The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1901-04-26
.Ngencdm Caste
jW Literature
BY Charles Clark Mum. Author
of" Uncle Terry

There seems 10 be a widespread ber.y
that our taste Ia fiction is degenerattr..
that French literature ana the school M
Iola. Daudet and Ouiaa have csntar,
mated our taste; that only the ero.f.
! novel will please; that realism AMI ra.i
isW of the carnal sort Is what tha Al
+ DE demand. We see Ross's abominaflo,.
sell into the hundred thousands. Daaidet.,
mastery presentation Of the evH ~.
equally successful and dfamatized sn
theaier al fabulous prices for an entt-.
season. AND worse than this. We ~.
writer's Of worldwide fame and unou..
toned power seemingly stopping 10 cat.-
% this apparent taste To cam s boot I.
play broad IS the surest way 10 ~.
for L success. and the more ''risoue-r /.
is ne faster the book viii sell ana -
higher the prices charged TO witness IN
stage fproductionl presentation
Ana yet this variation o. public taste
is more apparent than real for whne
critics are lamenung IT, purlsfs railing
against It and authors unwliingly cater
ing TO t-presto, along comes an honest
wholesome tale Of country folks pure in
thought sturdy in chaacter-like "Davff
Harum and the sales soar into the -
and hundreds of thousands Then asAr
70 eonfound the dramatists a comblnatior
piay-writer and actor gathers a few sim
pie materials at an uuheard-0f coast Vi5
iage and plays them in Shore Acres
season after season 10 crowded house.
In this connection I am reminded of a.,
incident that came my way a few years
ago. and one that surprised me wa.
IN rather wild and wooiyH Wester.
city and that evening. al the sureestigu
Of an acquaintance we drifted into a
cheap vaudeville theater. And il was
cheap-from the vulgar autographs ~ the
lobby. portraying lewd-faced actresaes
almost nude, 20 the crowd Of men WIN
filled the seats. They we're a scurry fot
wearing their hats and smoking con-
blnation Of stale pipes and Pride on the
Sewer cigars that was nauseating The
first act consisted Of a female bailadft
whose song and rs rendering were ~
than vulgar. and the next a skit betw -
a to-be-supp0sed half-iagged man ana
woman. the dialogue Of which would BE-
classed as "unht for publication by an
reputable newspaper Both acts receiver
hearty applause however. and the cloud
Of smoke that dlmmed the lights grew
denser
J began 10 think had received enter
tainmcnt enough OF that Sort TO last sew
erai years. and was about 20 suggest ts
my friend that we depart. when a little
rimid. sweet-faced girl OF NOT over tix
teen. tripped onto the stage and down 10
the footghts. where. without once look
~ z az the audience but keeping her eyes
above them. she sang a song the burden
Of which wa Down where the water
lilies grow n was simple 4 was sweet
it was purr and wholesome. ana iis ,.n-
tire tenor and impress was like that of
q bunch Of blue wafer flag bending over
10 kiss the current OF meadow brook
n made one think OF green fields white
with daisies. OF placid mlponds thick
covered with lily pads and dotted with
fragrant blossoms. In short her simple
tlmid childish warble lifted me out 81
that beastly erovd-auy one of whom
would not care TO meet in dark alley
and Set me down whore nature n an her
beauty is. and man Is not
The TWO preceding acts both tiie in an
respects had drawn loud and long ap-
piause. as might bc expected. but what
vas my surprise when this tlmld little
girl concluded her song % hear a burst
Of it that fairly shook the house Ana
more than that. they kept % up and
would not desist until that frightened
child came back and sang her little song
10 a speilbound audience once more And
when she again tripped on the stage
and while that crowd OF contradictions
were once more wildly applauding. ms
friend and myself withdrew We felt Il
wise 70 DO 80 while we had a good taste
tn our mouths" but the incident and
its paradoxical effect furnished me food
FOR thought Tor many a day after. ana
evau now can sec that simple iitic girl
too scared to look at the sea nf brutal
male faces IN front of her ana hear her
childish warble. So feeble az % hardly
reach the rear seats. and yct powerful
enough 20 win a wave 3, applause that
must haye made the rafters of that den
1f vu.garity fairly quiver.
And why this seeming contradiction
why wiil the same dear public thai
rushes % see "sapph0" pernse and praise
David Harum~ with the same aVidlfye
"a az is q hard question % answer and
{ viii leave q 20 others who think they
ran explain One Thing } do believe.
ard thar q. much ~ this s1-caiIed piila-
Iion 81 taste can ard should be charged
10 writer's who seek lo pandcr % a. n
lll who can and DO write would believe
t we're wisest and best 10 weave whole
some tales ard present only pure and
honest people in their books and not
eater to tae lowest n human impulses
We son.d be- spared this erotc deluge
There Is just as much warm human na-
lure IN what IS good and sweet and pure
,s tn what ls carnal and a ious. 30 not
believe public taste has degenerated. but
z rightly presented wholesome and honest
,eople viii win enduring attention and Al
place ln the feelings and memory of the
.xactng public which never was and
leser viii bc aee0rled 10 evil ones.