San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1888-04-07
The Indiana Poet.
James Whitcomb Riley.
FROM SIGN PAINTING TO HoNoRED AUTHOR
SHIP.

James Whitoomb Riley Ia a native of
Hancock county, Ind, and about &c years
OF age. His early education was defec-
tive, for though RIleV's opportunities
were good enough. his father being COM
fortably off in this worlds goods, he pre-
ferred pursuit less dry than poring
over books. Before his school days
were over he abandoned his studies and
took up the trade Of a sign painter, and
soon began travelling from place to
place, apparently contented il his days
work brought him money enough to pay
for the nights lodging. He would fire.
queDtly enter town as . blind sign
writer, and solicit WORK while being
guided from house to house by boy.
When his ability to do the work was
questioned, he demanded trial. Rim
ming his hand over the surface as II to
take the dimensions, the blind sign
writer" would write the sign
around him and express the greatest
astonishment at the accuracy OF the
work. On one Of these tramps Riley fell
in with u vender Of patent medicine,
and for time the two travelled to-
gether. Riley amusing the crowds with
his banjo and comic songs and sayings,
as "the medicine man" extolled the vir-
tues OF his wonderful catholicon and
sold it to the people. As sign painter,
Riley became perfectly familiar with
the language of the street, the ignorant
and the unsophistioated, and thus laid
the foundation for his future success as
q writer Of dialect prose and poetry.
The signs he painted have on them such
peculiar expressions and characters as
indicate the odd genius of their author.
THE first verse ever remember writ
ing" said MIR. Riley recently, "was
four-line valentine. 1 was Just big
enough to reach the top of the table, and
l was painting comic sketch on piece
Of paper. Below the sketch wrote four
comic lines-my first, believe" Speak
ing OF his early experience as a writer
Of verse for publication, Mr.. Riley said
"For long time l published in local
journals and received the COM
mendations OF my friends. At
last 1 sent some verses to Long,
fellow, and he was kind enough to
write me an encouraging letter. Armed
with this attacked the metropolitan
press, and have since been paid for my
productions. His first productions ap-
peared In print between 1875 and 1876.
To bring himself the earlier into public
notice, with the consent Of a country
editor, Riley published a short poem
which was an imitation Of Edgar A.
Poe's style, introducing it with the state
ment that the poem had been found
written on the blank leaf of book once
belonging to Poe and found by relative
of the deceased poet, who moved to In
diana from the east many years ago.
The trick was discovered, but it seems
to have answered the purpose 1t was in
tended for, as the merits OF Riley's pen
were recognized. He procured employ
ment on q newspaper published In To-
dianapolis, and while thus engaged
wrote the most of his dialect verse.
Within the last few years he has con-
tributed a number Of pieces for eastern
periodicals, and has published book of
selections in which, however, the piece
in imitation Of POe's style does not ap-
pear. Riley's appearances as a reader Of
his poems before distinguished literary
people and their admirers, In New York
last year, were great success. He was
the lion OF the occasion.