The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1917-06-07
kEOKUK AUTHORS
| AND THEIR WORK
Wednesday Reading Club Spends In
terestins Afternoon With
Talented "Home
Folks"
HOBBIES AND Fo1BLEs
Intimate Bits of Gossip About These
Folks Who Have Written and
Are Writing, Were
Told.
HOBBIES AND Fo1BLEs

Yesterday, the Wednesday Reading
,,ub one of the oldest clubs in the
citv, enjoyed It's annual outing with a
1nncbeon at the Hotel Granite, fol-
iowed by a delightful program Of In.
&cidents of Keokuk authors. The
luncheon was served at one o'clock,
Tho women being seated at one long
table at one end Of which sat the
nresident, Mrs. John H. Cole and
mrs John D. Rubidge, the vice presi-
dant at the other. Covers were laid
for Mrs. Cole, Mrs. Rubidge, Miss
| Cora Parsons, Mrs. j. w. Townsend,
| Mrs IA, w. Upham, Miss Rachel
Fletcher, Mrs. w. S. WINS, Mrs. VIM.
la Brownel, Mrs. Edmund Jaeger,
| Mrs. Frank LeBron, Mrs. Henry w.
Huiskamp, Mrs. A. E. Connable, Mrs.
Inv G. Blood Mrs. James B. Diver,
Mrs. d. B. Hills and Mrs. Harry j.
Reeves, the latter being guest of
the club. Much regret was felt at
the absence of five members of the
club, Mrs. d. A. Collier, Mrs. H. R.
Miller, Mrs. Eugene S. Baker, Mrs. c.
F. Mcfarland and Mrs. D. B. Hamill.
Following the luncheon. Mrs. Cole
! presided and a most delightful pro-
gram was given in which some Incl
dents were told of the life or work
Of the twenty-five authors to which
Keokuk lays claim. The program was
especially interesting because the
women knew personally the writer's
about whom they spoke.
Rupert Hughes was the first author,
and in the absence of Mrs. Collier
who was to have toasted him, Mrs.
Cole spoke in particular Of his latest
book, 'In a Little Town." which had
its inspiration in Keokuk. In 1t he IL
illustrates the friendliness and kind
ness and the sordidness, too, which
marks a little town. In it is the local
color of the middle west in contrast
with most of his other books which
are New York life. Mrs. VIM. A.
Brownell who has known Rupert
Hughes all his life and who is almost
as fond of him as of her own boys,
said that even as child it was as
natural for him to write as to breathe
and that as boy and as man he
had always high motive for what
ever he did. He is hard. conscien-
tious worker and does most of his
work from midnight to four O'Clock In
the morning, alone in his office. She
spoke of his devotion to his father
and mother and said that not a great
while ago he sent check to his
father Judge Hughes, for half the
amount he had received for story,
the plot of which was taken from an
experience which Judge Hughes had
in his youth. Rupert said he Thought
what his father elaborated in, de-
served half the profits.
Mrs. Diver told of Blanch Sellers
Ortman who is the author of charm
ing stories of Virginia. Mrs. Ortman
now lives in Chicago but when she
lived here the family&home was where
Mr.. and Mrs. Ira w. Wills now live.
The Nurse Of the Estes House.
Miss Parsons told s.of Annie Turner
Wittenmeyer, author of Under the
Guns, a Woman's "reminiscences OF
the Civil War" She came to keoku
In 1850 and for year taught st. Pet
ers school with pay from the city. by
special arrangement obtaining at
that time. In 1862 she was appointed
state sanitary agent by the iowa
legislature. She conducted diet kitch.
ems and until 1865 constantly cared
for the sick and wounded, giving spe-
cial attention to the food served
them.
Miss Parsons also told of another
author. Charles Parsons, who estab
lished bank here in 1857 and later
moved to st. Louis where he had
large banking interests. He was the
author of Notes of Travel" and was
collector Of paintings and an art
connoisseur.
Mrs. w. G. Blood spoke of DR.. G.
Walter Barr, and read the sketch OF
his life and work from Who's Who. >
Mrs. Blood said that her comments
were touched with the strong friend
ship which she and her family have
for DR.. Barr and that the club sym
pathizes with him in the recent death
OF his son and congratulates him upon
the fine literary qualities displayed by
MIS- daughter. She spoke of his clever
style and of his rapid writing and
said that his exaggeration gives q
varied touch and color which is pc
culiarly DR.. Bars.
Mrs. Jaeger spoke on George w. Nc
Crary, the author of Treatise or
American Law of Election" She spoke
OF her recoIlections of Mr.. and Mrs
McCrary when they came here from
keosauqua shortly after their mar
riage. He studied law here and latel
was called to Washington to be secre
tary of war.
Mrs. Townsend had for subjec
Margaret Collier Graham who was the
author of many charming stories
Mrs. Townsend read Mrs. Graham
autobiography in which she says: :"
was horn In 12EO h,,t this 10 only hear
say and / hope it is greatly exagger
ated. l have lived in California sc
long that have no desire for heaven.
Mrs. Townsend and others in the clut
attended school with her at Mis-:
Iawrence's schol and spoke of the
wonderful compositions she used tt
write even az little girl. She was
married in the United Presbyterian
fhiar<.l, h, In 1 21t