The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-07-14
RECENT PUBLICATIONS.
An Indiana Pilgrims Progress.

lnOldnd can De depended on 10 produce
the unique in literature. Already it has a
goodly collection of oddities in the book
line and to this Mr.. c. W. Sayler, of Ell
wood, has now added another. He calls
his volume skid and l. or the Devil in
Chains" It is sort of autobiography
done in rhyme and from its general char
acter may be regarded as a modern Pill
grim's Progress" In a preface of consid-
cradle length the author states his purpose
to set forth his religious creed, which diff
fers somewhat from the accepted orthodox
belief. He undertakes to show that the
devil is our own evil thoughts and that
helI ana heaven are conditions of mind and
not locations. To do this the more per-
fectly and in accordance with my own way
or thinking he says, with a sequence not
quite clear, Il have necessarily started
with my place of birth, near the present
site OF Cutler, Carroll county Indiana"
The opening lines of his tale read thus:
Twas my good fortune to be born
Where people raise both wheat and corn.
And many things to eat are grown,
And homes the people mostly own
Twas there, things being as they may,
Ahat bs rSt saw t6 the light Of Ss day
The origin of all my sim"
Skid" was the friend of his youth. and
when they are confronted by what they
think may be the devil they boldly resolve
discover
truth. They are at first terrified. but, be-
coming accustomed to the apparition, lose
their fear and meet numerous strange adj
ventures, not all of which are literal facts.
AS the writer says, I'm my imaginary way
L have woven into rhyme many scenes both
real and fancies." While they were in
what seemed to be hell they met attractive
maidens and they were warned by voice
TO beware of them.
THE devil knows, and so does man,
Ihat none can lie as woman can;
None can deceive so well as she.
And yet so fair would seem TO be.
Then heed my words and heed them we'll
Don't be deceived while here in hell.
Thus said, the voice then disappears,
And left one overcome with fears.
And while exhausted, too, was l.
L almost felt that l must cry:
But Skid refused it to obey
And met the maidenS just half way,
And all together toward me walked,
And in the Hebrew language talked.
And, strange to say, we understood
Just what you'd think we never could,
For Indiana dialect
Was all from us one might expect"
There are $50 pages of this, and in these
pages Is much that tempts to quotation,
but the excerpts given will indicate the
literary style and general drift of the mar
ligfous allegory. Skid, it is sad to learn,
went permanently to the bad but the mar
rator paused in time and saved his soul
And praying thus to God in heaven
| found my sins had been forgiven;
And when / woke, as 1t would seem,
] found it all had been a dream
And that l still was on the earth
And in the land that gave me birth"
That the author makes his point and
proves the devil to be a creature of the
mind and that each man has his own devil
will no doubt be acknowledged by readers
who follow the $50 pages to their end
When they have finished the tale and duly
considered its moral they may read some
verses written in lighter mood which fill
100 pages of the volume. There for
instance is THE Sage of Plainfield," be-
ginning thus:
In Plainfeld lived, as people say,
And lives there yet a man to-day
Possessed of much more wealth than
brains,
Who calculates well all his gains
Or these lines to Appetite"
1.-The violent master of mankind
Three times a day we serve,
And that is why so many minds
Are destitute of nerve.
From early dawn TO close of day
The food is ushered in,
And then we're often heard to say,
Such health, it is a sin. "
Readers of this work will recognize in
its author an addition to the Gilmore school,
and will value ii accordingly. Mr. Sayler
is his own publisher. His portrait forms
the frontisDiece of the volume.