Page:American Journal of Sociology Volume 11.djvu/405

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THE LITERARY INTERESTS OF CHICAGO
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typical of morning dailies in Chicago and elsewhere. This type of growth has reached its highest form of specialization, as we shall see later, in the "Sunday Magazine" of the Chicago Record-Herald, and newspapers of other cities associated in its publication. Incidentally, the points about the course of development in the Gem of the Prairie and the Chicago Sunday Tribune show, in outline, the history of the only periodical of a literary character established in prairie days which has continued in any form and retained such character to the present time. The Prairie Farmer, established in 1841, has altogether lost its literary flavor, although it has retained its name and identity, and has become a highly specialized paper of agricultural technique.

In January of the year when the Gem of the Prairie lost its original name, the Literary Budget, which grew into a journal of the same type, made its first appearance. The establishment of the Literary Budget gives the first example of a phenomenon which has frequently appeared in Chicago publishing. This may accurately be termed "engraftment." And "engraftment" may be defined as the dependence of one interest upon another previously established. W. W. Dannenhower, the "editor and proprietor" from the first flash to the snuffing out of this publication, was an old-fashioned bookseller. At his bookstore in Lake Street he gave counsel to his patrons and helped to set the literary fashions for the commmunity. He established the Literary Budget as a medium in which to advertise books and periodicals. For seven numbers it appeared as a monthly. It then grew into, a weekly literary journal of distinct merit, and as such was even more effective as an aid in selling books. And by the increase of book business the periodical was helped.

The character of the journal as a literary miscellany is shown by the frequent appearance of noms de plume—"Paulina," "Katy Darling," and "Daisy Poet." It is said by the early historians that the first music ever printed from movable type appeared in this paper. Each issue contained a page or two of printed music. To accompany some of this, Benjamin F. Taylor, who was a corresponding editor, wrote verses. T. Herbert Whipple, another of these editors, wrote for the Literary Budget