Mr.JamesLaneAllenhasletinthelightuponKentucky;theRedMenandWhiteofthegreatplainshavefoundtheirinterpreterinMr.OwenWister，ayoungPhiladelphianwitnessoftheirdramaticconditionsandcharacteristics;Mr.HamlinGarlafidhadalreadyexpressedthesadcircumstancesoftheruralNorthwestinhispatheticidyls，coloredfromtheexperienceofonewhohadbeenpartofwhathesaw.LatercameMr.
HenryB.Fuller，andgaveuswhatwashardestandmostsordid，aswellassomethingofwhatwasmosttouchingandmostamusing，intheburly—burlyofChicago.
III.
Asurveyofthissortimpartsnojustsenseofthefacts，andIownthatIamimpatientofmerelynamingauthorsandbooksthateachtemptmetoanexpansionfarbeyondthelimitsofthisessay;for，ifImaybesopersonal，IhavewatchedthegrowthofourliteratureinAmericanismwithintensesympathy.InmypoorwayIhavealwayslikedthetruth，andintimespastIamafraidthatIhavehelpedtomakeitodioustothosewhobelievedbeautywassomethingdifferent;butIhopethatIshallnotnowbedoingourdecentralizedliteratureadisservicebysayingthatitschiefvalueisitshonesty，itsfidelitytoourdecentralizedlife.
SometimesIwishthiswerealittlemoreconstant;butuponthewholeI