Kansas Women in Literature | Page 5

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.

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, ``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.

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