The Indianapolis sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1880-1904, 1885-02-15
pie Of his style in portion Of his Heading

poem
I'm told. in riding somewhere West,
A stranger found q HOLSTERS nest
In other words, buckeye cabin,
Just big enough TO let Queen Nab in:
Its situation low, but airy,
Was on the borders OF The praire:
And fearing he might be benlgnted,
He hailed the house and then slighted.
The HOOsier met him 81 the door,
Tnen SITUATIONS soon were Ger.
he took the strangers horse aside
And 10 sturdy sspling tied.
Then having stripped the saddle of
lie fed him from the sugar-trough.
The stranger stopped to enter in,
The entrance closing with pin.
And manifested desire
TO seat him by the log heap fire,
Where half dozen Hoosieroons
With mush and milk. tincups and spoons,
White heads. bare feet and dirty faces,
Seemed much inclined TO keep their places.
Ant Madam. anxious 10 display
Fer rough, but undisput ID sway,
Her offspring TO the LADDER leo
And cufied the youngsters up 10 bed.
Invited shortly 10 partaKe
OF venisOu, milk and iohnnycake,
The stranger made a hearty meal.
And glancts round the room would steal.
One side was lined with divers garments.
The other spread with skins OF varmints,
Dried pumpkins overhead were strung,
Where ven1son hams in plenty hung,
Two rifles placed above the door.
Three dogs lay stretched upon the floor.
The most, who centered his affections
On game, and range, and quarter sections,
Till Somnus' all-cOmposing powers
ofsubsunary cares bereft em.
No matter how the story ended,
The application intended
Is from the famous scottish poet
Who seemed TO ieel as we'll az know II,
That buiIdly chiefs and clever hizzies
Are bred in sic waT as THIS is "
The homely yet perfect description is
given with the ease OF a born poet. 1t was
one of the earliest OF Richmond's literary
prodU ctioEs and has become famous all over
Indiana. The pane of John Finley will he
revered as one of the brightest on Iadiana's
shining scroll.
1t is only 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
dianapolis, 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 WORK. 1t may
have been that he saw 10 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 a jolly hour with; but he is given to
melant holly moods, when he is capable of
the keenest anguish. He is something after
the style of Edgar A. Poe-a little cynical
| SOM etimes. but always original.
| read letter to day which he wrote after
| he bad read some little thing which pleased
his fancy. 1t shows his offhad style. IL
says:
Your fearful notice of my poem on the
death OF General Terrell broke me all up
so loved the man, and he was so good to me.
and was weak and i'll and all alone when
read it; and had sore eye. and SO Just
| rolled over and raiDed with the weather
| Speaking of a former occasion. when be
haG, with others, been my guest, That
| happy time must be had over aeain-when ?
Great God. what world of spaces and m
| quadsp
| Eve saw and we say ana We say
And we promise. engage and declare,
| TIL year from to morrow Is yesterday,
| And yesterday is-wherey''
| may be pardoned for giving another let
ter, which is so beautiful that its very CON-
| plimentary 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
AM sweet and glad with music. too,
AS when the skies are sOftest blue,
And all the birds that sing in tune.
And all the flowers that bloom in June
| bend IN one song and one perfume,
AS sweet as even Heaven might spare,
we're this moment entering there"
The dialect poems OF Mr.. Riley are the
most touching and tenderly pathetic of fan.
cies, and no one can read them without
tears. He is an artist, and creates perfect
pictures, which stand out before the m entail
gaze, as you read the poems, as plainly o.
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
DER
The clapbcard rooi-and her faee-ah me!
Wasn't II good for boy TO see?
/ And wasn't ii good for a boy TO be
Out to old Aunt Mary's?"
1t has grown to be the largest part of my
religion 10 let the living know how much
they are appreciated and loved. Tomb
stones are we'll enough, rs far as they &c, but
they are terribly cold. Why not tell tnen
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
cay that Riley is genius of whom we ar,
proud and glad to know and number mone
the dear friends who will endure to the end
d. NJ. J,