The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-11-12

Emerson Hougll, author of The
Mississippi Bubble, has taken up the
Southern race question, and in a. new
book under the title The Law of the
Land, he uses the conflict of the races
as the chief motif.
Mr.. Hough's characters are exceed
Ingly well drawn. Calvin Blount is
Just such a gallant, frank, rough coun-
try gentleman as is found only in the
south, and John Eddring is a good
type of the young man. Miss Lady,
the heroine of Mr.. Hough's story, is
pretty and strong, and she surrenders
at just the right time.
The scene of the novel is in MiSsis-
Mppis and the time is soon after the
war, at the time of the beginning of
the New South, the building of rail-
roads and the redevelopment of the
people, whose plantations were made
waste by the civil war. The control of
the offices by the negroes is discussed
and is shown by the author to have
been wholly disgraceful. The resent
Inent of Calvin Blount and his neigh
bors against this system is undoubt-
eddy just such as it has been in the
south since the days of the Civil war.
Mr.. Hough shows why the south
ernerS resent the interference of
northern people quite as well as Rev.
Mr.. Dixon, and emphasizes the illit-
eracy and ignorance of the southern
negro.
The elimination of the book is as
grewsome as it is thrilling. 1t is the
white settlers, and 1T is realistic
enough to cause q feeling of horror.
While Mr.. Hough does not justify this
bloody scene, he builds UP to it with
a series of outrages by negroes which
is intended to soften the resentment
of the reader and prepare him for
what is TO come.
The love story is we'll told and the
ups and downs in the lives of Miss
Lady and John Eddring will be fol-
lowed with interest.
There is SO much of the dramatic
in Mr.. Hough'S book that the reader
will conclude that 1t was written with
a view to using it as the basis for a
play.
Hough. Published by the Bobbs-M er-
rill Co. Indianapolis. Price $50.
Frank Peabody is a Kansas young |
man who lives at Muscotah. He took
1t into his head to write a book and |
accordingly has given to the world
THE Story of a kansan." Whatever |
else may be said of young Mr.. Pea
body he is decidedly original and his |
little book is refreshing for its frank |
ness and simplicity. 1t is a true pic
ture of Kansas farm life in which |
much attention is given to detail. He
tells about his experience as a farm
hand: Il hired out to a fellow named
McBrider. never sat down to a
square meal while stayed there. They
had pancakes at every meal. Did you
ever notice how d pancake tastes in
the summer time? If you ever get the
chance, go up against one. I prayed
fervently for the neighbors to bring
in something 1 was glad when Sun
day came so that could go home and
get something to eat
The story is rather an autobiog-
raphy and it includes the story of the
writer's experience as a member of
the Twenty-first Kansas in the Span
ish-American war. The book is pub
lished by Crane & Co. of Topeka.
W. w. Denslow, the man who had
quite as much to do with popularizing
THE Wizard of Or as Mr.. Baum him
self, has again been heard from. He
makes such pictures for children as
no one else can make and he has re-
the 'Scarecrow'' and '''Tfn
Man. in a little book under that title.
According to the author. those two
irresponsibles, the ''Scarecrow'' and
the Tin Man. in the play, are dis
had a vacation from their labors in
two years in entertaining the children.
Their adventures in the street car,
with the fruit selling Italian, the
stolen automobile, the man with the
lighted match the rescue and final /
capture of the truants by the stage
and the police are admirably
told. 1t will, without doubt, be well
coined with joy by the legions of chill
Of 1.-The Wizard of o." and who look :
FOR Mr.. Denslow's picture books with !
every returning Christmas. !
This work is dedicated to Little !
Freddie Stone" meaning Mr.. Fred
Stone. who created the character of
he 'Scarecrow'' on the stage, and '