The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-08-19
"~AFTERWHILEs" TAKES A TRIP.
Reception of the HoOsier Poets Book in q Ken
tucky Rural District.

Written for the Sunday Journal.
/ do not know just what, or how many, com
pliments Jane Whitcomb Riley receives, butt
am quite sure he could not bs paid one more
sincere and unique than the reception given to
bis "Afterwhilesr here the past few weeks. 1t
came naturally enough. There was first the
visit of a bright young Hoosier girl, and after
that 1.-THE After whilesr as q singing. ~jinglinR
reminder.
And what did it fndl Well. it came to the
farmhouse first, and the farmer took itin hand.
He isn't greatly addicted" to poetry, this
farmer. He absorbed "Youngis Night Thoughts
and "Pollock's Course of Time and Paradise
Lost along with his Greek At the diHgy old
college at the far end of the town half acentury
ago; but he gave up literature reluctantly and
settled himself to the knottier problems Of clear
ing ground and persuading crops to grow, and
since then his poetry has come more from the
flushing OF rose buds In the old garden and the
snow of dogwoods on the hills, than from the
pens Of poets.
So he found .Afterwhiles." and Knee Deepi in
june and "Old AUNT Marys' and "kingrys
Mill, and then he got hold OF "a New Years
Time at Willariss" and Griggsby's Station and
on, and on, and on.
And then "Afterwhiles' vent to town. he took
it there. snesked off as he generally does. went
out the back way with the book hid under his
arm. when the women weren't looking, for fear
they'd think of errands for him to co around
town, and be didn't get back till supper!
He took it with him first to the Office OF that
busy and prosecuted persouage-the county
editor. end read him what had most pleased his
own fancy, and ''Nothin' TO Say" was found to
have a good deal TO say, and The Canary at the
Farm" chirruped and sung in that dusty sane
tum and filed it with music and shine.
And next, as he crossed the street. whom
should he see but tired Mr.. G., the senior mem
Der Of the thrifty mercantile house. sitting dis
consolately on an empty dry goods box. Here
was a golden opportunity, and over he went.
Worn, warm and weary Mr.. c. was inveigled
upstairs by a promise OF something to show
you" and the encouraging hint OF laughs stored
up 'thatI do you more good than medicine" l
don't know what came first, but Jim" was
among the selections. and the reading didn't
stop there. and page after page was turned.
The farmer was educated long before the days
of modern 'elocution," but he was gifted with a
peculiarly clear, ringing voice that the drop
ping of a tooth now and then doesn't seem 10 in
~terfere at all with, and when he reads his hear
ers are carried naturally along as on the cur
rent of q quiet stream, f~orgetful OF all save the
easy flowing of the words.
And so il zane to pass that gradually. as he
read, the accountants in earshot dropped their
pens, and the two grew into a circle, aud In the
midst was the Voice, pealing out the rhymes
ana lOgetner encDantlug Ile listeners.
He lived it all over at the table when he got
home that evening, and told Of "the way those
fellows did enjoy it' and how Mr.. c. said. you
wait till / take down the name of that book,
aud I'm going to write for every book he's writ
temp
And that wasn't the last. He tucked it under
his arm again only g few days after, and was
reading THE New Years Time at Wiilards's" to
a crowd in the large wareroom on the corner,
when the radiant Mrs. B., whose taste is pro-
verbal, came by. and he had her hailed and
drawn in and seated, the honorary member
of that society. whose object it was to search
the gems of '.Afterwhiles;" and since then she
has borrowed the book aud read it for herself.
And so 1t goes; and now q project is on foot
to make Jim" and "a Tale of the Airly Days
figure in an entertainment to provide funds for
church repairs.
There was a little discussion among a small
circle some time since as TO what sort of poetry
did the most good, ana one of the opinions ad-
vsnced was that the poets who drew from
nature as it appeared to the mass of men about
them were, in the end. the largest benefactors
Great poets appeal to q cultivated few; the poets
who reach the heart of those who see only
know oniy-Dature, may yet yield an influence
deeper. because dearer and easily understood.
Is il not sol JAY SAXON.
BARDsTOWN, Ky.