Kansas Women in Literature

by Nettie Garmer Barker

Mrs. Mary A. Cornelius, while a resident of Topeka, wrote four books, "Little Wolf," "Uncle Nathan's Farm," "The White Flame," and "Why? A Kansas Girl's Query." Another book is ready for publication. Mrs. Mary Worrall Hudson, wife of the late General J. K. Hudson, former editor of the Topeka Capital, is author of "Two Little Maids And Their Friends," "Esther, The Gentile," and many short stories and poems. Her classic prose-poem: "In The Missouri Woods" is considered her masterpiece. Mrs. Sara Josephine Albright, formerly of Topeka, now of Leavenworth, is a sweet singer of childlife. Her volume of verse, "With The Children" is lullabies and mother-love poems. A book of stories for children will soon be ready for publication.

Jessie Lewellyn Call, deceased, the clever and beautiful daughter of the first Populist governor of Kansas, was a well-known essayist and short story writer. For many years she was one of the editors of the Chicago Inter-Ocean.

Lawrence claims Dorothy Canfield Fisher, a writer of both fiction and text-books and many short stories. She is the author of "Corneille And Racine In England," "English Rhetoric And Composition," "What Shall We Do Now," "Gunhild," "The Squirrel Cage" and "The Montessori Mother." Louise C. Don Carlos has written "A Battle In The Smoke," one of the best Kansas works on fiction. She did special work on the Nashville Tennessee Banner and writes a great deal of magazine verse.

Mrs. Anna W. Arnett, a Lawrence teacher, writes verse and songs. In addition, she has issued a primer, the Kansas text-book and a primary reading chart for which she has a United States patent. Margaret Lynn, one of the faculty of Kansas University, is a writer of short stories and "A Step-Daughter Of The Prairies."

Mrs. A. B. Butler of Manhattan wrote "The Trial And Condemnation of Jesus Christ From a Lawyer's Point of View;" a novel, "Ad Astra Per Aspera;" and much newspaper work. Mrs. Elizabeth Champney, a former teacher in the Kansas State Agricultural College, is the author of more than twenty books and many short stories. "Three Vassar Girls Abroad," "Witch Winnie Series," "Dames And Daughters of Colonial Days," "Romance of French Abbeys," "Romance of Italian Villas," and "Romance of Imperial Rome" are her most popular works.

Sadie E. Lewis, Hutchinson, is the author of "Hard Times In Kansas" and other verse. Her daughter, Ida Margaret Glazier, is a poet and song writer. Mrs Alice McAllily wrote "Terra-Cotta" and many other books.

Lillian W. Hale, Kansas City, is author of verse, short stories, and a novel. Another novel will be ready for publication this autumn.

Lois Oldham Henrici, a one-time Sabetha and Parsons woman, is the author of "Representative Women" and many good short stories.

Laura D. Congdon, a Newton pioneer, is a verse and short story writer. Mary H. Finn, Sedgwick, writes beautiful verse and much prose. Jennie C. Graves, Pittsburg, writes poetry and moving picture plays. Mrs. Johannas Bennett, another Pittsburg woman, has written an historical novel, "La Belle San Antone." Florence L. Snow, Neosho Falls, is an artistic and finished writer of verse and prose. She is the author of "The Lamp of Gold." Sharlot M. Hall, Lincoln, writes prose and verse. A volume of poems, "Cactus And Pine," "History of Arizona," "A Woman of the Frontier," "The Price of The Star" and short stories are her important works. Mrs. A. S. McMillan, Lyons, a poetess, song writer and licensed preacher, writes clever verse, much of which has been set to music. "Land Where Dreams Come True" is her best known poem. Kittie Skidmore Cowen, a former Columbus woman, is author of "An Unconditional Surrender," a civil war story. "The Message of Hagar," a study of the Mormon question will be in the press soon. Miss Mary E. Upshaw, McPherson, wrote verse at the age of seven and published her first story at fifteen. She has a book in preparation which she expects to publish at an early date. Jeanette Scott Benton, formerly of Fort Scott, writes short stories novelettes, and stories for children. May Belleville Brown of Salina, has a very clever pen, as has, also Mrs. Lulu R. Fuhr of Meade, the author of "Tenderfoot Tales." Mrs. E. M. Adams, Mound City, writes exquisite verse and in the past, had many short stories to her credit. Mrs. C. W. Smith, Stockton, writes both prose and verse. Cara A. Thomas Hoover, formerly of Halstead, Harvey County, now living in Rialto, California, writes prose and beautiful verse. Rose Hartwick Thorpe, the author of "Curfew Shall Not Ring To-night," was a Kansan in the early sixties. She lived at Wilmington.

Miss Margaret Stevenson, Olathe, is a writer of books for the blind. She has some short stories, nature and text-books published.