The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1896-11-28

Laughter.
Copyright, 1876. by Russell N. seeds.)
INDIANAPOLIS. Nov. 27.-The other
morning when I came to my desk at tho
Journal office I found James whitcomb
Riley. as he Is frequently found. at the
table where the Interviewed books are
piled. Happily b the man who, after at
tanning SUCCESS In life, finds himself near
the e Of his first struggles, failures
md triumphs. While the Journal has
taken new and somewhat more modern
quarters since Riley there read the
proofs of his earliest ventures into the
field OF literature, there ore many OF the
same faces about, things about the office
are done In much the same quiet way,
and there Is the same calm but sympa-
thetics appreciation of everything he
writes and the sam e genuine pleasure in
his success that used to surround him
there in the earlier days. or his two or
three working and ''loafing'' places about
indianapolis he probably likes this best.
yet II he were here to catch one OF us
pointing him out 10 a stranger or eX-
hi6iting any of the vainglorous pride We
feel in having him Hbout. or treating him
many way with more than the common
courtesy We extend to each other the
journal office would probably know him
no more. But the new people who, from
time to time, take their places upon the
stan, learn instincGvely not to l!oNtze
MIN, and thus 1t happens frequently that
he Is to be seen at any desk he happens
to find vacant, writing with earnest care
that character!Zes his work or leaning
over the book table carelessly looking at
titles of the new books and occasionally
takinEa glance at their contents.
On this particular morning he dug up
from the pile Of recent books Bill Nye's
posthumorous work. "A Guest at the
Ludlow and O..ier SS.ories." 1t was not
the first time he had seen it. Indeed. he
has given more care and attention to the
bringing out OF this last work OF his dead
friend than he usually does 10 the me-
chGnical and business details OF his W
books. and he had read and reread
everything in it before 1t was given to
the public. Yet he spent nearly on hour
in loving examination or the volume.
reading again with thorough enjoyment
O nunber. OF the sketches. The friend
ship that existed between the poet and
the gentle hum6riSt wES one Of those re-
markabie bonds OF sympathy that few
men are fortunate enough to find in life,
and those who do seldom find Il more
than once. The same keen eease Of the
ridiculous, the same shyness OF humor in
conversation. the same gentleness of
spirit and the same tender anxiety to
tighten each others cares welded this
bond of sympathy thu. lasted to the
death Of the one and will remain through
affn n hoDnN. rnynnvN "a Nh. nttAr
These stories are more like him than
any he ever published while alive" said
Mr.. Riley, sauntering over TO the desk OF
the literary editor and exhibiting the
volume. They breathe the spirit OF Nye
in almost every line. Just listen to this
And In his inimitable way he read an ex-
tract from the volume.
Rury's Stories About Nyr.
THE quaintness and whimsicality OF
Mr.. Nye's hUrnor." said Mr.. Riley, as he
closed the little volume gently and held
It IN his lap, was the notable thing
about him. It was ~unaccountable upon
any particular theory. It just seemed
natural for his mind to work at that gait.
He recognized the matter-of-fact view
others took OF the general propositions of
life, and syTnpathized with it. but ne did
50 with q native tendency to surprise and
astound that ordinary state of mind and
vision. He could say n ridiculous thing
or perpetuate o ridiculous act with q face
like q Sphinx. knowing full well that
those who saw or neard would look to his
face for some confirmation OF their sus-
picion that 1t was time to laugh. They
had to make up their minds about it
unaided by him, however, for they never
found any trace of levity in his counte-
A-lo 800. ~ q tA..JtI Lt- 1a,.-t
ing elsewhere"
"One day in midwlnter the train stopp-
ed at a way station in the west, and he
had five minutes TO wait. Mr.. Nye's row.
..nG eye had discovered that the plush
leather pillows OF the sofa, In the smok-
ing compartment of he car va were rid
3ng in We're unattached. Without Il
word he picked up the leather cylinders
and placed one under each arm. with the
tassels to the front. He was an invalid
in looks as we'll as In strength, and when
he appeared upon the platform 1hus
equipped the astounded natives watched
him With silent, sympathetic curiosity as
he strobe up and down, apparently sciZ-
ing the opportunity for Il little much
needed exercise. The rest Of us had 20
hide to keep from exploding, but he was
utterly Obvious to the Stares and cDm-
ments until he returned TO the car. No
explanation was v~ouchsafed, and the
primitive inhabitants OF that town are
probably still wondering what horrible
malady compelled that invalid TO wear
those outlandlsh cushions.
"a favorite amusement with him was
the reading of imaginary signs at the
stations when we were travelling. When
! the train wouldstop andthat hush would
come over the car. with half the people
wondering who their fellow-passengers
were and the other half viewing the liz
tie grocery OIL the n side or the station,
restaurant or bill board on the other. Mr..
Nye would break forth and begin to read
the bill board aloud: Soda water. crack
ers-highcst prices paid for hides and
tallow-also Ice cream. golden syrup and
feathers The passengers across the
aisle would perk their ears, then rise and
come, craning their necks. TO find the
words he was reading from the bill board,
or finally some old fellow would come up
To the, seat and declare that he could not
find where It said that. In n quiet way
this would tickle Nye beyond measure
away down In the deeps of his sad-pa-
thetIc spirit.
"His conference with the train boys
have often nearly given me convul-
s,ons. When the boy handed him 4
book Nyc would ask with great inter-
est what 1t was about. and listen pa
tientIy TO all the boy knew of It's con-
tents Lets see It. and he would open
the book and read aloud, In Il monot-
OnOus slng-song, 4 lot OF pursst nom
sense, drawn from his imagination. IT
was done so seriously that the boys
eyes would begin to hang out as the
reading lei on. Finally Nye would
II ,I,tt M. 1,nnly ~ N.ifh n OMAN irg In o. 4 bA