Page:History of Oregon Newspapers.pdf/79

70 there ran two selections of verse whose quality is such as to create a bit of sympathy with the paper's expressed attitude. The poems were entitled "I Must Hasten Home," an anonymous offering, probably clipped from an exchange, and "My First Kiss," by Miss P. Knox. Let the last stanza of each suffice as an index to its quality:

"I am hastening home," said an aged man,

As he gazed on the grassy sod,

Where oft, ere age had silvered his hairs,

His feet had lightly trod;

"Farewell! farewell to this lovely earth—

I am hastening home to God.

The spell is broken—she has laid

Her trembling lip against his cheek;

On hers there is a deeper shade

Of crimson, but she does not speak;

Her voice is hushed; his voice is still—

'Tis given, half against her will.

However, a good deal of very presentable verse was written in early Oregon, as files of pioneer newspapers well show.

The first book review that comes to notice in the Oregonian was not of a nature that would lend encouragement to budding writers. It was not, apparently, the reviewer's policy to "temper the wind to the shorn lamb," nor was he of a mind to make it easy for women to widen their field, of activity. Dryer appears not to have done any book reviewing himself, and this particular review is labeled "For the Oregonian" and signed anonymously "Squills." About all we can be fairly sure of about Squills is that he wasn't a woman; he didn't approve "equal rights;" we can't even be positive of the complete fairness of his literary judgments; he seems to have been full of the prejudices of the day. Here is the review, which, it is to be feared, was not designed to help sell the book:

Grains, or Passages in the Life of Ruth Rover, With Occasional Pictures, &c. &c.

By Margaret Jewett Bailey, Portland, Oregon.

Printed by Carter & Austin.

This work does great credit to the printers, Messrs. Carter & Austin, the typography being very neat and immaculate in tint. We seldom read books of feminine production, believing their (the females) province to be darning stockings,