Certainofthenewspapers，whenthisbookwasfirstannounced，madeamistakemostnaturaluponseeingthesub-titleasitthenstood，ATALEOFSUNDRYADVENTURES。“Thissoundslikeahistoricalnovel，“saidoneofthem，meaningItakeitacolonialromance。Asitnowstands，thetitlewillscarceleadtosuchinterpretation；yetnonethelessisthisbookhistorical——quiteasmuchsoasanycolonialromance。Indeed，whenyoulookattherootofthematter，itisacolonialromance。ForWyomingbetween1874and1890wasacolonyaswildaswasVirginiaonehundredyearsearlier。Aswild，withascantierpopulation，andthesameprimitivejoysanddangers。
Therewere，tobesure，notsomanyChippendalesettees。
Weknowquitewellthecommonunderstandingoftheterm“historicalnovel。“HUGHWYNNEexactlyfitsit。ButSILASLAPHAM
isanovelasperfectlyhistoricalasisHughWynne，foritpicturesaneraandpersonifiesatype。ItmattersnotthatintheonewefindGeorgeWashingtonandintheothernonesaveimaginaryfigures；elseTHESCARLETLETTERwerenothistorical。
NordoesitmatterthatDr。Mitchelldidnotliveinthetimeofwhichhewrote，whileMr。HowellssawmanySilasLaphamswithhisowneyes；elseUNCLETOM’SCABINwerenothistorical。Anynarrativewhichpresentsfaithfullyadayandagenerationisofnecessityhistorical；andthisonepresentsWyomingbetween1874
and1890。HadyouleftNewYorkorSanFranciscoatteno’clockthismorning，bynoonthedayafterto-morrowyoucouldstepoutatCheyenneThereyouwouldstandattheheartoftheworldthatisthesubjectofmypicture，yetyouwouldlookaroundyouinvainforthereality。Itisavanishedworld。Nojourneys，savethosewhichmemorycantake，willbringyoutoitnow。Themountainsarethere，farandshining，andthesunlight，andtheinfiniteearth，andtheairthatseemsforeverthetruefountainofyouth，butwhereisthebuffalo，andthewildantelope，andwherethehorsemanwithhispasturingthousands？Solikeitsoldselfdoesthesage-brushseemwhenrevisited，thatyouwaitforthehorsemantoappear。
Buthewillnevercomeagain。Heridesinhishistoricyesterday。
YouwillnomoreseehimgallopoutoftheunchangingsilencethanyouwillseeColumbusontheunchangingseacomesailingfromPaloswithhiscaravels。
Andyetthehorsemanisstillsonearourdaythatinsomechaptersofthisbook，whichwerepublishedseparateatthecloseofthenineteenthcentury，thepresenttensewasused。Itistruenolonger。Inthosechaptersithasbeenchanged，andverbslike“is“and“have“nowread“was“and“had。“Timehasflowedfasterthanmyink。
Whatisbecomeofthehorseman，thecowpuncher，thelastromanticfigureuponoursoil？Forhewasromantic。Whateverhedid，hedidwithhismight。Thebreadthatheearnedwasearnedhard，thewagesthathesquanderedweresquanderedhard，——halfayear’spaysometimesgoneinanight，——“blownin，“asheexpressedit，or“blowedin，“tobeperfectlyaccurate。Well，hewillbehereamongusalways，invisible，waitinghischancetoliveandplayashewouldlike。Hiswildkindhasbeenamongusalways，sincethebeginning:ayoungmanwithhistemptations，aherowithoutwings。
Thecow-puncher’sungovernedhoursdidnotunmanhim。Ifhegavehisword，hekeptit；WallStreetwouldhavefoundhimbehindthetimes。Nordidhetalklewdlytowomen；Newportwouldhavethoughthimold-fashioned。Heandhisbriefepochmakeacompletepicture，forinthemselvestheywereascompleteasthepioneersofthelandortheexplorersofthesea。Atransitionhasfollowedthehorsemanoftheplains；ashapelessstate，aconditionofmenandmannersasunlovelyasisthatmomentintheyearwhenwinterisgoneandspringnotcome，andthefaceofNatureisugly。Ishallnotdwelluponithere。ThosewhohaveseenitknowwellwhatImean。Suchtransitionwasinevitable。
Letusgivethanksthatitisbutatransition，andnotafinality。
Sometimesreadersinquire，DidIknowtheVirginian？Aswell，I
hope，asafathershouldknowhisson。Andsometimesitisasked，Wassuchandsuchathingtrue？NowtothisIhavethebestanswerintheworld。OnceacowpuncherlistenedpatientlywhileI
readhimamanuscript。ItconcernedaneventuponanIndianreservation。“WasthattheCrowreservation？“heinquiredatthefinish。Itoldhimthatitwasnorealreservationandnorealevent；andhisfaceexpresseddispleasure。“Why，“hedemanded，“doyouwasteyourtimewritingwhatneverhappened，whenyouknowsomanythingsthatdidhappen？“
AndIcouldnomorehelptellinghimthatthiswasthehighestcomplimenteverpaidmethanIhavebeenabletohelptellingyouaboutithere！
TheVirginian，AHorsemanOfThePlainsbyOwenWisterToTHEODOREROOSEVELT
Someofthesepagesyouhaveseen，someyouhavepraised，onestandsnew-writtenbecauseyoublamedit；andall，mydearcritic，begleavetoremindyouoftheirauthor’schangelessadmiration。
Somenotablesightwasdrawingthepassengers，bothmenandwomen，tothewindow；andthereforeIroseandcrossedthecartoseewhatitwas。Isawnearthetrackanenclosure，androunditsomelaughingmen，andinsideitsomewhirlingdust，andamidthedustsomehorses，plunging，huddling，anddodging。Theywerecowponiesinacorral，andoneofthemwouldnotbecaught，nomatterwhothrewtherope。Wehadplentyoftimetowatchthissport，forourtrainhadstoppedthattheenginemighttakewateratthetankbeforeitpulledusupbesidethestationplatformofMedicineBow。Wewerealsosixhoursate，andstarvingforentertainment。Theponyinthecorralwaswise，andrapidoflimb。Haveyouseenaskilfulboxerwatchhisantagonistwithaquiet，incessanteye？Suchaneyeasthisdidtheponykeepuponwhatevermantooktherope。Themanmightpretendtolookattheweather，whichwasfine；orhemightaffectearnestconversationwithabystander:itwasbootless。Theponysawthroughit。Nofeinthoodwinkedhim。Thisanimalwasthoroughlyamanoftheworld。isundistractedeyestayedfixeduponthedissemblingfoe，andthegravityofhishorse-expressionmadethematteroneofhighcomedy。Thentheropewouldsailoutathim，buthewasalreadyelsewhere；andifhorseslaugh，gayetymusthaveaboundedinthatcorral。Sometimestheponytookaturnalone；nexthehadslidinaflashamonghisbrothers，andthewholeofthemlikeaschoolofplayfulfishwhippedroundthecorral，kickingupthefinedust，andItakeitroaringwithlaughter。Throughthewindow-glassofourPullmanthethudoftheirmischievoushoofsreachedus，andthestrong，humorouscursesofthecow-boys。ThenforthefirsttimeInoticedamanwhosatonthehighgateofthecorral，lookingon。Forhenowclimbeddownwiththeundulationsofatiger，smoothandeasy，asifhismusclesflowedbeneathhisskin。Theothershadallvisiblywhirledtherope，someofthemevenshoulderhigh。Ididnotseehisarmliftormove。Heappearedtoholdtheropedownlow，byhisleg。ButlikeasuddensnakeIsawthenoosegooutitslengthandfalltrue；
andthethingwasdone。Asthecapturedponywalkedinwithasweet，church-doorexpression，ourtrainmovedslowlyontothestation，andapassengerremarked，“Thatmanknowshisbusiness。“
Butthepassenger’sdissertationuponropingIwasobligedtolose，forMedicineBowwasmystation。Ibademyfellow-travellersgood-by，anddescended，astranger，intothegreatcattleland。AndhereinlessthantenminutesIlearnednewswhichmademefeelastrangerindeed。
Mybaggagewaslost；ithadnotcomeonmytrain；itwasadriftsomewherebackinthetwothousandmilesthatlaybehindme。Andbywayofcomfort，thebaggage-manremarkedthatpassengersoftengotastrayfromtheirtrunks，butthetrunksmostlyfoundthemafterawhile。Havingofferedmethisencouragement，heturnedwhistlingtohisaffairsandleftmeplantedinthebaggage-roomatMedicineBow。Istooddesertedamongcratesandboxes，blanklyholdingmycheck，fungusandforlorn。Istaredoutthroughthedoorattheskyandtheplains；butIdidnotseetheantelopeshiningamongthesage-brush，northegreatsunsetlightofWyoming。Annoyanceblindedmyeyestoallthingssavemygrievance:Isawonlyalosttrunk。AndIwasmutteringhalf-aloud，“Whataforsakenholethisis！“whensuddenlyfromoutsideontheplatformcameaslowvoice:“OfftogetmarriedAGAIN？Oh，don’t！“
ThevoicewasSouthernandgentleanddrawling；andasecondvoicecameinimmediateanswer，crackedandquerulous。“Itain’tagain。Whosaysit’sagain？Whotoldyou，anyway？“
Andthefirstvoicerespondedcaressingly:“Why，yourSundayclothestoldme，UncleHughey。Theyarespeakin’mightyloudo’
nuptials。“
“Youdon’tworryme！“snappedUncleHughey，withshrillheat。
Andtheothergentlycontinued，“Ain’tthemglovesthesameyu’
woretoyourlastweddin’？“
“Youdon’tworryme！Youdon’tworryme！“nowscreamedUncleHughey。
AlreadyIhadforgottenmytrunk；carehadleftme；Iwasawareofthesunset，andhadnodesirebutformoreofthisconversation。ForitresemblednonethatIhadheardinmylifesofar。Isteppedtothedoorandlookedoutuponthestationplatform。
Loungingthereateaseagainstthewallwasaslimyounggiant，morebeautifulthanpictures。Hisbroad，softhatwaspushedback；aloose-knotted，dull-scarlethandkerchiefsaggedfromhisthroat；andonecasualthumbwashookedinthecartridge-beltthatslantedacrosshiships。Hehadplainlycomemanymilesfromsomewhereacrossthevasthorizon，asthedustuponhimshowed。
Hisbootswerewhitewithit。Hisoverallsweregraywithit。Theweather-beatenbloomofhisfaceshonethroughitduskily，astheripepeacheslookupontheirtreesinadryseason。Butnodinginessoftravelorshabbinessofattirecouldtarnishthesplendorthatradiatedfromhisyouthandstrength。Theoldmanuponwhosetemperhisremarksweredoingsuchdeadlyworkwascombedandcurriedtoafinish，abridegroomsweptandgarnished；
butalasforage！HadIbeenthebride，Ishouldhavetakenthegiant，dustandall。Hehadbynomeansdonewiththeoldman。
“Why，yu’vehungweddin’gyarmentsoneverylimb！“henowdrawled，withadmiration。“Whoistheluckyladythistrip？“
Theoldmanseemedtovibrate。“Tellyouthereain’tbeennoother！CallmeaMormon，wouldyou？“
“Why，that——“
“CallmeaMormon？Thennamesomeofmywives。Nametwo。Nameone。Dareyou！“
“——thatLaramiewido’promisedyou——’
“Shucks！“
“——onlyherdoctersuddenlyorderedSouthernclimateand——“
“Shucks！You’reafalsealarm。“
“——sonothingbutherlungscamebetweenyou。Andnextyou’dmostgotunitedwithCattleKate，only——“
“Tellyouyou’reafalsealarm！“
“——onlyshegothung。“
“Where’sthewivesinallthis？Showthewives！Comenow！“
“Thatcorn-fedbiscuit-shooteratRawlinsyu’gavethecanary——“
“Nevermarriedher。Neverdidmarry——“
“Butyu’comesonear，uncle！Shewastheoneleftyu’thatletterexplaininghowshe’dgotmarriedtoayoungcyard-playertheverydaybeforeherceremonywithyouwasdue，and——“
“Oh，you’renothing；you’reakid；youdon’tamountto——“
“——andhowshe’dnever，neverforgottofeedthecanary。
“Thiscountry’sgettingfullofkids，“statedtheoldman，witheringly。“It’sdoomed。“Thiscrushingassertionplainlysatisfiedhim。Andheblinkedhiseyeswithrenewedanticipation。
Histalltormentorcontinuedwithafaceofunchanginggravity，andavoiceofgentlesolicitude:“Howisthehealthofthatunfortunate——“
“That’sright！Pouryourinsults！Pour’emonasick，afflictedwoman！“Theeyesblinkedwithcombativerelish。
“Insults？Oh，no，UncleHughey！“
“That’sallright！Insultsgoes！“
“Why，Iwasmightyrelievedwhenshebegantorecoverhermem’ry。
Las’timeIheard，theytoldmeshe’dgotitprettynearallback。Rememberedherfather，andhermother，andhersistersandbrothers，andherfriends，andherhappychildhood，andallherdoin’sexceptonlyyourface。Theboyswasbettin’she’dgetthatfartoo，givehertime。ButIreckonaftehsuchaturrablesicknessasshehad，thatwouldbeexpectin’mosttoomuch。“
AtthisUncleHugheyjerkedoutasmallparcel。“Showshowmuchyouknow！“hecackled。“There！Seethat！That’smyringshesentmeback，beingtoounstrungformarriage。Soshedon’trememberme，don’tshe？Ha-ha！Alwayssaidyouwereafalsealarm。“
TheSouthernerputmoreanxietyintohistone。“Andsoyou’rea-takin’theringrightontothenextone！“heexclaimed。“Oh，don’tgotogetmarriedagain，UncleHughey！What’stheuseo’
beingmarried？“
“What’stheuse？“echoedthebridegroom，withscorn。“Hm！Whenyougrowupyou’llthinkdifferent。“