The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-11-11

OIlSk, WCBtSTn UOOA8s Win al IA0
original breeziness OF the prairies-
Here are Inman's Tales Of the Trail.
Robert NJ Wrights recent story OF
cowboy days. which he calls Dodge
City, the Cowboy Capital" Mrs. Gus
ter's stories of early military life in
Kansas. with her charming martyred
husband. Here are folk-tales of In
dams. and bits Of thrilling Indian his
tory. Among the better-known books
are the Travels OF Ed Howe. and Billy
Morgan, the novels of william Allen
White. Mrs. McCarter, Sheldon. STAN
ley. Wright and Gardenhire-
If Kansas has not yet produced a
poet, as some assert. and others Wig
orously deny, she has undoubtedly
inspired some real poetry. and the
lover of his state finds himself grow
ing proud when he browses among
the versifiers- Ware, Carruth, Flor
ence L. Snow, Esther NJ Clark.
Waters. Prentis. Richard Realf. A.. G..
Garfield, and a few others, have pro-
duced some really good stun, while
the near-poets who have been moved
to sing in Kansas-their name is le-
gion: and out Of the chaos Of words
without rhyme or apparent reason.
one sometimes picks a bit OF pure
poetry that thrills him with all the
joy of a discoverer.
The story Of all the magazines that
nave DceH OOIu IN A4LS4Ss A4tC0
through q precarious youth, and died
young would have all the pathos and
the tragedy of a melodrama- Some
of these appeared once. while several
of the more robust lived through some
years of uninterrupted publication.
The old Kansas magazine is one OF
which all old Kansans speak with
pride and affection, for its literary
quality and its strength Some OF the
ablest men that Kansas has harbored
were contributors and the magazine
is good reading to this day. The
Agora, a little later in date. had more
than a statewide circulation, and Is
still interesting in study OF political
and sociological questions of a day
just past. OF the later day magazines.
the most ambitious was the new Kan
sas Magazine, which suspended pub
LEGATION only last year. There are
now being published Ewing Herbert's
Magazine, a spicy little journal, and
E. w. Howe's Monthly, published at
Potato Hill Farm. a Farmers Maya
zine for Town People," a pithy and
most entertaining magazine
A stranger from an eastern state
strolled into the library not long since.
He looked casually over the shelves.
and then turned to the librarian in
charge. 1.-The insularity of you Kan
sas people!" he exclaimed in scornful
staccato accents. You make your
selves ridiculous all over the world
with your ideas and your freak legis-
1ation! And here you are, trying tc
preserve the records of it. From Bos-
ton to San Francisco I hear OF Kan
sas Kansas, Kansas. Everything you
do or even think of doing gets into
the papers-and here is the very es-
sence of that spirit preserved and
perpetuated in books and in this
building!" and with another glance OF
fiery scorn at the well-filled stacks
he took his departure.
The librarian took a deep breath
steadied herself for a moment, and
then said to herself with a grin, well
that is just what we are trying to dc
foster Kansas ideals and preserve
Kansas history. Thank you. Mister
for the compliment