of such a worthy man.

KATE A. APLINGTON.

The Kansas State Traveling Art Gallery
owes its birth and much of its success to Kate
A. Aplington, the author of that typical western
story, ``Pilgrims of the Plains.''  Since
Feb., 1907, the Art Gallery has been a recognized
state institution, and as its Vice-President
and Superintendent and as the writer of
the art lectures that accompany the work, Mrs.
Aplington's broad-minded, artistic temperament
and student's persistency have made the
gallery truly a work of art.

At present, the Aplingtons are living at
Miami, Florida, but for a quarter of a century,
Council Grove, the most famous spot on the
Santa Fe Trail, was their home.  Special
investigations and researches on the subject of
the old Santa Fe Trail days and lecturers on
educational and literary topics resulted from
years spent in that historic place.

``Pilgrims of the Plains,'' which came out
in Feb., 1913, is worthy of a place in the front
rank of western stories.  In July of this year,
Grossett and Dunlap will bring it out in their
``Popular Edition'' of novels.

Mrs. Aplington is now working on a book
on ``Art-Museums of America'' and judging
from the comments of prominent Museum
Directors, this will be as great a success as her
novel.  ``Florida of the Reclamation,'' a character
story with scenes laid in and around Miami,
Florida, is also in preparation.

EMMA UPTON VAUGHN.

The author of that versatile little book of
short stories, ``The Lower Bureau Drawer'' is
Emma Upton Vaughn, a Kansas City, Kansas
teacher.  These heart stories, showing keen
insight of human nature--especially woman
nature--deal with every day life, each one a
fascinating revelation, of character and soul.

Mrs. Vaughn was born in Kalamazoo,
Michigan.  Her early life was spent in Kansas.
She is a graduate of the Kansas University, and
has taught in the public schools of the state.

She wrote the ``Bible and the Flag in the
Public Schools'' and has contributed both prose
and verse to the leading magazines and
newspapers.  Feature articles and many good essays
appear over her signature.  Her ``Passing From
Under The Partial Eclipse'' did much to give
Kansas City, Kansas her recognized place
commercially on the map.  A novel, ``The Cresap
Pension,'' exposing a great pension fraud, is
ready for the press.

JESSIE WRIGHT WHITECOMB.

Jessie Wright Whitcomb, a Topeka writer
of juvenile books is a lawyer in active practice
with her husband, Judge George H. Whitcomb
and a mother of a remarkable family of five
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 lines.  In 1862, she was