kansas women in literature(文学中的堪萨斯女人)-第2章
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KANSAS WOMEN IN LITERATURE
JESSIE WRIGHT WHITECOMB。
Jessie Wright Whitcomb； a Topeka writer of juvenile books is a
lawyer in active practice with her husband； Judge George H。 Whitcomb
and a mother of a remarkable family of five boys and one girl。 The oldest
son gained his A。 B。 in 1910 at the age of eighteen； in 1911 was appointed
Rhodes scholar for Kansas； and is now a student at Oxford。 His father and
mother are in England at present visiting him。
Mrs。 Whitcomb is a contributor to the magazines and in addition； has
written ‘‘Odd Little Lass；'' ‘‘Freshman and Senior；'' ‘‘Majorbanks；'' ‘‘His
Best Friend；'' ‘‘Pen's Venture；'' ‘‘Queer As She Could Be；'' and ‘‘Curly
Head。''
She is a graduate of the University of Vermont and the Boston
University Law School and was the first woman to lecture before a man's
law school。
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MYRA WILLIAMS JARRELL。
Myra Williams Jarrell； the daughter of the late Archie L。 Williams；
for thirty years； the attorney for the Union Pacific Railway in Kansas； and
the grand…daughter of Judge Archibald Williams； the first United States
Circuit Judge of Kansas； appointed by Lincoln； comes of a literary family。
All of the men and some of the women on the father's side of the family
and also； on the mother's to a great extent； had literary talent。
As a child； she cherished an ambition to write and when occasionally
one of her letters to St。 Nicholas saw publication； she felt she had crossed
the Alps of her desire。 Her first real story； however； was written as she
rocked the cradle of her first born。 The day； when she first saw her ‘‘stuff''
in print； stands out in her memory second only to the hallowed days of her
personal history； her wedding day and the days upon which her children
were born。
Since then； Mrs。 Jarrell has contributed to almost all the high class
magazines and has furnished special feature articles to newspapers。
Some years ago； a small book； ‘‘Meg； of Valencia；'' was written and
now； a novel； ‘‘The Hand of The Potter'' is ready for publication。
In 1894； Myra Williams and J。 F。 Jarrell were married。 This union was
blest with four children； three sons and one daughter。 Mr。 Jarrell is
Publicity Agent of the Santa Fe。 A number of years ago； he bought the
Holton Signal and in trying to help her husband put some individuality
into the paper； Mrs。 Jarrell began a department headed ‘‘Ramblings。'' Later
this was syndicated and finally issued in book form。
Last winter； a play； ‘‘The Plain Clothes Man；'' was produced by the
North Brothers Stock Co。； at the Majestic Theatre； Topeka。 This well
written play； with its novel and original characterization and its effective
comedy lines； is now in the hands of two New York play brokers。 Before
many months； Mrs。 Jarrell will be enjoying a royalty。
In preparation； are two plays； as yet nameless； also； a play in
collaboration with Mr。 North of the North Stock Co。 With her brother；
Burus L。 Williams； of Kansas City； Mo。； Mrs。 Jarrell has written an opera；
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‘‘The Mix Up in the Kingdom of Something…Like；'' which awaits only the
lyrics Mr。 Williams is writing and the music。 An opera； ‘‘The Kingdom of
Never Come True；'' also； in collaboration with Mr。 Williams； is being set
to music by Arthur Pryor； the bandmaster。
A serial story； ‘‘John Bishop； Farmer；'' a collaboration with Albert T。
Reed； the artist； is to be published soon in the Kansas Farmer。 Later； this
will appear in book form。 A novel； which Mrs。 Jarrell believes will be her
best work； is in construction and is clamoring to be written。
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KANSAS WOMEN IN LITERATURE
ELLEN PALMER ALLERTON。
Ellen Palmer Allerton； the sweet and gentle poetess； beloved of
Kansas； lived at Padonia； in Brown County； when she wrote her famous
poem； ‘‘Wall of Corn。''
She was past her prime when she came to Kansas from the Wisconsin
home； the subject of many of her noble gems。 As she grew older； she grew
stronger in poetic strength。
Three volumes of poems have been published； ‘‘Walls of Corn and
Other Poems；'' ‘‘Annabel and Other Poems；'' and ‘‘Poems of the Prairie。''
Her ‘‘Walls of Corn；'' written in 1884； famous from the first； as used as
railroad immigration advertising； was translated in several languages and
distributed all over Europe。 This and her ‘‘Trail of Forty…nine'' are her best；
although the classic beauty of ‘‘Beautiful Things'' is unsurpassed by any
other American writer。
‘‘Beautiful twilight； at set of sun； Beautiful goal； with race well run；
Beautiful rest； with work well done。''
is a fitting close to the beautiful； useful life of the author。
Mrs。 Allerton was born in Centerville。 New York； in 1835 and began
writing verse at the age of seventeen。 Much as she has written； yet writing
was only a pastime。 She never let it interfere with her housework。
Thoroughly practical； she did all her own work； just because she loved to
do it。 Her flowers of which she had many； in doors and out； resulted in
many noble； inspiring lines。 In 1862； she was
married to A。 B。 Allerton of Wisconsin； coming to Kansas in 1865。 She
was best appreciated for her social qualities and her interest in charity
that broader charity that praises the beauty and ignores the blemishes。 Her
last poem； ‘‘When Days Grow Dark'' is a beautiful pen picture of her
sweetness and resignation in her growing blindness and her love and trust
in him who had been her companion down the years。
‘‘You take the book and pour into my ear In accent sweet； the words I
cannot see； I listen charmed； forget my haunting fear； And think with you
as with your eyes I see。 In the world's thought； so your dear voice be left； I
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still have part； I am not all bereft。
And if this darkness deepens； when for me The new moon bends no
more her silver rim； When stars go out； and over land and sea Black
midnight falls； where now is twilight dim； O； then may I be patient； sweet
and mild； While your hands lead me like a little child！''
She died in 1893； at Padonia； and was buried in a bed of her favorite
white flowers； donated by loving friends。 In the little graveyard at Hamlin；
one reads ‘‘Beautiful Things'' on a modest stone at the head of her little
bed。
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KANSAS WOMEN IN LITERATURE
EMMA TANNER WOOD。
Mrs。 Emma Tanner Wood （Caroline Cunningham）； a Topeka woman；
began newspaper work in 1872。 The result of those early years' work was
‘‘Spring Showers；'' a volume of prose。 After thirty years of study and
experience among the defectives； she wrote ‘‘Too Fit For The Unfit；''
advocating surgery for the feeble… minded。 The story of Mrs。 Benton； one
of the characters； led Mrs。 Wood to introduce a law preventing children
being sent to the poor house。 This was the first law purely in the interest of
children ever passed in Kansas。 Later； a law preventing traveling
hypnotists from using school children as subjects in public exhibitions was
drawn up by Mrs。 Wood and passed。
Several years ago； a book on hypnotism； far in advance of the public
thought； was written and is to be published this year。
Mrs。 Wood is seventy years young and as she says： ‘‘finds age the very
sweetest part of life。 It is no small satisfaction to laugh at the follies of
others and know that you are past committing them。 It is equally delightful
to be responsible only to one's self and order one's life as one chooses。
Every day is a holy day to me now and the sweetness of common things；
grass； flowers； neighborly love； grand… children； and home comforts fill
me with satis… faction。 To think kindly of all things under the sun （but sin）；
to speak kindly to all； to do little kindly acts is a greater good to the world
at large than we think while we are in the heat of battle。''
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KANSAS WOMEN IN LITERATURE
CORNELIA M。 STOCKTON。
A cheerful little room in the East wing of St。 Margaret's Hospital；
Kansas City； Kansas； an invalid chair wheeled up to a window over
looking the street； and the eager； expectant face and the warm hand clasp
of the occupant； Mrs。 Cornelia M。 Stockton； assures the visitor of a hearty
welcome。
Greatly enfeebled by long illness and with impaired sight； this bright；
little woman's keen interest in current events and the latest ‘‘best seller''
puts to shame the half…hearted zeal of the average woman。
For four years； Mrs。 Stockton has lived at St。 Margaret's； depending
upon the visits of friends and the memory of an eventful life to pass the
days。 Prominence in club work in her earlier years has brought reward。
The History Club of Kansas City； Kansas； of which she was once a
member； each week sends a member to read to her and these are red letter
days to this brave； patient； little woman。
Mrs。 Stockton began writing very young。 When a little girl； back in the
village of Walden； New York； she stole up to the pulpit of the church and
wrote in her pastor's Bible：
‘‘I have not seen the minister's eyes； And cannot describe his glance
divine； For when he prays he shuts them up And when he preaches he
shuts mine。''
She was born in 1833 in Shawangunk； New York； and came to
Kansas City in 1859； living in Missouri some years but most of
