The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-01-25


Miss Permelia Curtis has asked few
guests for dinner Thursday
Mrs, H. S. Fowler, of Wichita, who
| is visiting her parents. Mr.. and Mrs
d. D. Knox, at Belvoir, entertained
dozen girls informally this afternoon
for Miss Alice Gregory, whose marriage
to Mr.. Walter Whitson will take place
Wednesday evening at the home of her
father, Mr. W. M Gregory, sl1 Tyler
street.
The Western Sorosis club will have
an evening meeting Saturday at the
home of MIR. and Mrs. John O. Royce
to which the husbands of the members
have been asked.
Mrs. NJ. F. Rigby will entertain the
Mysotis club and some additional
guests at cards tomorrew afternoon
Clear and away the best thing Tope-
ka people will get to hear this year is
the reading of Edmund Vance Cooke
forum. Who is he? A poet "of 1900 and
now" who has caught the spirit of to-
day and embodied it in artistic verse.
Paul NJ. Pearson says of him;
People stopped their mad rush to
read this poetry, to read it to their
friends and to commit it to memory.
Cooke has made men read poetry"
But when Cooke reads his own poems
he becomes the accomplished actor ana
puts into them more delightful huTnor
in one evening than a years reading
can give. Since Whitcomb Riley's day
of platform glory no one has measured
Edmund Vance Cooke began to read
his own stuff, that put him easily neck
and neck with Riley and to most VINO
have heard him, Cooke outranks the
Hoosier bard.
Who is he? He was born in Canada
but has lived most of his life in Cleve-
land, o, Before he finished the gram
mar grades his father died and ne nao
to leave school and go to work. He dld
not quit study, However. He studled
shorthand and Latin at home ana
French and German in the Cleveland
Y. M. c. A. night school. And all the
while he was writing RHYMES TOT the ne
newspapers. Then his stuff began TO
bring him checks. Also, he became an
entertainer at little social gatherings
So bigger checks from more literary
publications grew to his credlt, ano
widening circles, like waves on the lake
began to delight in hearing him. To-
day he has national fame as reader
and all around the world his poems are
read, HIS 1InDerSOndIlDnS dEE eAo uAA4AAN
as they are varied. He can be humorlst
OF tragedian, aristocrat or democrat, a
little lisping child or hale old man.
His poe1n, How Did You Die? en-
crossed. hangs in the library OF COR
nell university, with the inscription,
HFor all who Strive for the &C." 1t
ought to hang on the library wall OF
every university in the land, CHEEKY
wholesome message from the poet to
Cooke is a lover of children, and de-
clares that his own little ones are his
Inspiration. Nobody has outdone, 1.-The
Store" not even Riley ond Eugene
Field, those two men of happy verse
making.
Cooke has never visited Topeka, and
his evening here promises from the
advance sales to be the event of the
winter. After some conflict i'm dates
was ironed out Tuesday. February 8,
was settled upon, and everybody who
is anybody viii be present and enjoy
an evening of humor unadulterated
with coarseness or fairness.
Cookies best friends are those who
have once heard him. Pro. H. L. Mill
Ter, principal of the high school; DR..
F. NJ. Lynch, Mrs. Noble Prentis and
Mrs. Charles Curtis are among the
over Mr. Cookies entertaining quail
ties.
A number of out of town visitors are
planning to come to the Cooke lecture
anu nave dAIOouS Pun SAAeNSeN NAA0AA
The teachers of the city schools and
of Shawnee county are among those
who will swell the Cooke audience on
February 8.
Miss Lena Tallman entertained in
formally at 500 Wednesday evening
for Mrs. Ray Williams Of Denver,
Colo.
Mrs. Stubs was the guest of honor
at the meeting of the Alta Vista clue
with Mrs Frank P. MacLennan this
afternoon.
Miss Mary B. Moore will entertain
her bridge club and a corresponding
number of men tomorrow evening.
The Duplicate Whist club will meet
tomorrow afternoon with Mrs. Carroll
B. Merriam.
Notes and Personal Mention.
Miss Lenore Stubs, Paul and Ros-
coe Stubs spent the weekend at their
home in Lawrence.
Miss Louise Kellam went to Kinsley
today to visit Miss Marian Edwards
and will afterwards go to Kansas City
and Mrs CoIpitts, who have been in
Chihauhau, Mexico. will return to Kan
sas City this month.
Mrs. w H. Ellet of ElDorado is ex-
pected tomorrow to visit Mrs. s, F.
Davision, s26 Topeka avenue:
daughter, Miss Anna F. Whiting and
Mrs Homer Bowman have rented the
Pelican cottage at La Jolla, California,
and plan to stay there several weeks.
Mrs. ]. A Campbell has gone to
Leavenworth to spend fortnight
I ~ nov