The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1894-10-24


from a newspaper man to a poet, and
only a handful Of his pathetic verses had
gone struggling through the press The
best Of these, "The Old Swimmin' Hole
and 'Leven More Poems, b Benjamin +.
Johnson Of Boone" lad been gathered
into little volume, thin almost as the
back of an ordinary book and not larger
than a mans hand. one of the most
characteristic of these, telling Of that
pictur' that no painter has the col
When the frost is on the punkin and
the folders in the shock
is a parody upon Piatt's most beautiful
and widely knowa poem, the same which
a Maine Yankee has made practical with:
when the crop is on the market and the
cash is in the socS."
and which Rudyard Ilipl.ng has initiated
at tho antipOdes in ''IaUdalay':
when the mist was on the rice fields an
the sun was droppin' SOW.
Although this limited edition met with
astonishing success, being exhausted
within a fortnight, Riley's productions up
to that time were 81 few ard fragment
airy that it required the keenast literary
dlscernment on the part OF Dom PlatL
to detect in them the budding genius OF
Americas sweetest and truest singer OF
the songs of the hearts of the people, and
it required. too, it may be, the kindness
of Dom P.att to seek him out and en-
courage him and invite him II spend
couple of weeks at his home.
They owed their personal acquaintance
to Laura Ream. an indianapolis writer,
well known II both, says the Cleveland
Plain Dealer.
Miss Ream sent to Col. Piatt a copy Of
Mr.. Riley's little book, and to ais letter
of thanks he added: 81 have long ad-
mired RIey's verses as they appeared in
print. | wish that next tilae you visit us
you would bring him along. There = 10
man L care more to see. Please invite
him for US. I shall feel a0Dored by the
visit"
The writer Of dialect verses. unknown
to fame bashful as a child and as w3rnl-
hearted and imDulsive as 4 woman, found
at Mac-O-chee delights thar he had hardly
dared hope for. Dom Platt. Infinite IN
resource and ilimitable in versatility tic
terror Of snObs and free lance 10 frauds,
had in him, TOO, a delicacv Of sentiment
and the chiValric Sraces of temperament
to enchant the young poet. Riley told
me not long ago. speaking of that visit Of
years before: II cannot imagine two men
more different in every respect than Piatt
as his writings lad led me TO picture him
and the man as I found him He won my
heart quickly and completely
Riley at Mae-O-chee.
And Afac-o-chee in itself is an inspira-
ton. It's TALL gray towers and sharp
Flemish gables, nesting in among smooth
ly rounded wooded hills. and the winding
little valley cut into two graceful slopes
by the sparkling stream that seems to
sing always of that time long ago when
the lovers trysted on its banks
'When the blossom was on the alder and
the tassel on the corn
make I'D vision and charm as beau
tiful as any dreamers phantasy.
another guest at the house when hlleS
was there was society belle or New
York In the afternoon OF the day OF MS
arrival these two were walking together
on the lawn, and Riley, overcome by an
exubarant sense of youth and freedom
and delight, suddenly threw his nat INTO
the air and turned series OF somer-
sauIts Returning with flushed face and
Iaughing eyes and noting his fair com
nanion's look OF establishment and her
evident hesitation as to whether II We're
safe to remain or necessary 10 sacFlnce
her dignity by taking to her heels; NJ
exclaimed: why, young woman, don't
Won too feel like doing that?
Taura Ream tells of a walk with him
one morning along a shaded road. Their
delightful conversation was broken IN
,,non nv a farmer driving some sheep that
stopped at their approach and seemed
about TO take fright. Riley promptly took
An the situation, and bidding Miss Ream
follow him, ran to the side OF the road ana
climbed upon the fence. His good lnten-
~.
vvefher in lead of the flock, startled at
Riley's quick movement, gave a bleat or
terror and, in spite OF the cries ana ses-
REGULATIONS of the drover, broke back, fol-
lowed, sheeplike, by the whole herd, and
awav they went down the road and were
soon lost from sight in a cloud of dust
The farmer stood helplessfy calling them,
putting into his voice a pathetic pleading
that might have stopped a stone r0lhng
down hill, but the sheep did not heed
IT assure you, sir" said Riley, earnest
" approaching him, that we are sorry
to have caused you this annoyance. We
oU .Ys-as." draw.ed the farmer. cts pur-
~ bad. I've druv them doggoned sheep
twelve mile this m0rnin', an here they
90 scootin' clean back to where they come
from"
Riley did not wait to hear more. Jump
ing the fence he started at his best run
on a detour through the fields. hoping to
head of the fleeing sheep. Leaping a
ditch his hat flew off and went sailing
out Of reach. He did not stop to regain
II. Reaching the high fence ne placed mis-
hands upon the top RAIL- leaped over Ike
a gymnast that he IS and went on at
speed that drew from the farmer an ez-
clamation of admiration: Gosh, he's
gettin' there. but you jest bet them
sheep's maxim for thir medder Eastern
any man kin run.
Riley was now out in Piatts pasture
that stretches far along the road. About
him on ali sides were grazing horses that
looked up at him in wide-eyed wonder
Stacking his speed 70 a walk he he'd out
his hand 10 one, calling it by name. and
the gentle animal came to him. Grasping
its name he flung himself upon it's back
and without saddle, bride or spur. went
tearing across the sward at the highest
speed Of the trained thoroughbred.
He was soon out of sight and Miss Ream
sat down in the cool shade Of a cottonwood
10 await his return or the intelligence that
his neck was broken. The farmer climbed
on the fence near by and cutting off a
splinter, leisurely remarked: Guess 1
can't do no good n0hOw-might as well
stay here" And he went to whiting
''who might that fe.ler be2' he asked in
a moment, jerking his thumb in the direc-
ton in which Riley had so strangely gone.
1.-The gentleman's name Is Riley" Miss
Ream replied, land ne is a poet"
"a poet Gosh, / thought ne must be
one OF these ere circus fellers"
In a half hour the two saw a cloud of
dust moving up the road. and soon after
the sheep were distinguished; they passed
by and Riley appeared. hatless and COW
cred with dust and perspiration.
II am sorry TO have delayed you," he
said TO the farmer, who Interrupted and
siienced him with his prOfUse thanks.
Col. Piatf Host.
But Riley did not spend all his time
,olIf0frfnrr Al Dfaffsc rpea1rrao-