The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-08-29
ON SECOND THOUGHT
BY JAY E. HOUSE
lFrom Philadelphia Public Ledger.)
Books and Literature.


We have referred to Mr.. Hutchin-
sons If Winter Comes as the seos
! ond best book of the year. We speak
OF him as Mr.. Hutchinson for the
reason that we never can remember
the exact sequence of the initials of
his name. With Mr.. Hutchinson we
are handicapped much as Adelaide is
| handicapped when she speaks of
Montevidio," which, in justice to her,
We shall say she does but rarely. But
when she does she invariably refers to
II as "Montedivio." We have the
same trouble with the author of IF
winter Comes" and SO, when occasion
requires, we present him in his sim
pie and elemental form. What we ex-
pected when We wrote in praise of Mr..
Hutchinson's book was a flood of let
| tiers. The people," we chartered to
ourself. will want to know what in
our opinion. is the best book of the
year They will write and ask That
| VIII give us a chance to unload the re-
view or the volume we have in mind
without the appearance of doing 50
gratu1tously. 1t is a small idea and
we II play 1t clear across the board"
Mucn 10 our surprise, not a single let
Ter bearing upon that particular sub
Ject came. Apparently the people
VINO entreat US upon every other sub
3ect under the Shining sun. care moth
ing Tor our opinions on literature. But
- ~ nv AilcHQ IndI their lnQ1IIer-
ence shall thwart us. We have that
review in our cosmos, and we pur-
pose writing it\ We don't know
whether cosmos" is the proper word
IN the connection, but it, Initiates the
ear ana II 1t isn't the proper word
our attention will be called to the fact
ana we can look up another.
To our notion, then, the Automobile
I nlue Book is the best book of the
ana the most moving. It is something
more than an epic of the open road
II is priceless repository of geog-
rdpny, history, biography, industrial
dchleVement romance, gossip and
scandal. To one who has always con-
tehoeo for the most direct route and
the easiest-going in the presentation
OF the written word, the simplicity and
grace of its diction is an amazing
achievement. What. as an instance,
could be more direct, or graceful, or
Illuminating than: Go with trolley to
end OF line; turn right under railroad
| bridge; turn left at plum orchard;
straight ahead at red schoolhouse ~
| We went home the other night loaded
down with late books by Hall Caine.
Joseph G. Lincoln and Don Marquis,
| a bundle of magazines and the weekly
issues of the Grigsby City Clarion the
Cass County Democrat and the Paola
/ Spirit. At o'clock we sat down be-
side the reading lamp for an indefinite
brush with the literature indicated.
None of it held us. Even Piety Knob
JottingS in the Clarion-we used to
| live on Piety Knob-seemed dull and
vapid. By 9 o'clock We were reading
the Blue Book. When, some time la
ter. it seemed to us only a few min
utes, we heard Adelaide say for the
ing to bed tonight? 1 haven't closed
my eyes and you know I have a hard
day ahead of me tomorrow" We
looked at the clock and found that it
| was a quarter to 2. Allowing for the
fifteen minutes the clock is always
slow and looking at our watch, which
is always from five to ten minutes
fast we discovered that we had been
buried in the Blue Book for=fiye solid
hours. Even then we went to bed re-
luctantly; but we always go when
Adelaide mentions the matter for the
fourth or fifth time. 1t saves contro-
versy. We have pride in our SEX We
like to believe there are men who con-
tinue their reading after their wives
have spoken to them for the fourth or
fifth time, but we have grave doubts
as toJwhether such men really exist.
Naturally enough, the first town we
looked up in the Blue Book was Mar
ion, o. Roughly speaking, Marion has
$4,000 Inhabitants. More shovels are
made in Marion than in" any other
town in the country. We forget the
name of the principal shovel manu-
facturer in Marion, but his home is
described as one of the finest in that
part of Ohio. We shall drive past
that house when we visit Marion a few
weeks hence. We have made a mind
bet as to whether there is a cast-iron
stag on the lawn. and we expect to
win it. Not far from Marion is Mari
eta We blushed in humiliation when
we read the footnote dedicated to
Marietta. 1t was near Marriott that
Gen, William Crawford was burned at
the stake by the Maumee Indians. We
had forgotten all about the incident.
Had any one asked us offhand where
Gen. William Crawford was burned at
the stake we should have looked fool
ish People of an older generation
still talk about the Battle of Winches-
ter One would gather from their