kansas women in literature(文学中的堪萨斯女人)-第3章
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Kansas City in 1859； living in Missouri some years but most of the time in
Kansas City； Kansas。
In 1892； she published a limited edition of poems； ‘‘The Shanar
Dancing Girl and Other Poems。'' dedicated to Mrs。 Bertha M。 Honore
Palmer； her ideal of the perfect type of gracious and lovely womanhood。
‘‘The Shanar Dancing Girl'' was first written for the Friends in Council； a
literary club of Kansas City； Mo。 It has received the encomiums of
Thomas Bailey Aldrich； John J。 Ingalls and others for its beauty of
expression and dramatic qualities。 ‘‘Invocation；'' an April idyl； ‘‘The Sea…
shell；'' and ‘‘Mountain Born'' sing of the love of nature。 ‘‘In the
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Conservatory；'' ‘‘My Summer Heart；'' and ‘‘Tired of the Storm'' hint of
sorrow and unrest and longing。 Then in 1886； ‘‘Compensation'' was
written。 ‘‘Irma's Love For The King'' is a favorite； also； ‘‘ ‘Sold'A
Picture；'' written for her daughter； ‘‘yes； but she never came。
‘‘The Sorrowful Stone'' Mrs。 Stockton considers her best。
‘‘The story without a suspicion of rhyme； And dim with the mists of
the morning of Time； Is told of a goddess； who； wandering alone； Did go
and sit down on the Sorrowful Stone。
We find our Gethsemane somewhere； though late； The Angel of
Shadows throws open the gate。 We creep with our burden of pain； to atone；
For all of life's ills； to the Sorrowful Stone。
Above is the vault of the pitiless stars； The trees stretch their arms all
blackened with scars； The gales of lost Paradise are faintly blown To
where we sit down on the Sorrowful Stone。''
‘‘From a Poem ‘Vagaries' '' warns of * * * the product of the age and
clime； We do too much！ grow old before our time；
Yetwould we stray to Morning Hills again？ Unlearn sad prophecies；
and dream as then！
Ah； no！ with sense of peace the shadows creep； There droppeth on
tired eyes the spell of sleep
We left the dawn long leagues behind； and stand； Waiting and wistful
in the Evening Land！
The patient Nurse of Destiny； at best； Leads us like children to the
needed rest！
A ghostly wind puts out our little light； And we have bid the busy
world ‘‘Good Night！''
Mrs。 Stockton was married twice。 Her first husband was the father of
her two sons； one of whom； Dr。 Henry M。 Downs； in his practice； came
often to St。 Margaret's。 The second marriage； as the wife of the late Judge
John S。 Stockton； was a very happy one。 Last year； a brother the only
surviving member of her family； died； leaving Mrs。 Stockton the last of a
family of five children。 The two sons have also passed into the Great
Beyond。
In her younger days； she contributed many poems and some prose to
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newspapers and magazines over the name of Cora M。 Downs。
Ex…Gov。 St。 John appointed her one of the regents of the University of
Kansas。
Her beautiful poem： ‘‘In Memoriam'' to Sarah Walter Chandler Coates
was her last。
‘‘ ‘We seem like children；' she was wont to say； ‘Talking of what we
cannot understand；' And in the dark or daylight； all the way； Holding so
trustfully a Father's hand。 And this was her religion； not to dwell On tenets；
creeds； or doctrines； but to live On a pure faith； and striving to do well The
simple duties that each hour should give。''
MARGARET HILL McCARTER。
The most successful Kansas woman writer financially and the most
prolific is Margaret Hill McCarter of Topeka。 From the advent of her little
book in 1901； ‘‘A Bunch of Things； Tied Up With Strings'' to the hearty
reception of her latest novel every step of the way spells success。
Margaret Hill was born in Indiana and came to Kansas in 1888 to
teach English in the Topeka High School。 Two years later； she became the
wife of Dr。 William McCarter。 Of this union there are two daughters；
students at Baker University and the Topeka High School and a young son；
his mother's literary critic。
A wife and a mother first； a Kansas woman second； and an author third
is the way Mrs。 McCarter rates herself。 She is capable of and does do all
her housework。
Her love for literature she owes to her mother； who believed in higher
education and taught Margaret to prize the few books that came her way。
After leaving the school room； the teacher instinct still strong within
her； she argued if she could teach out of books written by others； why not
out of books of her own？ Then followed poems； short stories； biography；
textbooks； the editing of Crane Classics； ‘‘One Hundred Kansas Women''
and miscellanies。
In 1902； ‘‘Cuddy and Other Folks'' was written and in 1903； ‘‘The
Cottonwood's Story。''
This same year； ‘‘The Overflowing Waters；'' the story of the 1903
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flood； and one of her best bits of heart writing paid for the school books of
almost a thousand unfortunate children。 ‘‘Cuddy's Baby'' appeared in 1908；
followed the next year with ‘‘In Old Quivera；'' a thread of Coronado
history。 ‘‘The Price of The Prairies；'' three weeks after publication in the
fall of 1910； became Kansas' best seller。 ‘‘The Peace of The Solomon
Valley'' came out in 1911 and proved a popular gift book。 ‘‘The Wall of
Men；'' Mrs。 McCarter's 1912 offering should be one of the required books
in Kansas schools。 It is authentic history and the close of the story leaves
every Kansan with a greater respect and love for the state and the heroic
pioneers who stood as a living wall between Kansas and the slave question。
1913 gave us the ‘‘Master's Degree；'' considered by many her best work。
This year we have ‘‘Winning The Wilderness。''
Mrs。 McCarter founded the Club Member and organized the Sorosis；
serving as president seven years and two terms as president of the Topeka
Federation of Women's Clubs。 Baker University； at Baldwin； Kansas； gave
her an honorary Master's Degree in 1909； its semi… centennial anniversary。
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BESSIE MAY BELLMAN。
JUNE BELLMAN HENTHORNE。
Bessie May Bellman and June Bellman Henthorne； her daughter； hail
from Winfield。 They write both prose and verse and Mrs。 Henthorne was a
reporter for years。 Mrs。 Bellman； when a girl； lived five years on a cattle
ranch and to those five lonely years she credits her habit of introspection；
meditation and writing。 Much of her poetry and short stories are used in
platform work。
Red Leaves。
Red leaves Aflame in the air； aflame in the trees。 Blue streams；
smoky hills Gold； gold the sunlight spills Red leaves！
Dead Leaves A swirl in the air…asleep 'neath the trees。 Gone every
lark and swallow Haunting echoes bid me follow Dead leaves！ Bessie
May Bellman
Mrs。 Henthorne's ‘‘If'' is published in a New York reader。
‘‘If； in a bird…heart； beating 'neath the gray There chants a song； no
matter what the day。 If； in a bird…heart happy sunbeams shine； Why not in
mine？
If； in a flower…face； beat down by rain； The hope of clear skies be in
spite of pain If； in a flower…face a great hope shine； Why not in mine？''
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AMANDA T。 JONES。
One of the few Kansas women to have a place in ‘‘Who's Who'' was
the late Amanda T。 Jones of Junction City。 She was one of the most
prolific poets of Kansas。
Her ‘‘Atlantic'' is a story of the rebellion； ‘‘Utah and Other Poems；''
‘‘A Prairie Idyl；'' ‘‘Flowers and a Weed；'' and ‘‘Rubaiyat of Solomon
Valley'' are volumes of verse。 Her prose： ‘‘Children's Stories；'' ‘‘Fairy
Arrows'' and ‘‘The White Blackbird；'' ‘‘A Psychic Autobiography；''
published in 1908； ‘‘Man and Priest；'' a story of psychic detection；
‘‘Mother of Pioneers；'' and a novel ready for publication； ‘‘A Daughter of
Wall St。''
Miss Jones originated a working women's home and patented many
inventions； mostly household necessities。
* * * *
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CHARLOTTE F。 WILDER。
Charlotte Frances Wilder； Manhattan； has been writing half a century
and it has won for her a place in Bibliotheque Nationale； Paris； ‘‘entitled
to go down to posterity； her life… work preserved as information for future
generations。'' She has written ‘‘Land of The Rising Sun；'' ‘‘Sister
Ridenour's Sacrifice；'' ‘‘Christmas Cheer In All Lands；'' ‘‘Easter
Gladness；'' ‘‘Mission Ships；'' ‘‘The Child's Own Book'' and ‘‘The
Wonderful Story of Jesus。'' Her essays； alone； would make a volume；
original and interesting。 She has written for the press since sixteen years of
age and has been a Bible teacher forty years。
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ANNA L。 JANUARY。
Osawatomie claims Anna L。 January； the author of ‘‘Historic
Souvenir of Osawatomie； Kansas；'' ‘‘John Brown Battle Grounds；''
‘‘Calvin Monument；'' and ‘‘Lookout and Park；'' also； numerous poems。
Mrs。 January is a native of Wilmington； Ohio； coming to Kansas in
1898。 She taught school three years and in 1901 married D。 A。 January of
Osawatomie。 They have one child； a son of four years。 An active worker in
the Congress of Mothers and interested in temperance and suffrage work；
Mrs。 January still finds time to write many short poems。
****
