The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-10-05


aboriginal Inhabitants are described.
The first Spaniards, who set foot on
this territory in 1927, almost a Gen.
fury before the landing on Plymouth
Rock; the French explorers; the
earliest American expeditions under
Lewis and Clark. Pike and Long; the
fur-traders; and the beginning of the
trade to Santa Fe, all are included in
the first part, which treats of explora-
ton. RI
The second part is entitled "The
Struggle for Possession" and in this
one may read of the first waves of
emigration; Of the earliest military
occupation, and of the fighting during
the war with Mexico; of the rush of
the Mormons, and of the goldseekers
schooners which followed; of the
stage lines and pony express: and of
the indian wars up to 1870. These
last cover the period of the Civil war,
when the outbreaks of the uncon-
quered tribes were lost sight of in the
greater struggle for national union,
and one chapter contains the later
battle of the Arickaree, perhaps the
best single fight contained in our ma
tional annals.
The third and last part treats of
Occupation and lacks nothing of
interest and excitement. The first faint
beginnings of settlement crystalline In
the struggle for the possession Of
country and the fine old, bad old days
of the cattle kings follow, with a de-
served tribute to the cowboy. The
building of the first trans continental
railway. and the curious, evanescent
border towns which sprang up along
its length, the outlaws and desperadoes
who worked out their brief day of
lawlessness and depreciation, and the
gallant men, beginning with Kit Car
son, who served their country and
H. &c vrd
guides, are themes peculiarly con-
genial to Mr.. Parrish, who closes his
admirable contribution to readable
history with a description of the
Great Plains as they were in 1870,
when, at last, they stood ready for the
worlds acquaintance. ~
"You and Some Others. Poems of
Love and Prophecy" by Agness
Greene Foster, is dainty little book
of short poems-almost slim as to
size, butrso full of music and inspira-
measurement. There is in these
lyrics a subtle power difficult to define
yet directly reaching the heart, COM
peliing one to repeat certain lines
true Of You "The weaving Of
Life's Fabric" and AL" The sig
nificance of you" deepens when one
knows that it was written as an
answer to Mrs. Browning's -Four
tenth Sonnet to the. Portuguese" and
against the spirit of criticism. 1.-THE
Weaving of Life's Fabric has the
same nameIess quality of heart which
makes one wish for the key or rule by
which to begin weaving ones own
exquisitely handled 1t would take a
master hand, indeed, to better the
dignity with which the author has
wrought out the continuous idea to
a complete finish with much epigram-
matte force. 1t recalls Wordworth's
Excursion" and Cowper's Task" but
neither of these suggests the loftiness
of thought contained in 1.-THE Weav-
ing of Lies Fabric" The book is
published by Paul Elder & Co.. of
New York.
The spectacle of United States
Senator pleading for wider reading
of the Bible is not a commonplace af
fair. The picture of a critic maintain
ing the dictum that the best of even
worldly sorts Of reading is to be found
in the Great Book is somewhat novel. !
For those reasons alone-not to mem
ton the intrinsic worth of the volume
Our attention is commanded by The |
mus Co., PHILADELPHIA, which comes |
from the virile pen of Albert }. |
United States Senator from |
Indiana. The Bible has, of course, |
stood the test of centuries as a guide |
% faith and conduct. It has changed |
he map of the world, made and I'M
made kings and peoples. Men of old |
nave died for 1t and no man today /
1ut in thinking of his own children,
1nds entwined with his tenderest /
some chapter or passage /
rom the Holy Book. But how many 1
If us ever stop to consider the Bible
ust as good reading? How many, for
ever take the small pains
necessary to- compare it's narratives
With the fiction we read, or its ora
ions with the speeches we hear Very
ew, we feel sure, and yet that Is just
he sort of study ana those are just