Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1929-12-26

near Victor and Hamilton. In 1903
he entered the United States mail serv-
ice, and spent several years as a carrier.
Now he is one of the force that dis
tributes the mail in the postOfice at
MiSSOula.
MIR. Jones thinks of poetry all the
time. His writing is of great i'm
portance to him, but he is chary Of
what he writes. A sentiment must be
thought through to the ultimate shade
of meaning before he sets it down on
paper. And he is forever jotting these
things doWn-to' be worked or when
I get time" And he has found con-
siderable time.
Poem on Big Hole Battlefield
His poetry appeared in the Daily
Muscular as far back as 1906. A long
descriptive poem about the Battle of
the Big Hole that appeared in the
Muscular was copied extensively
throughout the nation, and served as
a basis for considerable discussion
among literary lights. And MIR. Jones
used to answer, in verse, comments
made by Dean A. L. Stone of the Uni
versity Journalism school, who then
wrote a Man About Town" column for
VIC MlOoOuldAl. KID tC1OC dPPCui w
from time to time in that paper.
He says he can not decide which
magazine to send his completed prod
uct to, SO he keeps it. But little OF
the accumulation has appeared in ma
tiOnally-knOWn magazines, although he
has been q contributor to several issues
of the Lariat, Oregon poetry magazine,
and to other west coast periodicals.
Award For Poetry
He has a certificate of award from
a national poetry contest, conducted
by the Society of Present Day Poets
of America, and signed by F.. j. Belle
min, now editor of the Lariat. One of
Mrs. Jones verses appeared in a col
lection made by Bellemin, called ga
vorite Poems" 1t is worthy of note
that two other Missoulians, E. S. Ram
sey and Norman Macleod were repre-
scented in the book.
Montana Barbecue"
A long poem, Montana Barbecue
that described the richness Of meat
cooked lin the steer over an open fire
was accepted by the West Coast a
magazine that vas succeeded by Sun
set" John Stephen McGroarty was
the editor of the magazine and the
letter sent to Mr.. Jones by him is
highly priced. Mr.. McGroarty, former
ly a newspaper man on the old Ana
conda Standard, is the author of "ThC
Mission Play" which runs continuously
in the playhouse of one of the southern
California missions.
Another verse of Mr.. Jones', Life il
Our Town." was awarded third prizi
in a contest sponsored by a Seattle
periodical. And of his prose work, FOL
he writes nearly as much prose as HI
does verse, THE Passing of the Buf.
falo," describing the herds in Montana
and especially the old Allard- Pablt
herd on the Flathead reservation ii
1907, is we'll known. It appeared il
the old Overland Monthly in August
1907, and is still used as reference
work by game cOnservationists.
MI. Jones writes prose but does no
neglect his verse. He has contribute
verse to the Muscular longer thai
almost any other person in Missoula
otner than former staff members, an,
ms occasional poems that appear il
the Oracle column are eagerly await
ed: He has a good following and con
siderable praise Is accorded him. Mis-
Mabel l. Rich Of the Missoula Hipl
school faculty has commended his wor.
and Professor H. G. Merriam of tn
University English department ha
praised II, saying that 1t is musical.
High praise has been given his mas
terplece, q long work called "Reminis
cences.' And the praise Is deserve
IN tne opinion of verse critics. A fey
t INES from 1t will suffice to show why
DO tney see the forests gorgeous dres
AS IT stands IN Autumn's loveliness;
DO they gather In the latest sheaves
And wade knee-deep in withered leaves
l All, then, 1t Is the land we knew;
GODS laws are changeless, constan
true"