a dark hall bedroom, and spend
ing only ESQ in two years and half
by the end of that time his friends
thought he was dying with consumption,
the fact being that he was only hungry.
They sent him to Manitoba, where he
began to realize his dream of being a
naturalist. In 1888 he came to New York
with $2.63 in his pocket. He lived on
rolls and water from the Madison
Square fountain. At last he found work
at IS a week, drawing Autographs. His
first raise came through the opportunity
to draw raven for a cigar advertise
ment. Mr.. Seton Thompson does not
draw advertisements now The popular
author-naturalist is about 40 years old,
~and lives in New York. He resembles
Paderewslxi in appearance as much as it
like a Pole-except that his hair is
dark
AFTERNOON LECTURE.
That Ernest Seton-Thompson can tell
bear stories that are exciting enough for
anyone. none that attended his matinee
lecture in the afternoon at the High
school assembly hall will deny
The greater portion of his time was
taken up with story of his experiences
with the bears in Yellowstone park,
wyoming. And they were truly varied
and exciting enough. to inspire the hearts
of the brave young hearers with a desire
to go and do some of the things he told
about.
Mr. Seton is very much opposed to
hunting with guns and powder. but does
a great deal q camera hunting He takes
a great many snapshots at random while
he is out in the wild Businesses of the
mountains but nothing other than the re-
production of some animal in some nat
ural attitude never before shown results
from it. That he is also apt with the
pencil and brush was shown by the
Der of original sketches shown by the aid
of the stereoptic0n-
Great numbers of bears lived near the
hotel where he stopped and would come
every day to tn garbage pile in the rear
of the hotel to pick out the bits of food
and devour them with relish. His stories
had most to do with the experiences of
Little Johnny. a dyspeptic little bear
with a fondness of plum jam, well known
TO those who have read An Autobiog-
raphy of a Grizzly
Doctors are not necessarily bad be