The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-07-03


1.-The Organ Grinder and 1.-The Old
Cabin are evidence of lis versatility.
He is probably best known by his
humorous poems, but amcng those
which throb with deeper thought is
1.-THE WasherWoman's Song" Therein
lies a sermon full of humble pathos,
as evidenced in part as follows:
sIn a very humble cot.
In a rather quiet spot.
In the suds and in the soap,
Worked q woman full of hope;
Working, singing, all alone,
In a sort of undertone:
With a Savior for Il friend.
He will keep me to the end
Its a song I do not sing,
For I scarce believe a thing
OF the stories that are told
OF the miracles of old"
The sentiment expressed in the last
four lines, taken from the fourth
verse, was severely criticised by the
late Judge N c. Mcfarland who said
in part: IT have read again and
again, with indescribable pleasure and
sadness, your 'Washerwoman's Song
pleasure because it is really beautiful,
and voices correctly the joy of Christs
poor ones; sadness, because you say
you are shut out from hope which,
cheerful, is worth more than all else
this world affords. Reading be-
tween the lines, think I can see a
thorough interest a sort of inquiry,
desire to possess a hope like, or at
least equal to, that of the heroine of
your song
Kriterion" was written in reply to
this criticism and is considered by
many the browning effort of the writ
er. Judge Mcfarland read correctly
between the lines, as a part of the re-
ply as follows shows:
II see the spire,
I see the thrOng,
hear the choir,
I hear the song;
listen to the anthem, while
It pours it's volume down the aisle;
listen to the splendid rhyme
That, with melody sublime
Tells of some far-off, fadeIess cline,
OF man and his finality,
OF hope and immortality.
Oh, theme of themesi
Are men mistaught?
Are hopes like dreams,
To come to naught?
And is this immortality,
DelusiOn or reality?
The soul doth some times seem to be
In sunshine which it cannot see.
Perhaps this immortality
May be indeed reality"
Mr.. Ware was editor of the Fort
Scott Monitor for many years, and
while serving five years in the state
senate acquired a desire to be a con-
gresham. Luckily for those who read
his rhymes, his hopes were not real
lied
Mr.. Ware, the lawyer, was a busy
man, brusque and alert, but pleasant
and courteous. "Ironquill," the poet,
at his MONDAY lunch or after business
hours, was witty and entertaining. In
making an address before the Topeka
high school several years ago he ad-
vocated war, and to sustain his theory
that war was good for humanity point
ed to many instances where people
had been benefited by war. The pa
pers of the state criticised him severe
ly for attempting to inculcate such
ideas in the minds of students. At
lunch one day at the Cremerie res
taurant in Topeka, he was asked why
he made such an address and replied:
Il did not know it was loaded"
He was a tall man, broad-should-
cred and erect His hair and mus
tache were gray, but he retained his
military carriage. His poems are read
at home and abroad and the following
verse, the last in Some of the
Rhymes of Ironquill," has been an
swered:
loft the resonance of rhymes
Future hearts and distant times
May impress;
Shall humanity to me,
Like my Kansas prairies, be
Bch oless?"
Body Here Tomorrow.
The body of Mr.. Eugene F. Ware,
accompanied by the family will pass
through Topeka on the Rock Island
at TAO a. m. tomorrow. Several To-
peka friends viii join the party here
and go to Fort Scott to attend the fu-
neral on Wednesday.
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