The Osceola times., 1888-06-09
THE HOOSleR Poer
james whitcomb Riley's Earl, g.,
and Later Succes.s. sssis

and Later Successes. VIE
James whitcomb Riley issn,,.
Hancock County. Ind. and abon. e
ty-six years Of age. His oarlv y, up'
ton was somewhat defective for ~ y, Suu'a-
Riley's opportunities vera
enough, his father being comto.!s soe
of in this worlds goods, he nra,' ,'''i
a pursuit less dry than pourinr m
books. Before his school dayss : wy we
over he abandoned his studies sra' se
up the trade of a sign painter. and ~
began travelling from place to ~. %
apparently contented if his DAYS r ~''
brought him enough to pay "a,
nights lodging. He would freoD,,s
enter town as blind sign wiz,
and solicit work while being criI,
from house TO house by boy W.
his ability to do the work was ANY,
toned, he demanded a trial. Rpnrs
his hand over the surface
if to take the dimenso.
the "blind sign writer" vo'l
write the sign while the people w0ri
gather around him and expires, A.
greatest astonishmcnt at the aecu,,'.
Of the work. On one of these tr,n
Riley fell in with a vender of p,t,'.
medicines, and for time the h.
travelled together, Riley amusings.
crowd with his banjo and comic s@,,
and sayings, as 1.-THE medicine man !,
tolled the virtues Of his wopdsr,
catholicon and sold it to the peoDl,
As sign painter Riley became m,
fcctly familiar with the language Of a,
street, the ignorant and unsopAs.
Gated, and thus laid the foundation 4,
his future success as writer Of dialer
prose and poetry. The signs he pain,
ed have on them such peculiar e.
pressions and characters as indc,,
the odd genius of the author
"The first verse ! ever rememle
writing" said Mr.. Riley, recena,
"was little four line valentine.
was just big enough TO reach the tsp
of table, and was painting a cen,
sketch on piece of paper. Below
sketch ] wrote four comic lnes-nt
first. | believe" Speaking Of Ibis e,l.
ly experience as n writer OF verse lor
publication, Mr.. Riley said: "ror 1
long time i published in local journal,
and received the commentator, 4
my friends. Atlast ! sent some verse
to Longfellow. aud he was kind enougi
to send me an encouraging letiel
Armed with this ! attacked the melr.
politan press. and have since been pail
for my productions" His first pr
ductions appeared in print bctweer
1875 and 1876. To bring hin
self the earlier into public notice, wit
the consent of country editor, Rlg
published short poem which was a
imitation of Edgar A. Poe's style, il
PRODUCING it with the statement tn
the poem had been found written Q
the blank leaf of book once belon.
ing to Poe and found by a relative oiiA
deceased poet. who moved to Indian
from the East many years ago. II
trick was discovered, but II seem,
have answered the purpose it was i
tended for. as the merits of Riley's P
were recognized. He procured en-
ploymcnt on n newspaper published
indianapolis, and while thus cngagl
wrote the most Of his dialect yers
Within the last few years he has col
tributed number of pieces for Easici
periodicals, and has published a boz
of selections, in which, however Il
piece in imitation of Poe's style do
not appear. Riley's appearances as
reader of his poems before dist
guished literary people and their a
mirers in New York last year were
great success. He was the lion Of Il
occasion. -Min1eapolis Tribune.