American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1916-06-08

sentiments far from acceptable In the
present age; but it is for us to praise,
not to criticize.
The rebuilding of any nation from
the intellectual side of life in the
same as does the founding of
a country. 1t Is perhaps for this rea-
son that little literature of note was
produced during the period of recon-
%struction. After that began q reyolu-
ton in the style of writing.
Some of the most musical poetry In
the world has been produced in Amer
lea. The melody OF its lines is per-
feet; the thought exquisite. There are
two poets standing preeminent in that
respect-Edgar Allen Poe and Sydney
Lenier, both of whom were southern
writers.
THE Bells" by Poe is the most beau
tiful musical poem in any language
while the symphony" by Lanier ranks
second. AT this time Poe also intro
duced the modern short story, improv-
ed 1t, made it an object Of attention
and then handed it to us in practically
its present form.
Without spicy wit anG humor the
literature of any nation would soon
grow very tiresome indeed. A pains
taking search would probably fail to
reveal anyone who does not enjoy
clean, hearty, wholesome pleasantly
such as Is found in the works of Oil
YER, Wendell Holmes and Mark Twain.
Humor is used, probably more than
m other device to gain the approval
OF the people for a certain literary
product or any desired end.
The humor of Holmes was quiet,
refined, frequently satirical and often
expressed In Yankee dialect. When
When reading The Wonderful One
Hoss Shay" we never fail to find our
selves wondering what will become
of he Deacon, and the shay that would
wear out all at once but never break
down.
Although Holmes humor is general
ly considered as representative of the
American people, he is probably not
so poular with the masses OF people
as Mark Twain whose wit is indeed
contagious. Who does not relish
Tom Sawyer" "H~uckleberry Finn"
or "Puddinhead Wilson, While all
people do not enjoy the somewhat
boisterous humor of Mark Twain. yet
there is that about his style of writing
mat appeals to us for he writes in a
realistic way of every day life. pre-
senting it in the aspects with which
everyone is familiar.
Realism is the reverse of idealism
picturing things as they really are
and not as they should be. Yes.
America possesses some realistic
writer's, Walt Whitman, VIM. Vaughn
Moody. Jane Adams and Jacob Refs.
The tendency of the latter two is to
present social topics, n to depict
the state of morals among the various
classes of people. Jane Adams work
is done mostly at Hull House in Chi
cago but she has left us a record of
her struggle in various articles writ
ten for the Ladies' Home Journal and
In several bound volumes.
Wan. Vaughn Moody has left to us
many vivid socialistic plays, of which
The Great Divide" treating on the
marriage relation. is perhaps the best.
The conditions in the large cities
are very bad. the trend of the age to-
ward excessive pleasure is to be la
mented. All this must be brought be-
fore the eyes of the people in such a
way as to arouse action. Such is the
purpose of the realistic writings. and
they have not been written In vain.
h poem or book you and | read to-
day is not the result of a moments
elaboration but is dependent upon all
that has gone before in the various
periods OF history. for literature has
developed by stepping stones until /.
stands near the goal so long sought
for. today.
But literature always expresses the
highest ideals OF a nation and no man
is ever higher than his ideals. There
fore a nation is judged by its litera-
ture. Now the lot falls to us to take
he products of our men Of letters,
e them. and endeavor to maintain
the high standard they have set. for
is a priceless jewel, more
than diamonds or pearls.
WINFORD Z. OTTESEN. :