Zane Grey: His Life, His Adventures, His Women

3. Adventurous Apprentice: 1906-10

3 Adventurous Apprentice: 1906–10 “If you want fame or wealth or wolves, go out and hunt for them” —The Last of the Plainsmen In one of the few reviews of The Last of the Plainsmen (1908), Forest and Stream offered the following information about the work’s little-known author: “Dr. Grey hails from Pike county, Pennsylvania. A couple of years ago he had in contemplation a trip to South America; a cruise in a small boat around the Peninsula of Labrador to Hudson Bay; and a journey through the Arizona desert country. He chose the latter.”1 These comments reveal that, long before Grey became famous, the editors of this magazine were aware of both him and his plans. Even though Forest and Stream did not publish any of his early articles, he did submit several and, by way of support, arranged to meet the editorial staff and to present himself as an adventurer. When he visited Zanesville in May 1904 to promote Betty Zane, he informed the local paper of his intent to summer in British Columbia .2 Clearly he wanted to impress editors and readers with his ambition and daring. The fact that he did not get to these places does not make his plans 03.59-94_Paul.indd 59 8/10/05 1:49:43 PM zane grey 60 deceptions or pipe dreams; like many plans, they got changed. Nonetheless, they are a revealing indication of intent and direction. For someone who had traveled little beyond Ohio, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania and who had recently converted to the simple life, these were ambitious hopes to extend his range, but he was as uncertain as he was restless. Getting going and coping were the hard part. Although he was thirty when he decided to become a writer and thirtythree when he married, Grey still thought of himself as young, and he harbored intense longings for adventure and excitement. He shared his age’s enthusiasm for the outdoors and sporting activities. Roughing it exposed the drawbacks of modern conveniences, provided healthy conditioning, and fostered self-sufficiency. Back in 1893, Frederick Jackson Turner had journeyed to the Columbian Exposition in Chicago and had informed his fellow historians that the frontier era had ended; but, thirteen years later, Grey could see that pristine wilderness and large stocks of wild game still existed, even if they were far away from life in the East. Fastening initially upon the access this expansion provided and disregarding its menacing potential, he construed the problem as one of money and time. Grey refused to believe that his career change and recent marriage placed opportunity beyond his grasp. He could see that sporting magazines needed fresh, interesting accounts. Most of these magazines were spawned by recent industrialization, which lowered the cost of production, increased their attractiveness , and exploited the outdoors to sell manufactured goods. Even thoughthepayforauthorswaspoor,sometimesnothingatall,thesejournals covered expenses and facilitated trips that could gain him experience and reputation. He wanted to be an explorer—of places first and then of materials , issues, and attitudes crucial to his writing. Starting came first, and the author who wrote with such admiration for his venturesome ancestors was surprisingly reluctant to leave home. Dolly campaigned for a cross-country trip as a honeymoon and she was willing to pay for it. She proposed that they take a train to the Grand Canyon, travel leisurely from San Diego to San Francisco, and sightsee in Colorado on their way back. In a journal entry on the eve of his departure, Zane confessed reservations about the upcoming trip, and more than a little uneasiness about his own reluctance: Tonight I leave for California with my wife. I really don’t want to go. I don’t seem to have the right feeling. I’d rather stay at home. . . . What will be the result of this trip? Shall I come back with a wider Knowledge, a 03.59-94_Paul.indd 60 8/10/05 1:49:43 PM Adventurous Apprentice 61 deeper insight, a greater breath, or shall I simply be the same? I say—No! But then I’ve said no to too many things. There is something wrong with me, with my mind, with my soul.3 Dolly, on the other hand, initiated her journal for the trip with the following entry; “In almost a week we’ll be ‘over the hills and faraway.’ What a...