The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-08-23
WALK TO SEE DRAMA.
Poet and Pedant Journey From Law
renee to Kansas City.

Kansas City, Mo. Aug. a.
Touched alike by arts divine flame,
poet and pedant, both penniless, came
all the way from Lawrence, Kan, to
hear the Duncan performance of
'Elektra," the Sophocles drama, here.
This is cited as a remarkable incident,
more TO- it's bearing on the cathollclty
of artistic temperament, than for the
mere historic interest in the doings OF
busted artists, even though they be
from Kansas.
It's a far cry from the Athens of
Sophocles to Lawrence, Kan. Yet the
poetic fires that burned in the white
temples of the great city of ancient
Greece flame up with equal heat to-
day among the brick wall of Law
renee, Kan, boarding houses. And
no toga-clad orator of Stole or Epi-
curean school ever chased Greek
verbs with more avidity than the be-
specialized professors whom the farm
ers of Kansas employ to teach their
young men and women whatever is
necessary to their best enjoyment of
the income off the alfalfa crop.
Lawrence has a poet, Harry Kemp
by name. And no mean singer is
Harry, either. His is a master hand
when it touches the Tyre. Kansas
knows him and is proud of him. Kan
sas has right to be proud of him.
He has demonstrated that a Kansas
prairie is just as good an abiding
place for the muse as the wooded
banks of the bonny Ayr or the classic
shores of Avon. Except for Uncle
Walt Mason. he is the greatest poet
Kansas ever produced and Uncle
Waits muse has been accused Of
well, of being a trifie unitarian, to
be nice about it.
As all true poets. Kemp is not
wealthy. If quarter sections had been
selling for a nickel, Kemp couldn't
time he heard of the Duncans and
"Elektra.' But that didn't feaze Har-
ry. Humming CHEEKY air, he set off
down the railroad tracks. Pausing
only to whistle back at the meadow
Iarks or to allow train to race past
him, the poet trudged all the way to
Kansas City-about forty miles-ar-
irving here half an hour before time
for the show to begin. Just as he was
about to enter the theater he met
Professor w. NJ. Sterling.
Professor Sterling is a true profess
sor. He would rather find new
Greek root than to draw the monthly
installment of the $4,000 per annum
which the farmers of Kansas pay him
for teaching the youth of the land
the correct scansion of the Had. Also
he is absent minded. And after buy
ing his railroad ticket. he had put it
in his pocket and walked away, leaving
his purse at the ticket agents window.
I'm glad to see you, Harry, my boy,
exclaimed Professor Sterling. 81 came
away from Lawrence in such a hurry
1 forgot my money and 1 haven't a
cent-I@
"Why, I haven't any money, either!"
answered the poet.
Poet and pedant looked at each 9TH
err as if bewildered. Just then there
was clapping of hands inside. The
performance was about to begin. The
poet ran to George Pappageorge, press
agent and told him the story. And
Mr.. Pappageorge o. K.-ed the pedant
for admission.
Ecstatically poet and pedant enjoy
ed "Elektra.'' After it was over they
became involved in heated discus
sion as to the poetic merit of an elision
in the fiftieth line of the first scene
They forgot all about everything else
until midnight found them out on the
street, sleepy and penniless.