The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-05-14
sTEONArNIE.n
How James yyhitcomb Riley Played Joke
ON the High Literary Critics.

ON the High Literary Critics.
New York Critics Lounger. Mays.
met happy man last Monday-C. B. Foote,
of the banking and broking firm of Hatch 81
Foote. He had not just made stroke in Wall
street lat least he didn't mention Ii, IT he hadl
but he had made an acquisition that seemed to
give him unmixed pleasure. 1t was something
portable, and he carried it with him; and when
met him he uncovered it, and behold!-a vol
ume bearing on its title-page the legend IAN
Abridgement of Ainsworth's Dictionary, English
and Latin, Designed for the Use OF Schools. :"
The imprint was that Of Uriah Hunt, "A North
Fourth street, Philadelphia There was no date.
but the pages Of the book and its sheepskin COW
ers were alike discolored with age. knew that
Mr. Foote was book-lover, and / knew that
book lovers often fixed their affections on objects
which to layman seemed unworthy OF their
love; but for the life of me couldn't account
for the collectors qualification at possessing a
rusty copy OF Ainsworth's Latin Dictionary.
The mystery was soon explained, however,
when he turned to the back of the book, and
drew from its resting place fiy-leaf that had
been detached some time before. 1t was time
stained like the other pages, and could see that
there was writing on it; and turning it over,
saw at the foot of the manuscript the signature
''E A. Pr This, then, was the poem-"Leon-
ainie'-printed years ago in the Kokomo Ind:
Dispatch, and reprinted in The Critic OF April
10, with a letter attributing it to Edgar Allan
Poe, and relating the circumstances under which
it came to be written. No sooner had Mr.. Foote
read the communication in these columns than
he wrote to the editor Of the Dispatch, who put
him in communication with the family of the inn
keeper at Chesterfield, near Richmond, Va, to
whom the old dictionary belonged. The result
was that the volume came speedily into its pres
emit owners hands.
Mr Foote is collector of manuscripts, early
editions, ETC., of American authors, and
amongst other literary treasures and curiosities
possesses certain autographs OF Poe. He has
compared his latest acquisition with these, and ID
L -. t. -sA~ hal
shown it to Mr.. E. c. Stedman, who has made a
special study of Poe, and who writes concerning
''Leonainie:s Every curious and interesting,
and at least five to one that it is genuine
Telegraph of Poe's. I have seen many real, and
some counterfeit, Poe MSS. The poem is
questionably by Poe, me judice; and believe
the handwriting is Also" Mr. Foote is particularly
gratiied by this discovery. as he has found Poe
manuscripts and first editions harder to get than
those of any other American writer. He has not
only advertised widely for them. but has sent
ont some 40 900 postal cards, with little or no re-
suit
THE EXPLANATION OF 1T.
Chicago News.
The New York Critic is the victim Of clever
fraud. Not long ago it printed poem which
was alleged to have been the work of Edgar
Allen Poe. II was accompanied by piteous
tale relating how that Poe penned the poem at
rural hotel once upon time, when he was in
condition of maudlin drunkenness This is all
very touching but it is a hoax, just the same.
The poem entitled "Leonanie" was written by
James Whitcob Riley about ten years ago, when
he was employed as local editor of the Weekly
Democrat at Anderson, Ind. Atthat time Riley
was struggling hard for recognition, and because
he did not succeed at once he fell into tit or
great disgust and inveighed bitterly against the
public for refusing to recognize good work done
by unknown writers. He had the theory
that. while good work might 60 begging
so long as its author was obscure, the veriest
trash would circulate with eclat it it appeared
over the name Of q popular writer. To prove
this theory he wrote "Leonaine," in imitation
Of Poe, attached Poes name to it, and printed
the verses in the Kokomo Dispatch, a neighbor-
ing paper. AS sooL as the poem appeared. Riley.
in order to cover up his own tracks, denounced
it as a base forgery. declared that Poe never
could have written it. etc. AT that time the APP
pearance of the poem crested sensation in In
diana, but did not circulate to any considerable
extent outside that State Now however, after
q lapse of ten years, and when he supposed the
joke dead and buried long ago, Riley has the
quiet satisfaction of seeing ''Leonainie' imposed
on the most pretentious literary paper in the
country, and printed all over the land as the
work of Edgar Allen Poe:
Here is the poem 1t IS good enough, anyhow,
as poetry goes, whoever wrote it:
LEoNAINIE.
Leonainie-angels named her,
And they took the light
Of the laughing stars and framed her
And they made her hair of gloomy
Midnight and her eyes of bloomy
Moonshine and they brought her to me
In a solemn night.
In solemn night of summer
When my heart of gloom
Blossomed up to greet the conner.
Like rose in bloom;
All forebodings that distressed me
forgot as joy caressed me-
Lying Joy that caught and pressed me
In the arms of doom.
Only spake the little lisper.
In the angels tongue;
Yet l. listening heard her whisper;
Songs only sung
Here below that they may greve you;
Tales told you to deceive you;
So must Leonanie leave you
While her love is young"
Then God smiled and it morning.
Matchless and supreme;
Heavens glory seemed adjoining
Earth with its esteem.
Every heart but mine seemed gifted
With the voice of prayer and lifted
Where my Leonanie drifted