Kansas Women in Literature | Page 9

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EVA MORLEY MURPHY.
Eva Morley Murphy of Goodland, recent candidate for Congress, is
author of two books: ``The Miracle on the Smoky and Other Stories,''
and ``Lois Morton's Investment.''
She is a descendant of Nathaniel Perry of Revolutionary fame, and of
Rodger Williams; an active temperance worker; and one of the women
who made equal suffrage possible in Kansas.
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SALLIE F. TOLER.
Mrs. Sallie F. Toler, Wichita, has written on every subject from pigs
and pole cats to patriotism. She is the author of several plays and three
vaudeville sketches. A comedy, a racing romance, ``Handicapped;''
``Thekla,'' a play in three acts; ``On Bird's Island,'' a four-act play; and
``Waking Him Up,'' a farce, are played in stock now.
Mrs. Toler contributes to many papers and lectures on ``The Short
Story'' and ``The Modern Drama.''

MARGARET PERKINS.

As a 1914 Christmas offering, Margaret Perkins, a Hutchinson High
School teacher, gave us her volume of beautiful poems. ``The Love
Letters of a Norman Princess'' is the love story, in verse, of Hersilie, a
ward and relative of William, The Conqueror, and Eric, a kinsman of
the unfortunate King Harold.
``I thought once, in a dream, that Love came near With silken flutter of
empurpled wings That wafted faint, strange fragrance from the things
Abloom where age and season never sear. The joy of mating birds was
in my ear, And flamed my path with dancing daffodils Whose splendor
melted into greening hills Upseeking, like my spirit, to revere.''
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``Before you came, this heart of mine A fairy garden seemed With
lavender and eglantine; And lovely lilies gleamed Above the
purple-pansy sod Where ruthless passion never trod.''
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``If Heaven had been pleased to let you be A keeper of the sheep, a
peasant me, Within a shepherd's cottage thatched with vine Now might
we know the bliss of days divine.'' --``We are part of Heaven's scheme,
You and I: Child of sunshine and the dew I was earthly--born as you.
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``Yet my little hour I go, Troubled maid, Even where the storm blasts
blow, Unafraid; Confident that from the sod All things upward wend to
God.''
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``Dear heart, the homing hour is here, The task is done. Toilers, and
they who course the deer Turn, one by one, At day's demise, Where
dwells a deathless glow In loving eyes. I hear them hearthward go To
castle, or to cottage on the lea; But him I love comes never home to
me.''

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The peaks that rift the saffron sheen Of sunset skies In purple
loveliness, when seen By nearer eyes, Are bleakly bare. To brave those
boulders gray No climbers dare. O, in some future may This mountain
mass of unfulfilled desires Be unto me as yonder haloed spires!''
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Miss Perkins is the compiler of ``Echoes of Pawnee Rock,'' and writes
short stories and poems for the magazines. Some of her verse is
published in Woolard's ``Father.''

ANNA E. ARNOLD.
Anna E. Arnold, Cottonwood Falls, Superintendent of Chase County
Schools, is a thorough Kansan, and a farm product. She was born at
Whiting, Jackson County, but when a very small child, her parents
moved to Chase and all her life since has been spent in that county.
Until the last few years, she lived on a farm.
She is a graduate of the State University and has taught in the grade and
high schools. In 1905, she became a candidate for Superintendent of
Schools of Chase County. Her success and her unusual ability as a
teacher were rewarded by a two to one majority on a close county ticket.
At the second term, she had no opposition and out of 1214 votes cast,
she received all but 29. The present year, after four elections, is her
seventh continuous year as Superintendent of Chase County. In
addition to her official duties, Miss Arnold has written two text-books.
Her ``Civics and Citizenship'' in 1912 was adopted as the state
text-book on civil government for use in the public schools of Kansas.
It is being used by a large number of womens' clubs. Many outlines for
club work on civic subjects have come from Miss Arnold's pen. Her
second textbook, ``A History of Kansas,'' the first book printed under
the new State Publication Law, has also been adopted by the text-book
commission.

Miss Arnold is considered one of the foremost educational leaders of
the state.
Topeka gives us Anna Deming Gray, a writer of negro dialect stories,
stories for children, and some verse. Elizabeth Barr Arthur, has written
a number of books, histories