The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-04-23
AMONG THE BOOKS
ssThe Rainbow Chasers" Is a
Kansas Novel.
Author Lived in Sod House in
Western Kansas.
SCENE AT GARDEN CITY
Seat Fight Has a Place
in the Book.
Mr.. Wilson's Prairie DescrIp-
tiOns Are Well Done.


plains, by John Fl. Whitson, Publish
$3.50.
During the boom days in western
Kansas a young man came out to the
southwest part of the state for his
health. He participated In the boom
and after it was over he still remained
in the country. He lived in a sod
house and tried to farm. and what
he failed to make at farming he made
up by writing stories for eastern pub
locations. His name was John H.
Whitson. Later he returned east, but
he continues to write stories of the
west. His earlier stories We're of the
Observation-Disclosures variety but his
later writings have been more pre-
tentious. year or two ago Little,
Brown & Co., of Boston published
from his pen, Barbara, a Woman Of
the West" a story whose scene was
laid in western Kansas and the noun
tains of Colorado, and now the same
firm has just brought out The Rain
bow Chasers." a novel dealing with
the boom days in southwestern Kan
sas.
The scene of the main part of the
story, including the climax, is laid in
called Golden City, but Wichita fig
ures in the story Incidentally, and
other places are mentioned
The hero. Dick Brewster, young
Arkansas boy, Quarrels with his faith
er about his attentions to a girl
whom Colonel Brewster considers
poor white trash" but who is very
beautiful and a coquette. Dick goes
to a saloon. becomes intoxicated
contrary to his habits, Quarrels with
another man over the girl. and a
fight with knives ensues. The two
men were alone in the saloon at the
time and the only spectator, Hank
Wilson, a gambler who hates BreWst-
er's opponent, is looking in through
-. 4 It, -. II ~
on the Observation-Disclosures style in the
opening chapters. makes the two men
fall through the doorway into the
darkness and both are stunned. Brew
ster's knife flies from his hand, but
Hank Wilson. whose presence in the
vicinity is unknown, picks 1t up and
plunges it into Brewster's antagonist
There seems to be no doubt that
He believes it himself. He is sentenc-
ed to the penitentiary for life, but
an opportunity is given him to escape
IN the night from the county jail, and
he does so.
Five years later Jackson Blake en-
erges from the Land that asks no
questions" the Indian territory-that
was before the days of Oklahoma
into Kansas He wears a beard but
five years spent as a cowboy has by
no means otherwise changed the fea-
lures of Dick Brewster. He falls in
with Jim Prethro. a "sQuaw man"
who is fleeing with his squaw wife
and baby to escape the vengeance of
a band of desDeradoes, two of whom
he has slain for insulting his wife.
The band overtakes the party on the
prairies and in the fight that ensues
the sQuaw and the baby are killed,
and Prethro and Blake badly wound
ed When they regain consciousness
they are in a hospital at Wichita, and
they are the recipients of $1,000 re-
ward which had been offered for
cleaning OUT the desperadoes. Blake
cd n lie ion ~ 81
Prethro on the ground that Prethro
shot all the desDeradoes-
The pair tire of "city life" in
Wichita and buying a wagon and
team of mules they 90 west and hire
out to a ranchman as cowboys. Soon
the boom commences and Golden City
becomes a flourishing town. Prethro
has has a claim joining the tOWnsfte
which makes him wealthy, and Blake
follows the business of locating set
tiers on government lands. He will
not take any land himself because he
is going under an alias which is hate
full to him.
One day Blake was driving near the
Arkansas river when he hears a roar
and suddenly realizes that the June
rise IS coming down the river. Below
MIN he sees man with a covered wal
gon watering his team in the river.
He races toward the man to warn him.
but the man is slow of comprehension.
and the flood catches him while Blake
races along on higher ground. Blake
plunges in and after a hard struggle
rescues the man. It is Hank Wilson.
Wilson recognizes Blake as Dick
Brewster, but he keeps silent Later
Martin Parker, one of the jury which
convicted Dick Brewster, appeared and
recognized the young man. He COM
municated his discovery to Hank Will
son and intimated that he would seek
the $4,000 reward offered for Brewster
arrest, but Wilson threatened to kill
him if he did, and Parker kept silent.
hnr- vol uf C..1r7
Judge Spencer. who tried Blake, IS
Brewster for murder in Arkansas. but
he did not recognize Blake, and later
formed a partnership with him in the
land business. With the judge is his
daughter, Elinor, with whom Blake
falls in love, but he will not speak his
mind because of the cloud which hangs
over him.
A county seat fight comes on. with
Hank Wilson fighting Golden City and
Judge Spencer and Blake for it. Tho
night before election as Judge Spencer
is making a speech in the streets of
Golden City, Hank Wilson shoots him
and is in turn stabbed by some one
else. Spencer eventually RECEIVERS, but
Wilson sinks lower and lower. In the
meantime Blake finds that Martin Par
ker, whom he and Spencer have driven
from the country for dishonest prac-
tees, has discovered his identity ami
is bringing Arkansas officers for his
arrest. Just as they reach Golden City
and before the arrest is made, Hank
Wilson confesses that he and not
Blake. or Brewster, committed the Ar
kansas murder. and Brewster is clear
ed. Then the boom collapse, Brewster
marries Elinor and they live happily
ever afterwards.
While the plot in the book is some
what Iurid, some Of the descriptions
are exceedingly well done. The prairie
blizzard is exceptionally good and the
description of the short grass country
in the early summer. There are some
features of the book in which It re-
sembles aThe Virginian," and 1t is a
thoroughly readable story. In his In