The Globe-republican. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1889-1910, 1893-12-22
Interesting Club Meeting.

On Thursday of last week the For
County Republican Club held most en-
pertaining meeting, during which the loca
talent rendered some very interesting liter
airy productions. Among those which at
tracted especial attention were Saml Gal.
lagher's reading of that quaint poem BY
J. Whitcomb Riley, entitled Grigsby'
Station; also an grafton by j. D. Bush
The club unanimously decided to have
both published in this paper. We will
give the poem, together with q few intro
ductory remarks by Mr.. Gallagher as fol-
lows:
Mr.. PRESIDENT:
have selected as the author
victim of this evenings inane elocution-
ary attempt, j. Whitcomb Riley, the
"Hoosier poet" l can give you no sane,
tangible reason for having selected Mr..
Riley from among the many poets deserv-
ing like Christening. unless it be that in
herent repugnance we westerners all have
for anything that partakcs of snobbery.
1 am creiibly informed that j. Whitoomb's
baptismal name was, originally, James
Whitcomb Riley, with emphasis on the
james, and that the parting in the middle
was an after ostentatious consummation,
suggested by attending lecture Of Oscar
Wilde.
can't say have any personal ill feel
ing or malice against Mr. Riley. He has
never done me an injury that l am aware
of. In fact, 1 am rather partial to the
name of Riley. Its simple mention brings
up pleasing memories of the days Of
''auld lang syne," when ''Rory o. Moore"
"Cathleen Mavoureen," ''The Lakes of
Killarney and ''One-eyed Riley" We'd
with each in nursery lullaby to induce for
getfulness from juvenile care in blissful
sleek. Neither do l lay up anything
againsta man for coming from Indiana.
As matter of fact, have known several
very good and worthy people who came
from Indiana, and wish to here say that
l have always believed it to be good
State to move from. Of course one can't
be expected to have that same hearty
''here's to you," regard for him one
would have had he registered from Mis-
souri,, Michigan, or some locality where
social and political status does't depend so
largely on contingencies.
In the selection of subject from among
the authors varied store, have aimed at
the typical something suggestive.
If the plaintive heart-longings, and
simple domestic desires of this field flower,
from her native heath to the
hot house Of luxury and wealth, should |
awaken responsive chord in the breasts |
If any of my plutocratic hearers, and win
hem from their utOpian dreams of city |
luxury. to the utilization and enjoyment
# what nature has so beautifully pro-
'ided, then the author and your humble
ervant have not lived in vain:-
GRIGGsBY's STATION.
Pap's got his patent right, and rich as all
creation;
tut where's the peace and comfort that we
all had before?
Les go . visitin' back to Grigby's station
pore.
The likes of us avin' here It's jist NOR.
tai pity.
o see us in this great big house, with cyar.
pets on the stairs;
And the pump right in the kitchen and the
city. city, city; II
nd nothing but the city, all around us ev.
erywheres.
Climb clean above the roof, and look from
the steeple, s
nd never see a robin. nor beach or ellum ,
tree;
And right here in earshct of at least q
thousand people,
nd none that neighbors with us, or that we
want to 60 and see. Ii
|
ack where the latch strings hangln' from
the doore,
And every neighbor round the place is q
dear as relation 1
ack where We use't to be so happy and so t
pore. 4;
I want to SEE the wigginses. the whole kit
and bilin'; a
drivin' up from Shaller Ford, to spend the
Sunday through
And want to see 'em hitchin' at there SON. f
in-law's and pilin'
ut there at Lily Ellen's like they use't to do.
I want to see the piece quilts the Jones
girls is maxim,
nd I want to poster Laury, bout their n
freckled hired hand,
And joke her bout the widower, she COM .
purt nigh takdn'
III her pap got his pension lowed in time :,
to save his land.
Les go visitin', back to grigsby's station, Ii
ack where theirs nothin' aggravatin' any
more, a
Shet away safe In the woods, around the
old location