jq'.3s. m , . . . ' . . .jo. * : - . < . . . „ , y . * . . 'fci. :
Conservative.
vera Historical Society hopes to protect
everyone , so far as possible , iu his own
rights.
And last bat not least , they hope to
collect data in published Reports and in
manuscripts that shall bo conclusive and
authentic.
We can scarcely hope to decide "That
Great Elusive Myth" either as to loca
tion or magnitude , but in time we hope
to see this condition prevail : If a
student wishes to know all there is to be
known , that is real truth , about Qui-
vera he will be obliged to go to the
records , reports and annals of the Qui-
vera Historical Society.
The Conservative is the official organ
and will contain announcements from
time to time relating to the work of the
" society. It is the only medium through
which you can keep in touch with the
society and every one interested should
carefully scan every number.
While all details are not fully ar
ranged , it is a settled fact that the next
meeting of the Quivera Historical So
ciety will be held at "Logan Grove , "
the beautiful home of Captain Robert
Henderson , near Junction City , Kansas ,
some time during the month of August ,
1902.
1902.A
A monument will then be unveiled
marking ( approximately ) the point to
which Coronado penetrated in 1542 ,
and commemorating the rediscovery of
this important place by J. V. Brower.
The address will be delivered by our
president , Hon. J. V. Brewer of St.
Paul , Minnesota , and the poem for the
occasion by E. E. Blacknian of Lincoln ,
Nebraska.
Last but not least , the Banquet in
honor of the occasion will be given by
Capt. Robert Henderson. We look for
ward with much delight to the hour
when all the members of the Quivera
Historical Society shall meet at the
bountiful board of Capt. Henderson.
E. E. BLAOKMAN ,
Vice-President Quivera Historical
Society.
Rooa , Nebr. , Deo. 17 , 1901.
COUNTRY LIFE IN AMERICA.
The January Country Life in Amer
ica is a California number with superb
pictures characteristic of this unique
and beautiful magazine , and wholly
devoted to the out-door world on the
Pacific coast. The special covers
show big trees of the Sierras , and , a
magnificent frontispiece , the blooming
orchards at the foot of snow-capped
mountains. The leading article , by
L. H. Bailey , tells of the diversified
beauties and peculiarities of the land
that flowers in winter and sleeps in
summer , where thunder storms are
not and where the sun shines ever
lastingly. Pioneer [ days are recalled
by "The Heroes of the Firing Line , "
a poem by Joaquin Miller ; the trend
of wonderful development is the
theme of "Country Life in Cali
fornia , " by A. J. Wells ; and "The
Story of a Great California Estate , ' '
by Charles Howard Shiun , naturally
follows. Throughout , the unusual
opportunities for illustrating Cali
fornia at its best have been well
iaken , but of particularly striking
beauty are several series of photo
graphs. Of these , ' ' The Cypresses of
Monterey" show a picturesque feature
of the southern coast ; the Yucca
Palms and Gila monsters , the weird
life in the Mojave desert ; and the
poppies and poppyworts furnish the
color that gives California its fame
as a land of flowers. Then in a prac
tical way , a portion of the number is
given to the making of homes and
gardens , the culture and commercial
handling [ of fruits , and to many as
pects of the soil. Certainly Country
Life in America grows better with
every number , and proves the grip
that life under the open skies has up
on us Americans.
FIRST ACROSS THE CONTINENT.
We wonder greatly at Mr. Noah
Brooks having chosen the above title for
an account of the Lewis and Clark ex
pedition. In what sense can those two
officers be said to have been the first
across the continent ? We have not
seen Mr. Brooks' book ; possibly he may
qualify the impossible claim suggested
by its title , in the inside of it. There
must be something unusual about the
book , for it is advertised as "concisely
and accurately compiled for the first
time from authentic records. " This ,
considering what Dr. Coues' edition of
Lewis and Clark is , amounts to fully
as curious a statement as the other ; the
two together really arouse curiosity.
One would not suppose that pub
lishers ] of the rani , of the Sorib-
ners would consent to two misstatements -
statements of such magnitude , nor that
an author of the long standing of Noah
Brooks would propose them. One
would also be glad to believe that
neither writer nor publisher could be
led into error in these matters through
lack of information. But the more one
stirs about in western history , the less
surprised is he to meet any degree of
ignorance in any quarter.
Anything is welcome that will at
tract people's attention to that great
exploring expedition ; but there is a
definite need of a certain edition of the
captains' journals , and we are rather
sorry to see a new work come out that
is not the one we want to Fee. Ap
parently this one is iu the nature of a
juvenile , in which case there is no room
for criticism. It is not , at any rate , the
first time we have been disappointed.
A biography of the captains was an
nounced a couple of years ago , written
by a young man named Lightan , which
aroused hopes. A new edition of the
journals could not , of course , bo looked
: or under this guise ; but one might
reasonably have expected more light on
General Clark's career than it proved to
'urnish. He was occupied for parts of
; hree years in his exploration ; for the
first half of the century he was the
foremost figure in Indian affairs in the
Jiiited States. One can understand
why Dr. Coues in editing the journals
should have slighted this major portion
of his career ; but why should a "bio
grapher" confine himself to the inform
ation furnished by Dr. Coues ? It would
be a very interesting task for some one
to undertake who had access to the
records at Washington and St. Louis , to
show exactly what General Clark's
work among the Indians consisted of.
As to the journal of the great expedi
tion , an equally important and attract
ive task also remains for some one to
uudeitake. The fact is that no respect
able edition of the journals is now avail
able to the buyer. The only one offered
by dealers is one copyrighted by the
Harpers in 1842. It consists of the bare
text , and not a very good text , accord
ing to the authorities , and without
notes , explanatory or critical. Who , in
fact , could offer additional information
on the country traveled , in 1842 ? From
this state of poverty we passed to the
extreme of embarrassing wealth with
Dr. Coues' edition , which gives all that
anyone can possibly ask to know , and
something more. But Dr. Coues' Lewis
& Clark sells for $30 and upwards , and
oven at that , one may inquire for years
without finding a copy. There is room
and a demand for a compact and not
too high-priced edition of this work ,
containing a reasonable amount of the
supplementary information collected by
Dr. Coues , or which has accrued since
his day. It does not seem probable that
Mr. Brooks has furnished anything to
this purpose at all ; but we hope that
some competent person may do so be
fore long.
THE CANDLE ON THE PLATE.
"The year that I lived in Chicago I
noticed one night in passing through
the Polish Jew quarter something I
have since seen elsewhere , " writes the
Rev. David M. Steele in the Ladies'
Home Journal. "It was 'the candle on
the plate. ' A man dies and for want of
means to pay the rent his family is to
be turned out on the street. The widow
sots a plate on the pavement before the
door and puts a lighted candle on it.
For the length of time that it will burn ,
it is a summons to the neighbors pass
ing by to put in nickels , dimes and pen
nies which invariably they do until
a fund is raised sufficient to save the
family from eviction. Would the same
thing happen on the Stock Exchange if
a bank failed ? "