The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1885-02-18

Two RITES placed shove the door,
Three dogs lay stretch d upon the foor.
The host, who ceniered MS affections
On game, and range, and Q1arter sections
Diseoursed bis weary guest Tor hours,
Till SomnUs' sll-cOmposilg powers
OF sublunary cares bereft EN-.
No mstter how the story ended,
The application intended
Is from the famous Scottish poet
Who seemed to feel as vel as know it.
That buiIdly chiefs ana clever hizzles
Are bred in sic way as tnis is"
The homely yet perfect description is
given with the ease OF q born poet. 1t was
one Of the earliest OF Richmonds literary
productions, and has become famous all over
Indiana. The name IF John Finley will be
revered as one of the brightest on Indiana's
shining scroll.
1t is only a few years since the name of
James W. Riley has been known, but it has
been growing steadily brighter since it first
claimed recognition among the literary
lights. His home is at Greenfield, near In
diansp0lis and his life was in the quiet rus
tic ways for years. His occupation for some
time was that of painting fence advertise.
ments and other erdinsry worE. It may
have been that he saw ID the simple road
side blossoms the inspiration which has
made him famous. He is OF a genial, impul-
sIYe nature, the best fellow in the weird to
have Jolly hour with; but he IS given to
melancholy moods, when he is capable OF
the keenest anguish. He is something after
the style of Edgar A. Poe-a little cynical
sometimes but always original
I read letter to day which ne wrote after
he had read some little thing which pleased
his fancy. 1t shows his otf-had style. 1t
says:
death Of General Terrell broke me all up
so loved the man, and he was so good to me.
and l was weak and i'll and ali alone when I
read it; and had sore eye, and so Just
rolled over and rained with the weather"
Speaking OF a former occasion, when he
ha0, with others, been my guest, That
happy time must be had over again-when?
Great God! what world Of spaces and m
ouadsp
1--WE say, aud we say, and we say
And we promise, engage and declare,
TIL year from tomorrow is yesterday,
And yesterday is-whereW
/ may be pardoned for giving another let
ter, which is 90 beautiful that its very COM
plimentsry spirit may be overlooked in the
graceful style and flow Of words:
"Dear singing friend, your genial rhyme
Is warm to me as summer time,
And sweet and glad with music, too,
As when the skies are softest blue,
And al the birds that sing in tune,
And all the flowers that bloom in June
Blend in one song and one perfume,
As sweet as even Heaven might spare,
Were this moment entering there"
The dialect poems Of Mr.. Riley are the
most touching and tenderly pathetic of fan-
cies, and 10 one can read them without
tears. He is an artist, and creates perfect
pictures, which stand out before the N entail
gaze, as you read the poems, as plainly as
any panorama.
There is one called 'Out to Old Aunt
Mary's," which runs in this fashion:
"And see her now at the open door,
Where the little gourds grow up the side and
O'er
The elapbosrd roof-and her fsee-ah mel
Wasn't It good for boy TO seer
And wasn't IL good for a boy 10 be
Out to old Aunt Mary's?'
1t has grown to be the largest part of my
religion TO let the living know how much
they are appreciated and loved. Tomb
stones are we'll enough, as fer as they 60, but
they are terribly cold. Why not tell them
while we may? Life might be so much hap
pier for many a child OF genius, if half the
good things were said in their ears that are
written of them when their dull ears are
stopped To all praise or blame. And so we
say that Riley is genius of whom we are
proud ana glad to know and number among
the dear friends who will endure to the end.
u. NJ. J,