The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-01-14

Some years ago there was a student
at our state university named Florence
Finch. Miss Finch. after graduating
entered on newspaper work in Boston
and there married Allen Kelly. Mr..
Kelly is therefore a Kansan by mar
riage, or adoption.
About a year ago-sOmethlng more
than a year-A1r. Kelly published most
interesting and entertaining volume,
Bears I Have Met-and Others.
1t should be added that the author,
although a newspaper man, is a mighty
hunter, with quite as great know
ledge OF ursa major and minor as an.
man living. It was he who brought 70
San Francisco to the Golden Gate park
where he now is Monarch. the biggest
grizzly ever in captivity.
In last autumn's output from the
press is volume Monarch IN tne blg
Seton, a popular writer of nature
stories" A most striking thing about
Mr. Seton's book is that much OF us
matter is the substance OF Mr. heliy
tales For instance the incident or
chapter XVIII of Mr.. kelly's book
which tells a humorous story OF she
bear shaping her cubs, is the staple
of Mr.. Seton's chapter / Chapter XVII
of Mr. Kelly's book relates how a bear
climbed out of a corral to escape com
bat with a bull. This story is in chap
ter V of Mr.. SetOn's book. The story
of chapter XIV of Mr.. Kelly's book is
chapter TX of Mr.. Setons- There are
other likeneSSeS.
one funny point, however, is that
some tales which were plainly yarns
IN Mr.. Kelly's telling, Mr.. Seton's DOCK
converts into emotional natural history.
Mr.. Kelly, moreover, in his books ac-
counts is simple, original, unamecUed,
and never for a single instance con-
fuses the characteristics OF grizzlies
and black bears. Mr.. Setons second
chapter is devoted to the exploits or
grizzly that climbed trees after bees
nests. 1.-THE arbOreaI habit of the
grizzly" as some one remarks anent
this chapter, lis one of the hitherto I'M
known truths of natural history"
Literary folk in New York are dis
cussing the singular resemblance OF
Mr. Seton's to Mr.. Kelly's matter Some
Of the newspapers and periodicals are
publishing letters about the startling
parallels.
Readers of this paper will recall no
tees and a review some time ago OF
Mrs. Kelly's dramatic story OF life IN
New Mexico. with Hoops of Steel!
Mrs. Kelly is a sister of Charles s. |
Finch, of the Lawrence Gazette
The chorus of approval with which /
Mr.. Edward B. Lents book, Belng
Done Good" has been received, has
led to the publication of an illustrated T
edition, where the artist has given his
Interpretation of some of the witty
has launched at the practicers of the
healing art Mr. Lent set forth his
experiences in the effort made to Sc
cure a cure for an obstinate and Pc
cuiiarly malevolent brand Of rheu-
matism, and his exposition of the
methods practiced by the various
varieties of healers whom he con-
suited, was so inexpressibly funny that
the reading world laughed from one
end OF the country to the other Mr..
Lent did not denounce the practitiOn-
ers; he simply told what they did to
him, and told it in such fashion
that even the heaIers themselves had
Lent is a humOrist of rare discernment
and quality. Not every man has the
philosophy to see the humorous side
OF his own suffering. That the story
was well told is established by the
welcome which the book has received
in all quarters. It is unique in char
acter and quality.
Being Done Good is now brought
out in a new edition, with illustra-
tons, which cannot fail to increase
the good impression the book has al
ready created. The fun of the pic
lures is just as crisp, as pungent and
as void of offense as the text They
ought to add to the popularity of the
book. Since Being Done Good was
first published. Mr.. Lent has tried an
other cure" He has gone to Arizona
TO test the superlatively dry atmos-
phere of that arid region upon his
malay. He writes gleefully from the
borders of the desert that he has
gained ten pounds, and is in hope
that this increase Of adipose tissue
Will begin to timber up his stiff and
drouthy joints.
Naturally, he finds life there is full
OF new things. and it is evident that he