The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-07-26

that Whittier was -locaP' in his poetry,
and that Hamlin Garland is one of the
hve greatest writer's of the west. Most
of these statements would have sounded
better had they come from some other
source, but few, aside from Professor
Triggs and Hamlin Garland, would dare
to say them. Something is radically
wrong when a writer of as little reputa-
ton as Mr.. Garland possesses takes it
into mis- head to lecture upon his place
in literature. There are not many of
Mr.. Garland's most ardent admirers
who would rank him as one of the five
writer's who had done most to express
the mind of the middle west. Possibly
Mr.. Edwin Markham would be one of
these, provided Mr.. Garland returned TN
compliment and insisted that Markham
was the greatest poet that ever came
out of the west OF all American writ
ers whose egotism becomes positively
disgusting at close range, Mr.. Garland
and Mr.. Markham take the lead.
The American Winston Churchill is
now in England on a vacation from his
labors of writing and historical study.
Not long ago Mr.. Churchill confided in
the public his plans to write a series OF
historical novels in which Richard
CarveP' and sThe Crisis shall be the
first two. Evidently Mr.. Churchills
publishers do not believe the historical
romance will be superseded in popular
ity by something else for some time yet.
since Mr.. Churchill is to keep at this
line OF work for at least three years.
The plan which the author has outlined,
however. seems worthy. He hopes to
cover the whole range of American his
tory, and at the same time to teach his
countrymen genuine patriotism. Ac-
cording to Mr.. Churchill, patriotism"
meant hatred of the English when he
went to school in ST. Louis less than
20 years ago. Naturally, speaking to
an English audience (for Mr.. Churchill
was thus interviewed in London), he
wants to correct this false impression
and he hopes to do it by writing series
of five historical novels. The obvious
thing for American readers to do is to
buy Mr.. ChurchilPS books as rapidly as
they are published and learn the mean
ing of patriotism. 1t is to be hoped, at
the same time, though that the great
reading public will not accept Mr..
Churchilfs descriptions of scenes, man.
ners, ETC., as absolutely correct. Rich
ard Carvep certainly did not give
true picture of colonial life, nor did
1.-THE Crisis give an accurate knowl-
edge of the civil war period Mr..
Churchilps next novel will go back fur
Their in point of time than 1.-THE Crisis"
which will. in fact, be the third or
fourth in chronological order in the SER
les. It happened that the author had
several friends who knew Lincoln in
timately, and he gives as his reason for
writing 1.-THE Crisis when he did the
fore it was too late.
The student of chirography would
doubtless be much interested in a conn
parison of the writing of Conan Doyle
(now Sir Arthur Doyle) and that of
Edgar Allen Poe. Each wrote small,
regular hand and made few corrections.
The manuscript of 1.-The Hound of the
Baskervilles" is now being exhibited in
this country, and 1t is most remarka-
BILE piece of work from the point of view
OF clear, legible Handwriting There are
few changes or erasures; the painstak-
ing character of the great detective
seems to be a quality of the novelist
who created him. There are few eras-
ureS or changes even in the most thrill
ing parts of the story, and when these
have been made it is evidently with the
purpose of making the story clearer. It
is singular that both Poe and Doyle
should have the same general character
istics in this regard, and the question
naturally arises as to whether the hand
writing expresses the quality and man
ner of thought. Certainly, Doyle is a
disciple of Poe, SO far as his mystery
stories are concerned. 1t remains now
for the ambitious novelist to cultivate
the chirography of Dickens or Thack-
cray or Scott and discover whether the
rule works both ways or not.
There can be little doubt that the
civil war period is to be more and more
the field of our novelists for some time
to come. "A novel of reconstruction %
will be the subtitle of more than q few
stories. 1.-THE Leopard'S Spots" by
Thomas Dixon, Jr., has attracted con-
siderable attention because of it's viru-
lence. Dr. Dixon betrayed the fact that
he was trained as preacher and born
a southerner; his hatred of the negro is
inbred As a matter of fact, most
readers agree with the author, but they
will not all like bis methods. The story
lacks certain elements of construction
which even the element of strength will
not conceal. 1t is a curious fact that
all of the really good novels of the civil
war period, at least the stories which
deal with the problems of reconstruc-
ton. have been written by southern
writer's. This condition will probably
continue: the writers from other parts
of the country do not and can not know
with the same degree OF intimacy the
truth about this matter. And this re-
minds me that what will probably be
the most important novel Of the recon
struction period will be published this
fall 1t is the latest and, it has been
said, the best work OF Joel Chandler
Tolliver-" Mr.. Harris has probably q
larger circle Of admirers than any other
southern writer, and his novel viii be
awaited with more than usual interest.
There have recently been published
two books about West Point. .chev-
fons, a novel by Miss I1ppincOtt which
will interest girls, and Life at West
Point" which will be OF particular in
terest to boys and young men. The ma
tiona1 military academy has always
been fruitful field for the romantic
novelistS. Lillian Bell, General Charles
King and many other writer's have ta-
ken their heroes from among the cadets
and their heroines from the girls who.
as sisters and sweethearts, swarm about
the place on various occasions. s.Chey-
rons" is one of these romances set down
in black and white. Life at West
Point however, is a serious account of
the work of the academy from its be-
ginning down to the present time the
system by which each cadet is trained,
and a collection of information relating
to the work required to enter and to
graduate. If any one has the idea that
the cadet has an easy time of it or that
his education is at all superficial he
might well read this volume. Colonel
Mills, the present superintendent, writes
| a preface, in which he youel1es for the