The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-03-26
IS When Wilderness Was King"
Thrilling Historical Romance.
Plot Woven About Indian.
Troubles at Fort Dearborn.
1T IS FULL OF ACTION.
Interest Never Lays After
Opening Sentence.
Book q Good Example of
Printers Art.
I IS FULL OF ACTION.

When Wilderness Was King. by Randall
Kinneys. Published by 4. c. McClurg
& Co. Chicago. Price $50.
There is a man in Chicago, or some
where in that vicinity, who has written
q book which he has labeled when
Wilderness Was King" who is pretty
certain TO make his mark in the world.
His name is Randall Parrish. The
volume has just been brought out by
A. C. McClurg & Co, of Chicago, and
this enterprising firm has spared no
expense to make it one Of the hand
soonest books of the year. The cover
design is unique and original; the pic
lures. which are well drawn and full
OF life. are printed in color; the paDer
Is of good quality, the type is clear
and bold. and the entire makeup is
a good example Of modern artistic
printing
The book is a story of Fort Dear
born. which is now Chicago, and the
central point Of interest is the Indian
massacre Of 1872. It should contain
more than ordinary interest to a Kan
san because the Indians who bore the
leading part in the butchery were the
Pottawa tonnes. who now have a reser-
walton near Topeka and are almost
daily seen on the streets of the Kan
Eas cauital
The book is brimful OF action. The
plot is one of the gallOping kind, in
which the reader is carried on ire
sistibly in spite Of himself. The interest
never lags. While there are descrip-
tons vivid and beautiful in the book.
the author has taken pains that they
do not interrupt the thread of the mar
rativ=.
The characters are strong and rugged
and in harmony with the period of
which the author has written The
characterization of the cruel inhuman
and treacherous nature of the savages
was never better done than by Mr..
Parrish in his book.
A brief outline of the plot of when
Wilderness Was King" would run
about like this: John Wayland, young,
brave and frontier bred, is called
away from his quiet life in the fields
to 60 on a perilous journey. He must
ride to Fort Dearborn, on the shores
of the distant Lake AIichigan,in search
of young girl, who has been entrust-
ed TO his fathers care On the way
he falls in with one Captain de CrOix,
q gentleman adVenturer. and for safe
ty, and for safety only, hey are glad
of each others company. Then thu
strangely assorted pair encounter
Captain Wells and his company Of
Miami Indians also bound for Fort
Dearborn, and are only too glad to
avail themselves of the added prOtec-
ton But one evening young Way
land goes II for independent explOra-
ton and among the sand dunes. in an
for the first time the fascinating,
changeable and altogether bewildeI-
ing young girl who is to give him so
much trouble.
But they finally reach Fort Dearborn
and find the situation there appalling
enough. A thousand menacing braves
on the outside, discord and sedition
within the walls and hardly any two
opinions alike as to what must be done.
What they did do is a matter of his
f0T-xr bg1r haf0ra rbaxy tbrO11uh
the gates poor John has sad perplex-
ing time Of It, what with the WilfulnesS
of his lady love and the mystery sru-
rounding her movements, to say moth
ing of the apparently superior prowess
of Captain de Croix And finally comes
the day for the Dead march played
for Dearhorn's men just marching out
Of life" and comedy is at an end. But
tsern realities serve the purposes of
John Wayland's love better than
polite inaction and from the day of
the massacre, the story is one of thrill
ing peril and escapes at the very edge
of death How Wayland got away
from his savage captOrS and how he
rescued Toinette it would be purpose
less tC detail here but it is all of a
"hair raising character.
The kidneys, who have made the il
Illustrations for When Wilderness Was
Kins," first came into prominence two
years agO with some remarkably original
pictures for The Thrall of Left the
Lucky" This was one of the first in
stances of the use of full color in book
Illustration. and this fact helped make
both the book and the artists famous
a year later an equal success followed
the publication of The Ward of King
Canute" for which the kidneys made
six striking Illustrations, and which
were reproduced in the same manner
The work OF these artists is individual
and is always conspicuous for the ac-
curacy of the historical details. 1t is this
faculty which has made them much
sought after for illustrations in ro-
mantle fiction and which makes them
the ideal choice for When Wilderness
Was King"
The person who enjoys adventure will
find this book well suited to his taste
and he will probably not put it down