Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1888-08-17
THE HoosIER POET.
James whitcomb Riley's Early Struggles |
and Later Successes.

and Later Successes.
James Whitcomb Riley Is a native OF
Hancock County, Ind, and about thir-
ty-six years of age. His early educa-
ton was somewhat defective, for though
Riley's opportunities were good
enough. his father being comfortably
off in this worlds goods. he preferred
a pursuit less dry than pouring over
books. Before his school days were
over he abandoned his studies and took
up the trade OF sign painter, and soon
began travelling from place to place.
apparently contented if his days work
brought him enough to pay for his
nights lodging. He would frequently
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 ques-
toned. he demanded a trial. Running
his hand over the surface as
If to take the dimensions.
the "blind sign writer" would
write the sign while the people would
gather around him and express the
greatest aston ishment ut the accuracy
of the work On one of these tramps
Riley fell in with vender Of patent
medicines, and for time the two
travelled together. Riley amusing the
crowd with his banjo an comic songs
and sayings, as 1.-THE medicine man" OK
tolled the virtues Of his wonderful
catholicon and sold it to the people.
As n sign painter Riley became per-
fectly familiar W tn the language Of the
street, the ignorant and unsophisti-
Gated, and thus laid the foundation for
his future success as writer of dialect
prose and poetry. The signs he paint
ed have on them such peculiar ex-
pressions and characters as indicate
the odd genus of the author
THE first verse ever remember
writing" said Mr.. Riley. recently
"was little four line valentine.
was just big enough to reach the top
Of table, and l was painting a comic
sketch on piece of paper. Below the
sketch l wro to. four comic lines-my
first. believe" Speaking of Ibis ear
ly experience as writer Of verse for
publication. Mr. Riley said: "For r
long time Published in local journals
and received the comm cndations Of
my friends. Atlast sent some verses
to Longfellow. and he was kind enough
to send me an encouraging letter.
Arm ed with this attacked the metro
politan press, and have since been paid
for my productions. His first pro-
auctions appeared in print between
1875 and 1876. To bring him
self the earlier into public notice. with
the consent of country editor, Riley
published short poem which was an
imitation of Edgar A. Poe's style. in
Producing il with the statement that
the poem had been found written on
the blank leaf of Il book once belong
ing to Poe and found by relative of the
deceased poet, who moved to Indiana
from the East many years ago. The
trick was discovered. but 1t seems to
have answered the purpose it WAS IN
tended for. as the merits of Riley's pen
were recognized. He procured en-
ployment on newspaper published in
indianapolis, and while thus engaged
wrote the most Of his dialect verse.
Within the last few years he has con-
tributed 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 appear Riley's appearances as a
reader of his poems before distin-
guished literary people and their nd
mirers in New York last year were a
great success. He was the lion of the
occasion. Mn 1eapJits Tribune