Wallace E. Knight

The crumblings of life are stories—tall tales and true ones, heroic and shaggy-dog ones. We don’t spin them the way we used to, complains the author, who offers the tales of Richard Clayton, balloonist; Lewis Wetzel, Indian killer; and Mother Jones, firebrand and seamstress.

“. . . For he is our glory and pride; Our arms shall in battle with conquest be crowned Whilst virtue and he’s on our side And lie’s on our side.”