The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1883-09-20
PArHER RYAN.
His Book OF Poems and his Present
Work-HoW He Lectures.

Work-HoW He Lectures.
Father Ryan, the "poet priest" who Il 10
lecture little Cathedral this evening on the
"Chureh and Modern Society" arrived In
the city yesterday and is the guest Of Bishop
Kahn, where he was pleased to receive arep-
sentative oil the ISTEIIIGEscER last evening.
Father Ryan would readily be recognized
from tho portrait In his bosk OF poems. He
Is fair, fat aud forty.three. The gray tiuged
hair that falls thick and disheve!ed about his
neck AID face makes him look almost ten
years older. It . striking face, full, broad
at the temples, In repose, showing the
thinker, aroused, beepeakipg the man OF
great vitality; typical OF deeds not less than
words. ItiSat once the ideal face OF tao literary
man and Of the good humored companion.
Father Ryau was born 10 Norfolk, Va. He
began to sipg in nuuibsrS at twelve years OF
age but seemed to be afraid OF his taient-et
all events be suppressed 1t, and none Of his
juvenile poems have appeared In print. The
lHTkL1IGEScER representative touched upon
1.-THE Conquered Banner" "a q very beautiful
and tender poem, though he was not pre-
pared to vote that ticket.
THAT poem," said Father Ryan, smiling,
was written Just after Lees surrender. My
heart was in the cause. had lost brother
in II, and he was very dear TO me. was In
Knoxville at the Tins and wrote that poem
one night on two pieces OF brown paper. l
left 1t lying on the table and the next morn.
ing school teacher from Canada saw It.
found her In tears. l asked her what was
the matter. She pointed to the manuscript
and said That poem-it ought to be printed.
Seud 1t to tho Banner I said didn't think
they would print Il. Yo1 know" continued
Father Ryan, with q significant smile,
"Brownlow was there at that time. They
didn't print 1t. sent 1t to the Ffeemdn's
Journal, IN which paper 1t appeared.
"Your war poems had appeared in the
South bsfort?"
soil yes, they had been printed on slips
and generally very well circulated. ,.,tgl..
"Your book OF poems has had a large sEle?'
REALLY, don't know; suppose 10. I'm
no business man and have no liking for de:
tails. draw for money when ! want 1t, and
/ get II; 80 suppose the book has gone very
we'll. Another book OF my poems Is shortly
TO appear from the press OF the Appletons
and am writing prose work-'A Crown
for Our King'-in areligiOus vein, OF course. d"
The visitor then led Father Ryan to say some.
thirg about his new work IN the lecture field.
~ am now" he said, under engagement
To raise SIX thousand dollars within year
for Carmellite nunnery in New Orleans ana
l think 1 shall doit. Myhome Is in Biloxi,
Mss, three miles from that OF Jefferson a.
Wis, but hsye no longer church. When !
Sas TO lecture In Boston was asked about
the manuscript of nay lecture. l had none.
never have. neither lecture nor preach
from manuscript. 1 can't do it must
feel what say and manuscripts Is a restraint.
81 I do not speak from pulpit for much
the same reasos. have not yet
prepared the lecture which ! shall
deliver here tomorrow NIGHT think sub
jsct over, very often as ! lie in bed, and then
am ready. For me, this Is the best way. In
Boston, 1t was suggested to me thatI ought
to have manuscript before me after the man
ner Of lecturers, but said no. 1 could not be
bypocrite, must at leayt be myself."
Father Ryan is very entertaining tasker.
Certainly he Is one Of the sWe%test Of poets,
aud he comes TO Wheeling with high COM
mendation as lecturer. The Cathedral
should be filled TO greet him.