The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-11-15
MARY MAPES DODGE,
AUTHOR AND EDITOR

her plan to burden him permanently
with the support of herself and her
sons.
Yet, after all, her gifted father had
given her something better than unlim-
tied wealth. Like him, she had a fine
and powerful mind, and he had cultf-
waited it in the best and broadcast man
ner. She was good musician and had
a talent for drawing and modelling.
Her father believed children could APP
preciate good literature as well as any
one and proved his theory in the case
of his brilliant daughter, who later
practically illustrated the doctrine for
all the world. Her father carefully
trained Mary in the knowledge of good
English; hence the fine critical judg-
ment she applies in her editorial work
and in her own writing.
Mrs. Dodge resembles this lamented
father in many ways He had the
beautiful, illuminated face of the en-
thusiast, and her face is much like his.
The hospitality of Professor Mapes'
home was unbounded; so is that of his
daughters house. He was a fascinat-
ing talker; so is she. At the time of
her husbands death she was studying
the history of the Netherlands The
subject fingered in her mind when she
young widow, returned with her bows
for her to support them. How? Her
thought ran to writing and naturally
connected itself with the latest books
she had studied, which were Motley's
histories There, too. were her boys on
her mind night and day. The three eIe-
ments worked together and at length
indicated her path. She would write a
story for young people about the Dutch
and their ways. The tale gradually
took shape in her mind. Meanwhile,
however, during the time she was get
! ting her hand in she wrote "Irvington
Stories a collection of short nara
tives for children. Then, after she was
quite ready, appeared Hans Brinker:
| or, The Silver SkateS.'' It was received
with favor at once 1t is still circulat-
| ing in America and in England and was
translated into French, German. Rus
sian and italian. She received for it a
prize of $500 from the French academy.
| Previous to writing it she had searched
every book and source of available in
| formation in regard to the Netherlands
people. and the remarkable success of
Hans Brinker' was only the just re-
! ward of labor
Hans Brinker'' was written while
Mrs. Dodge was at her fathers with her
| boys. There was an unoccupied little
| farmhouse near Professor Mapes' home
This Mrs. Dodge fitted up in her own
! quaint, artistic way for her study, and
| there her Dutch story was written
| Meantime her boys were in her mind
| first, last and always. In the intervals
of work she walked with them, studied
| with them and was in all ways their
good chum and comrade. She watched
their intellects unfold as flower opens
and she learned things she would moi
otherwise have learned in order to heir
them. Her son James showed his
grandfather Mapes' talent for inven-
| ton. 1t was his own mother who first
explained to him the crystalline struc
| ture of iron. That is the manner OF
woman Mary Mapes Dodge is, and hel
| boys admired her accordingly.
1t is a woeful day for a mother wher
her children begin to look on her as ar
ignoramus, knowing less than their IA
Their, their teacher or even themselves
| From that day her influence over then
is gone. However much they may still
love her, they cannot help feeling con
| tempt for her Intellectually. That con
tempt Mary Mapes Dodge's boys never
had cause to cherish. She could ever
show them how to set type. No matter
how much they accomplished, thi:
splendid mother accomplished yet more
and that melted them on to greater en-
deavor Her son James is successful il
his chosen work The other son devel-
oped musical talent. and his mother
was his best teacher. Even in theil
outdoor sports, such as swimming anc
skating, the merry. wonderful mother
was with them, swimming and ska tins
as well they
Mrs. Dodge's first editorial work wa.