uction
of William Johnston (Gray said "Johnson") not merely as
the one who carried the manuscript east but in an actual lit
erary capacity, thickens the plot still further and gives us
four possible authors of the first Oregon novel. Following
is Gray's statement referred to by Moss: "Rocky Mountain
men with native wives: . . . and William Johnson, author
of the novel 'Leni Leoti; or, the Prairie Flower'. The sub
ject was first written and read before the Lyceum, at Ore
gon City, in 1843." The remaining two references to the
book occur on page 53 of the Moss manuscript:
The Prairie Flower was written in 1842 and published in 1843.
Most of the book was written in 1842 on my journey to Oregon.
J. Emerson Bennett claimed it a while but withdrew his claim
finally. I have no doubt he wrote the altered parts.
Bennett wrote the sequel to the Prairie Flower in full (Leni
Leoti). The book did not circulate in this part of the country at all
until long years after it was published. It was published at Craw-
fordsville, Indiana. This man Overton Johnston who took it back
had it published — a more worthy young man never emigrated from
Indiana or any other state. I do not claim the authorship at all.
Because of its frontier setting, it is a curious addition to
the history of plagiarism. The spurious author, Emerson
Bennett,
"withdrew his claims finally"
—
but after he had
received all the rewards and when it was too late to make
restitution.
The loss to the author was indeed great, in royalties as
well as in celebrity as a writer. By 1881, 91,000 copies had
been sold.
To complete the description of this first Oregon novel,
there is selected from its contents the following romantic
episode:
The Hero Proposes
From The Prairie Flower
It was a lovely day in the spring of 1 843. On the banks
of the romantic Willamette, under the shade of a large tree,
I was seated. By my side —with her sweet face averted and
crimson with blushes, her right hand clasped in mine, her
left unconsciously toying with a beautiful flower, whi
