The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-01-10
AMONG THE BOOKS
Something About the Author Of
The Spenders.
Harry L. Wilson Formerly Lived
in Topeka.
HASTALENT UNKNOWN.
Al. Williams Talks About the
Young Man.
He Is Now the Literary Editor
Of Puck.

a good many Topeka people who have
road -The Spenders." one of the best
selling novels of 1902, do not know that
It's arthor. Harry Leon Wilson, literary
editor of Puck, formerly lived here
More people viii remember his elder
brother. Lester Wilson, who was A. l.
Williams stenographer for number OF
years and is now practicing law in
Montana, and some viii recall another
brother. sam Wilson a tramp printer.
who worked on the old Commonwealth
here at one time and Who used TO visit
Topeka regularly but who has not IN
Guided this town in his itinerary Tot
good many years Harry Wilson was
young fellow about 20 when he was
in Topeka He studied stenOgraphy
with his brother. Lester Wilson, here
and hung around the Union Pacific law
offices. but his principal occupation, &C
couding TO the people who remember ms
habits best was hunting trouble along
the lovers trail. He was very lln1 res
sfonab and susceptible and his aftalres
d'amour kept him pretty busy most CT
the time He went from Topeka 10
Denver probably fifteen years ago ana
was employed as a stenographer IN the
office OF T. j Burns supeIinte ncent OF
the Rio Graude railway. who IS BROTH
er-in-laW of Mrs. A. L. Williams. After
was employed among others by
wealthy man named Bancroft who was
engaged in writing "a history of the Pa
cific coast ana had small army Oh
underlings collecting material for him.
Il met Harry Wilson in Manitou one
summer while he was working for one
of the men who We're working Ban
croft" said 4 / Williams in discussing
the author of The Spenders. He
called himself q secretary don't know
what he was doing in Manitou, but 1
suppose he was trying to determine the
exact depth Of san Diego harbor. ANY
way he was drawing salary ana ne
seemed to be enjoying himself 1 lost
track of him for q few years after that
but from time to time we saw signed
articles by him in Puck He COn>
1ributed some to Puck while he was IN
Topeka"
Funny stuff2" asked the reporter.
well it was paid for and published
as such. replied Mr.. Williams. But
I don't want to commit myself.
Harry Wilson is remembered in To-
peka by those who remember him at
ali as a good looking young man with
dark hair a square, determined jaw ana
q wei set up figure of average height
He was not unlike. in character dlspo-
sition. speech and manner the hero Of
The SpendeTs, -P. Fercival Bines. T
wouldn't want you to quote me as say
ing SO, Mr.. Williams cautioned. but
i ina CINE that he'd make love to wo-
q
his hero, young 'Bines, who followed
as nearly as possible in q civilized COM
munlty the example of his savage a1~
Cestors who wooed and won their sweet
hearts with a club.
Mr.. Wilson was married shortly at
ter the publication of The Spenders To
the talented young woman who Illus
trated it, Lots of people think the pic
lures by OMEN Latham are the best
things in The Spenders. Rose OMEN,
who is one of the foremost American
illustrators. was Columbia Mo,
girl. She went to New York to study
art and was married to Mr.. Latham.
a broker from whom she was divorced
g few years ago She has been one Of
the principal contributors to Puck for
two or three years and does other good
work She is strikngly original and
her men. women and children look like
real people. She has also a decided
literary gift and her verses are among
the most clever and faneiful of recent
magazine poetry In addition TO all
this she is young and uncomm0nly
pretty.
Opinions differ as to the merits of
The Spenders. 1T has been vari0usly
greeted by the critics. and while its
sales have broken no records it was
one of the most popular books of last
year and there is still a demand for it.
IL is the story of three generations OF
western family that struck it rich in
inc Rockies in the early days Of the gold
Fever. and reveals an equal acquaint-
auce with conditions in New York
WHERE the scene of the story Is prin-
cipally laid and in the west. A. L.
judge of literature regards the charac-
ter ot "EUcla Peter Rines" as one of
the most virile and interesting fn mod
ern fiction.