The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-10-04
Librarian Henry Hopes TO secure
Brief Biographies Of All the Au-
thors Represented I'm the List.
FAMOUS NAMES AMONG THEM
"THE LIFE OF BoNAPARTE- PRINT.
ED AT SALEM, IND, IN 1sls.
Meredith Nicholson's 'The Hoosiers1
Highly Regarded-Somc OF the
Best-Known Works.

'"
Two well-dressed women were examin.
ing the books in the state library not long
ago. One was apparently visitor In the
city, the guest OF the other. In the course
of their conversation the visitor was heard
to say. Il should think you would have q
department. OF Indiana authors in your
home library" "Oh. don't know that 10
would be worth while" the other remarked.
Il found that in the Orient no Indiana
writer except Lew Wallace is known"
The attaches of the library. who are very
fond OF the Indiana shelves on the north
side of the room. thought this q rather
unique criticism OF Indiana's literature-the
fact that a mans book was not worth
having because he was not known In the
Orient.
The whole north tier OF shelves In the
state library are given over 10 what might
be called Indiana books" These include
the different reports that are made by the
state institutions. Librarian Henry esti-
mates that the Indiana shelves contain
about 1900 volumes. 1t has bsen the plan
of the librarian to collect all the works
OF Indiana writer's, and, in addition. to get
hold Of everything that Is written by men
who at one time were residents OF the
State. Mr.. Henry hopes before long to have
q brief but comprehensive biography pre-
pared OF each author represented on theseh
shelves, and It ia the plan to place tn
biography Of each author In the book
wrote.
BOOKS FORGOTTEN.
Among Ipdfapa'a hooka AN
volumes-some OF which have long since
been forgotten by . majority OF people.
One Of these IL an elaborate work on shells
which was published By Thomas Say at
New Harmony in 1880. The book IL pro-
fusely illustrated with colored pictures that
are said to have been painted on the pages
by the wife of the author. Among the
books on these shelves written by former
Indiana men are DIR. John Coulter's "Plant
| Studies AMI Americas Food and Game
Fishes" by David s. Jordan. formerly or
Indiana University. and d. w. Everman.
| now Of the United States Fish Commissipf.
Richard c. Boone. formerly OF this ST. De.
| now OF Boston, wrote Education I'm khe
United States and Education I'm IndaHa."
Arnold Tompkins. president OF the Chicago
Normal, and formerly Of De PAW College.
is part OF the Indiana division OF the State
library. The library people look on THE
Hoosiers.'' by Meredith Nicholson. as be-
ing one OF the best and keenest criticisms
of Indiana literature and at the same time
one Of the most complete historical sketches
of literature in the State that has been
written
Scanning the titles OF books on the In
| She mill
Quilted Love" and whittier Are We Drift
ingT" by Otto Stechhan; books that have
been in the library for severa, years. Two
catchy titles by an Indiana author. Charles
Fleming Embree. are 1.-THE Heart OF
Flame and "A Dream OF a Throne" An
interesting book on the Indiana shelves
and one that has not been heard Of for
years is called 1.-The Log of Cowboy
1t was written by Andy Adams. Some
time ago a newspaper paragraph stated
| that Adams was not an Indiana man. but
a letter received by the Librarian from him
recently says that he is an Indiana prod
uct. His people live at whiting, and .
cousin, Andrew Adams was once a MEM
Der of the Indiana Legislature. Louis Glib
son, of Indianapolis has written two
stories on architecture, Beautiful Houses
4
on the Indiana shelves. OF course, all the
Indiana noveists are represented. An old
time story called Loves Ladder by De
| Witt Wallace, is another OF the catchy
titles One OF the handsomest books in
| appearance. and very readable, is lone
Way Around the World" the work or the
lamented Delight sweetser. of Marion.
Miss NJ III. Krouts Hawaii and the Reyc-
1 Int he 81
Daniel Waite Howe's two stories, civil
War Times" and 1.-THE Puritan Republic
| are among the books found.
W. H. ENGLIsHS BOOK.
| Prominent on the shelves among Indiana's
historical stories is the volume. Conquest
of the Northwest and Life OF George
Rogers Clark" written by the late William
H. English. Nearby is ". ID. Foulke's
Life OF Oliver p. Morton" An old volume
is 1.-The Footprints OF the Jesuits." by the
late Col. r. W. Thompson. General Harrf-
sons work, Views OF an ex-President,"
stands out prominently among the Indiana
books. comparatively new addition 10
the Indiana shelves is 1.-THE New Harmony
Communities by Col. George b. Lockwood.
Many people who knew tho late Oscar Me-
Culloch. the beloved Indianapolis pastor.
will remember his "Open Door," which Is
series OF sermons preached by him and
which can be found on the Indiana shelves
One OF the oldest of the Indiana books
is 1.-THE Life OF Bonaparte. printed az
Salem, Ind, in 1878. mystery surrounds
| the book. for one seems TO know who IS
the author. A line on the ny leaf says Il
was written "by a citizen OF the United
States" but the identity OF the author is
| not revealed During the days that Mr., ,
and Mrs. Henry Ward Beecher lived
indianapolis Mrs. Beecher picked UP enoY
material to write a book that dealt
Indiana and she called II Dawn to-
light" Ii occupies a place on the II
shelves. IL is told that the story wsh
| Objectionable TO a certain Indianapolis
, who thought IL took too many libel
! with his family. and the story goes n
| he found a copy OF AZ I'm the City Librs,
| once and I'm flt OF rage tore IL 10 piec
| An old-time volume Is 1.-THE New II
| chase" which written by Profess
| Hall Of Bloomington. and printed I'm "a
! 1t might be called a criticism on peoyI
| and things. I'm this locality. Among otll(
| ancient volumes or peculiar interest 20 Il,
diana people that are being carefully pre-
| served az the State Library q the orie11r
1 Of n