Plentywood herald., 1928-02-10

THE Yale University press has Issued
handsome volume, well printed and
bound, illustrated by sundry sketches
and having as frontispiece, the photo
graph OF remarkably beautiful man
who but for his moustache, might easily
be mistaken for woman. The book bears
the title Yellowstone Kelly" eulogis-
tic preface by General Miles. bears test
imony to the heroism, etc, of Kelly,
while the editors preface supplies some
necessary information regarding what
was done to the material Kelly himself
furnished. 1t would be a warning to
westerners not to place their memoirs in
in the hands of down casters"
OF the incidents narrated the editor
admits, His (Kelly's) story is at once
an important contribution to the his
tory of the western frontier in the dec
AIDES to which 1T pertains and thrilling
tale of personal adventure whose per-
usal should bring delight to every normal
man or boy"
Perhaps the story should; but it most
certainly does not being exceedingly
tame and lacking in the thrills SO loved
by the average man or boy How this
came to be is made clear in the editors
concluding paragraph wherein he ex
plains:
"In editing the narrative my princi-
The manuscript as originally prepared
by Mr.. Kelly was much longer than the
contents of the present volume. In pre-
pairing 1t for the press l have freely al
tered the construction of sentences and
paragraphs, and have deleted un-
essential details. But the story, as print
ed remains the authors own his are
the ideas and the statements of fact or
opinion, and his also the manner of ex-
pressing them, which seems to me in
essence profoundly poetic"
There you have it, the reason why an
uncommonly interesting life sketch is
"deleted" until 1t might serve as a Sun
day school text book.
One cannot but wonder what would
have happened to the autobiography of
Joe Meek, If 1t had also been "deleted"
for the University press. Fortunately,
Mrs. Victor was a sympathetic editor who
knew the west and those who trapped
and hunted over 1t in early days. Meek S
story in consequence, breathes the spirit
of the mountains, and plains when they
were uninhabited by any but Indians
and the few white men who adventured
there. In consequence, even normal
woman cannot but find enjoyment in
the escapades of its hero, who becomes
almost as fascinating as a movie sheik,
and is far more attractive in his hunt
ing garb, as portrayed in the fore part
of the book.
Meek's language was not always poetic, "
sometimes it bordered on the profane but
this simply helped to present the man
as he really was. The reader came to
know him intimately, and shall / say
| love him In spite OF his devil ways. Like
Kelly, Meek belonged to a good family:
but regret to say, his education along
| literary lines was sadly deficient. He
spoke the language Of the frontiersman
which had construction of its own, as
did that of our forefathers. 1t is to be
hoped that Mr.. Kelly has preserved his
manuscript. and will some day give it to
| the world in its original form, with no
deleting or reconstruction OF sentences
Epicures, 1t Is said, do not add to food
highly seasoned sauces. III like man.
ner, the refined literary taste of the New
England "Brahmin" may object to the
crude speech of the pioneer Yet that
is Just what the average person, man.
woman, boy or girl enjoys, as witness
the popularity Of the western story mag
| azines.
The best part Of Kellys story is where
| he tells OF camping experiences, including
cooking. While on his way to the Mis-
souri,, he halted one night in the Red
river valley and here made camp. He
notes: II first built fire and when that
was kOlllB well Cut III ttTlill vi Va COdIS St
dry grass for my bed. Then I looseneo
the small bundle that was tied behind
my saddle and took from 1t quart tir
for boiling coffee. small frying pan
and the tin that fitted into 1t, cur
| and small sack of flour. Then / wen1
to the stream for water
by this time the fire had become
mass of Goals. l mixed up lump d
dough in the pan added baking -powde
and salt to 1t, and then / raked out
lot of Goals on which l placed the fry
ing-pan at an angle, propping 1t with
stick SO that the heat would strike th
bread from both sides When the breat
had swelled out like q baked potato
removed 1t and stood 1t up to keep no
while used the skillet to cook the bacol
or fresh meat.
Bread baked in this way is sweet an,
satisfing. II you do not happen to hav
d frying pan the dough may be twiste,
around a green stick and baked by stick
ing the end In the ground near the fire
The entire act is accomplished befor
the coffee Is made. There is no sweete