The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1921-01-17

quite ready to believe that while
Opal, like most little girls probably
kept a diary from the age of six to
twelve, the original probably bore
about the same relation to the finished
production that the small bone with
which the scientist began operations
did to the mastodon with which he
finished his labors.
Furthermore Opal is said to be at
present in a sanitarium and her most
sympathetic apologists say then think
she really believes that it all hap
pened.
That such condition is possible is
proved by number of well authenti-
Gated cases. Perhaps a case in proof
which has happened within the
bounds of our own Indiana can be
found in Mrs. May Wright sewall's
latest land last) book. Neither Dead
Nor Sleeping. The most sincere be-
lever in spiriusm II of a turn Of
mind at all practical will not believe
that Rubenstein if as busy conducting
orchestras and training musicians in
the spirit world as he represents,
could or would stop and devote 50
much time to the musical training Of
woman as old as Mrs. Sewall who had
never had any such training. And all
the rest of the book is just as improb
able. To have known Mrs. Sewall,
however, is to believe that she could
not consciously have tried to deceive
the public-so the logical conclusion is
that she was the victim of a remark
| able series OF strangely persistent hal
lucinations lasting through many
years.
To turn from diaries of things
real-too real, perhaps in the case of
Mrs. Asuuith' Sand imaGned-from
hallucinations and morbid imaginings
to the little book of poems. Fagots of
Fancy. written by Mrs. Scottie Nc
Kenzie Frazier of Dothan. Alabama,
and brought out by the Progressive
Publishing Co. of Wheeling, w. Va,
is refreshing to soul and spirit Mrs
| Frazier. a well-known writer and lee
turer throughout the South, sent
poem in competition for a prize of
fered by the Federation OF Women's
Clubs Of Alabama. AS the winner of
the prize offered it attracted so much
favorable comment that she was asked
10 send the company named material
for volume. Another poem was in
cluded in the Anthology of Newspaper
Verse published by FRANKLIN Pierre
Davis, of EMS. Oklahoma Both
poems, AS we'll as most of the others
which make up the attractive little
volume breathe spirit of bright and
cheerful optimism which the poetry of
today is as a rule rather sadly lacking
in. Free verse" as the writer modest
ly classes most of these. is rather
| likely to run to the melancholy and
depressing. The serene and steady
faith and hopeful spirit of the writer
is we'll shown in the poem "Mv Pray
err, the one printed in the Anthology:
To live not long but WELL pray,
Clean. upright. honest, and sincere;
Let me be big in little things,
And brave when trials come.
Let me neither condemn nor scorn my
weaker brother,
But always know he does the best he
can:
And that mono but God
Can completely understand.
If sickness, failure, or suffering should
be my fate.
l'Give me courage to meet
Each, as soldier, bravely;
And when the last Great Adventure
comes,
! May go smiling.
And it will be hard to find in all
! literature q better philosophy of life
and work than the prize poem.
For This I Pray"
o. Lord.
Give me work TO do.
! Give me health.
! Give me Joy in simnle things.
! Give me an eve for beauty,
| A tongue for truth.
! A heart that loves.
/ A mind that reasons.
A sympathy that understands.
Give me neither malice nor envy;
But a true kindness
And a noble common sense.
! At the close of each day
Give me book
| And friend with whom
| can be silent.