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

The picture delighted equally the pub
fishers; and the graceful little maiden
does not know even TO this day that she
is "Armlzindy," and that thousands Of
her likeness Will be admired all over the
country by the readers of this quaint new
volume
Although Riley is known chiefly as the
great poet ~ the Hoosier dialect, and in
this is mastery, unapproachab!e and true;
that he can write AZ pure English as
even Shelley or Keats, many gems in his
various volumes bear witness: but none
more 50 than a number of poems which
appear in "Arm3zindy." In some of
th-se ne Intentionally feigns in a delight
ful way. the characteristics Of LOngfe.lOw,
Tennyson and many other of the English
poets That he has been successful in
this is proven by the vivid manner in
which LOGgfellOw is recalled in the fol-
THE VOICES.
Down in the night / hear them:
The Voices wn-unguessed-
That whisper. and lisp, and murmur,
And will not let me rest
Voices that seem to question,
In unknown words of me,
OF fabulous ventures, and hopes and
dreams
OF this and the world to be.
Voices of mirth and music
As in sumptuous homes; and sounds
OF mourning. as Of gathering friends
In country burial-grounds.
Cadence CT maiden voices
Their lovers blent with these;
And of little children singing,
AS under orchard trees.
And often, up from the chaos
OF my deepest dreams, / hear
Sounds of their phantom laughter
Filling the atmosphere,
But ever and ever the meaning
Falters and fails and dies,
And only the silence Guavers
With the sorrow Of my signs.
And I answer: o voices, We may not
Make me understand
Till my own voice, mingling with you,
Laughs in Shadow-land.
Ri.ey's love Of children is more notice
able than ever In 'Armazindy." A great
many Of the poems are In the child dia-
lect, a speech so dear to the hearts Of
mothers, and TO which even the aged
gran'ma always listens with rapture and
delight Mr. Riley has taken keen note
of all the conscious and unconscious
humor of children. and in this book
charmingly reproduces it. This is the
way the little boy goes TO his gran
ma's-a poem founded on g. poem in a jul
vanile Sch0O. Reader. which Mr. Riley en-
Enthusiastically designates as "The School
boys Favorite.'
An 1 hep hold the lines
An peek out over the buffalo robe
An the wind list blows!-an' the snow list
An the sun list shines! an shines.-
An tn ole horse losses his head an coughs
The frost back in our face
An / ruther go to my gran'ma's
Than any other place.
'Over the river an through the wood
Now gran mothers cap 1 spy;
! Hurrah fer the fun!-Is the puddin' done?-
Hurrah fer the punkn-pie"
He also uses the negro dialect and
spirit in happ.est manner, and as in all
other productions Of the work the devel-
| oped and matured Riley Is noticeable
| Here is random culllng called
A NOON LULL
'Possum in de 'tater-patch;
! Chicken-hawk a-hangin'
StidCy 'bOVe de stable-lOt,
! An cyarpet-lOOm a-bangin'!
| Hi! Mr.. Hoppergrass, chawin yo' ter
/ Flick We wid er buggy-whirp yer spit 81
| little blacker!
Niggah in de roas' in-yeers.
| Whislers in de shuclxin';
! Weasel croppin' mighty Shy,
| But ole hen a-cuckin'!
| What's got de matter er de mule-colt
Drapt in de turnip-hole, chasin' FUN d,
cOwl
! The Hoosier Riley realizes the universe
| prevalence Of the critic and with a ouain.
| humOr speaks to him as follows:
TO A PoET-CRITIC.
| Yes-the bee sfngs-I confess if
| Sweet as honey-Heaven bless it,
| VT he'd be SWeeter singer
| Eff he didn't have no singer