The Dawn-Builder

The Dawn Builder originally published in 1910 was John G. Neihardts firstnovel. At the center of it is a oneeyed peglegged man named Waters. He comesto Fort Cal... » 

The Dawn Builder originally published in 1910 was John G. Neihardts firstnovel. At the center of it is a oneeyed peglegged man named Waters. He comesto Fort Calhoun Nebraska Territory in 1862 and drinks himself into a holewhen he isnt setting type on the town newspaper. Because his thirst ismetaphysical as well he only temporarily loses sight of the possibility ofhappiness of building his own dawn. Like all memorable characters Waterscant be contained on the page. Isolated by his physical ugliness marked byloneliness not yet deadened by silence compromised by his own excessiveenergy he reaches out to a young woman farther outside society than he is andto a kindly widow and her son. The Dawn Builder is reminiscent of Twain inits frontier humor of Poe in its bizarre adventures and of Dickens in itscasting of some busybodies who belong to the Needle Club. Its return to printwill be welcomed by John G. Neihardts many admirers. «