MIDAMERICA IX the yearbook of the Society for the Study of Midwe$tern Literature 1982 Edited By DAVID D. AND,ERSON The Midwestern Press The Center for the Study of Midwestern Literature and Culture Michigan State UniVersity East Lansing, Michigan 1982 In Honor of MARC VAN WORMER Copyright 1982 . by the Society for the Study of Midwestern Literature. All rights reserved Printed in the United States of America PREFACE With the publication of M idAmerica IX the Society for the Study of Midwestern Literature marks another year of progress, highlighted by the most Successful twelfth annual conference, the Symposium on the Cultural Heritage of the Midwest and con­ current Midwest Poetry Festival held at Michigan State Univer­ sity on May 6-8. Awards presented at the conference were the MidAmerica Award to Clarence Andrews and the Mark Twain Award to Wright Morris. The symposium and festival to be held in May 1983 are expected to be equally successful. The wide variety of essays, many of which had their incep­ tion at past symposia, and the impressive bibliography that make up MidAmerica IX are further evidence of the continued growth of Midwestern literature and Midwestern literary study. Espe­ cially commendable axe the efforts of Donald Pady and Robert Beasecker, the Society's bibliographers, in making available the record of Midwestern literature and literary study in this yearbook and in their computerized records. Commendable, too, are the 'continued efforts of Marc Van Wormer, Conference Coordinator at Michigan State University, in making the symposia and poetry festivals successful. We dedicate this volume to him as an ex­ pression of the Society's appreciation. October, 1982 DAVID D. ANDERSON Contents Preface 5 John Russell and the Piasa Legend John E. Hallwas 9 Hamlin Garland: Realist of Old Age Leland Krauth 23 Twenty Acres of Independence: The Letters of Omar Morse, 1890-1900 James Marshall 38 Another Angle of Willa Cather's Artistic Prism: Impressionistic Character Portraiture in My Antonia Edward J. Piacentino 53 Belgian Sources of Brand Whitlock's "French" Expatriate Novels Paul W. Miller 65 Michigan Proletarian Writers and the Great Depression David D. Anderson 76 Mark Schorer's Wisconsin Writings John Stark 98 Ohio Boyhoods: A Study of Adolescence in Novels by Robert McCloskey, Virginia Hamilton, and Don Moser Linda R. Silver 114 Sinclair Lewis vs. Zane Grey: Mantrap as Satirical Western Robert E. Fleming 124 The Chicago Literary Times: A Description and a Book Review Index Ray Lewis White 139 Annual Bibliography of Midwestern Literature: 1980 Editors: Robert Beasecker and Donald Pady 148 JOHN RUSSELL AND THE PIASA LEGEND JOHN E. HALLWAS John Russell (1793-1863), who spent much of his life at Bluff­ dale, Illinois, near Carrollton, was the most well-known fiction writer in that state after James Hall left in 1833. Unfortunately, he was not as talented as Hall, and so today there is little reason to read any of his moralistic and sentimental short stories and novelettes. However, Russell's works were admired in his own day, not only by Hall, who printed "The Emigrant" and "The Spectre Hunter" in his Western Monthly Magazine, but by John Mason Peck and John Reynolds, who were also widely known contemporaneous men of letters. Three decades ago Russell's career was the subject of an ar­ ticle by John Flanagan, but he failed to discuss, or even mention, the most successful story in the author's canon, "The Piasa: An Indian Tradition of Illinois.'" However, seven years later Rus­ .sell's authorship of that narrative was discussed by Wayne C. Temple in "The Piasa Bird: Fact or Fiction?" As his title indi­ cates, he was concerned only with determining whether there was any historical basis for the tale - and his research led him to conclude that there was none: Russell's story is full of the supernatural and its compo­ sition shows the flair of a novelist. He certainly never intended for this fanciful tale to be accepted as a historical article, but the reading public did just that. When ques­ tioned by William McAdams about the Piasa legend, Rus­ sell admitted that his story was "somewhat illustrated." And years later, his son, Spencer G. Russell, related to John F. Snyder that his father at one time coufessed to him that the legend of the Piasa Bird was the product of his imagi­ nation coupled with Marquette's account? 9 MIDAMERICA IX John RtMsell and the Piasa Legend 11 10 the great magalonyx and mastodon, whose bones are now Temple's conclusion is not very surprising, for a story about :' dug up, were still living in this land of the green prairies huge man-eating bird was not likely to be factual. However, It there exist.ed ~ bird of such dinlensions that he could easil; is evident from what he uncovered that the Piasa legend should carry off, m his talons, a full grown deer. Having obtained clearly be regarded as Russell's literary creation and not an In­ a taste of human flesh, from that time he would prey upon dian tale that the latter ran across and sinlply transcribed for nothing else. He was artful as he was powerful; would dart publication. / , ~uddenly and unexpectedly upon an Indian, bear him off Although Temple mentions other authors who retold Russell s mto one of the caves in the bluff, and devour him. Hun­ story, he does not discuss the literary quality of the various ver­ ru:eds of Warriours attempted for years to destroy him, but sions Yet this is an interesting consideration because there are Wlthout success. Whole villages were nearly depopulated, signtlicant differences between Russell's tale and later versi~ns and consternation spread through all the tribes of the Illini. that were based on it. These differences allow us to determme At length, Ouatoga, a chief, whose fame as a warriour ex­ tendeCl beyond the great lakes, separating himself from the how various tellers of the legend tried to interpret it, and they rest of his tribe, fasted in solitude for the space of a whole also provide insights into the transmission history of this famous moon, and prayed to the Great Spirit, the Master of life, tale. that he would protect his children from the Piasa. On the Russell's account first appeared in an eastern magazine dur- ~ast night of the fa~t, the Great Spirit appeared to Ouatoga ing 1836, and it is brief enough to present here in its entirety: m a dream, and drrected him to select twenty of his war­ No part of the United States, not ev~n the highla;'ds of riours, each armed with a bow and a poisoned arrow, and the Hudson, can vie, in wild and romantik ~cenery, wIth the conceal them in a desiguated spot. Near the place of their bluffs of the Illinois. On one side of the flver, often at the conce~~ent, another warriour waS to stand in open view, water's edge a perpendicular wall of rock rises to the height as a VIctim for the Piasa, which they must shoot the instant of some hu~dred feet. Generally on the opposite shore is that he pounced upon his prey. When the chief awoke in a level bottom or prairie, of several miles in width, extend­ t~e n:0ming, he thanked the Great Spirit, and returning to ing to a similar bluff that runs parallel with the river. his trIbe, told them his dream. The warriours were quickly One of these ranges commences at Alton, and extends s~lected and placed in ambush as directed. Ouatoga offered with few intervals for many miles along the left bank of himself as the victim. He was willing to die for his tribe. the Illinois. In descending the river to Alton, the trl!cvell~r P~acing himself in open view of the bluff, he soon saw the will observe between that town and the mouth of the I1~­ Plasa perched on the cliff eyeing his prey. Ouatoga drew nois a narrow ravine through which a small stream d,S­ up his manly form to its utlnost height, and planting his cha;ges its waters into the Mississippi. The stream is the feet firmly upon the earth, began to chant the death-song Piasa. Its name is Indian, and signifies in the lang:;age of of a warriour. A moment after, the Piasa rose into the air, the Illini "THE BIRD THAT DEVOURS MEN. Near and swift as the thunderbolt, darted down upon the chief. the mouti, of that stream, on the smooth and perpendicular Scarcely had he reached his victinl when every bow was face of the bluff at an elevation which no human art can sprung, and every arrow sent, to the feather, into his body. reach, is cut the figure of an enormous bird, with its wings The Piasa uttered a wild, fearful scream, that resounded extended. The bird which this figure represents was called far over the opposite side of the river, and expired. Ouatoga by the Indians, the Piasa, and from this is derived the was safe. Not an arrow, not even the talons of the bird had touched him. The Master of life, in admiration of th~ name of the stream. The tradition of the Piasa is still current among all the generous deed of Ouatoga, had held over hinl an invisible tribes of the Upper Mississippi, and those who have in­ shield. In memory of this event, the inlage of the Piasa habited the valley of the Illinois, and is briefly this: "Many was engraved on the face of the bluff." Such is the Indian thousand moons before the arrival of the pale faces, when tradition.