The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-06-03

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of the speakers at the Kansas
Authors Club Meeting.
Miss Perkins of Hutchinson, read
from her book, Love Letters of a
Norman Princess" This book was
published about Christmas time, was
acclaimed an artistic piece of work
by the critics, and found favor with
the Kansas reading public that turns
to poetic literature. In the foreword
of the book, Miss Perkins sketches the
story of a relative and ward of Will
liam of Normandy, a young princess
whose character and fate she has pic
tured with classic beauty of style and
imagination. The book is made up
of a series of poems that are the let
tiers of a young gentlewoman adj
is a delicate charm about her verse,
both in fancy and diction:
After the reading of Miss Perkins
poems, Mr.. Harold Chase was asked
to speak He told of his first ac-
quaintance with Miss Perkins book
and the impression it made upon his
mind.
Mr.. Willard Wattles. one of the
strongly gifted writing men of Kan
saS, was on the program for a snort
address and the reading of some of his
poems. Mr.. Wattles has won recogni-,
ton in the east, and some of the 1arg-
er magazines have published his verse.
The Smart Set uses a good many
of his poems some are printed in
Harper's Bazaar, and other publica-
tions. His poems have been copied
and commented upon in The Literary
Digest, in it's conServatively critical
department devoted to the best of the
current poetry Mr.. Wattles chose for
his reading last night three selections
from series of thirty poems deal
ing with incidents in the life of Jesus.
He has been working seven years on
the poems that he has completed, and
expects to be engaged in finishing
them at least three years longer. Some
of them have appeared in print, and
after their completion, they will prob
ably be put in book form. 1T was,
he said, "a book by Charles M. Shell
don that first set my feet upon this
path. 1 have found in foreign litera-
lures the same intent as mine to hu-
mamie and visualize the personality of
Jesus of Nazareth. I have found it in
plays or novels by Hauptmann of Ger
many by Rostand of France, Maeter
linck of Belgium, Androgen of Russia,
Ibsen of Norway, Van Eeden of Hol-
land, and Charles Ran Kennedy of
America, but I have not found my in
tention realized in lyric or idyllic
poetry such as I have attempted
in Threes,'' giving a glimpse of the
humble home life of a job carpenter
of Judea in the days of Caesar Au-
gustus; the second was I'm His Own
Country picturing the anger of a
temple authority of Jerusalem on
hearing some of the words of the
Teacher; and the third was John"
a short poem dealing with the disciple
by that name in his relation to his
Master. The series in it's entirety is
a. work of poetic art that is certain to
bring its author recognition from
wide circle of critics and readers of
serious verse.
Mr. Wattles is a Kansas university
and Amherst man, and a good many
of the poems of the series he is writ
ing, were penned during his residence
in Massachusetts. He is now teaching
English in K. U.
Professor Wheeler, who presided at
the meeting, introduced Mrs. w. A.
McCarter, who spoke of her wish to
state where good literature is pro-
duced. Mr.. Morehouse told of the
purpose of the club to establish a bu-
reau of constructive criticism for the
Mrs. Charles Blood Smith issued in
vitations today for a bride-tea, at
which she Will be hostess Monday
airy to Miss Dolly Curtis, whose mar
riage to Mr.. E. E. Gam will take
place June II.
Kappa Theta VIII have a meeting Sat
urday afternoon at 2:3O o'clock, at
the home OF Mrs. Merrill Mills, 800
Greenwood avenue. The meeting is
planned in compliment to the visit
ing members of the sorority who will
be in Topeka for the Washburn Com
mencement.
+ ]. j.
Mrs. w. T. Crosby has asked a few
of the close friends of Miss Dolly
Curtis to luncheon Thursday Of next
week, at her home in Topeka avenue.
+ + +
Announcement has been made of
the engagement of Miss Alice Maude
Owen, the daughter of Mr.. and Mrs
Thomas Owen, to Mr.. LinfOrd p Kist-
Ter. The wedding will take place June
IS, at eight o'clock in the evening, at
the Owen home west of town. Mr..
Kistler is employed in the office of
DR.. s. J. Crumbine, secretary of the
State Board of Health, and he and his
bride will live in Topeka, making their
home at 1928 Jewell avenue.
E I. =
Mrs. E E. Fisher gave a party
Wednesday for Miss Portia Penwel,
whose marriage to Mr.. John Stapel
will take place next week. Readings
were given during the afternoon by
Miss Ceora Lanham and Miss Nina
Roudebush. The guests We're: Miss
Penwell, Mrs. Clement Smith, Mrs
B. T. WEIGH, Mrs. Henry Ripple, Mrs.
Minnie Boltz, Mrs. Julia Bailey, Mrs
Char Jones NfrS w F. AtctisOn.